Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1890-03-15
"REMINISCENCES.
Notes Dragged From MemOry's
Casket by the Change.
Rev. T. j. Duncan ON Clarks-
ville's Past History.
The Men Whs Conducted the Journals
Forty Years ARo.-Ministers
Who are Remembered
By Good Writer.


have been threatening to take my
pen to you, and here it comes. You
have been cutting so many journal
istic capers of late that I'm bound to
have a say. So the CHRONICLE
hangs upon a TOBACCO LEAF, and
the TOBACCO LEAF has been Chron-
icled. Long may you wave! When
l was a boy the CHRONICLE was an
old and honored citizen. 1t had an
editor of rare ability; r. w. Thomas
was gifted man. AS l write l re-
call every feature Of that classic face.
For modesty, erudition, a brainy
leader, pungent paragraph, or chaste
and beautiful story, you could al
ways depend on him. The people
who read him did not appreciate
him. The journalistic eye was upon
him far and near. For years he
could have gone on the editorial
staff Of a leading New York daily
with thousands for his salary. But
let me tell you he had foeman
worthy of his steel. Charles o.
Faxon was then editing the Clarks-
vile JeffersOnian. Thomas and
Faxon each walked with canes.
FaXon-I see him-tall, silk hat, "A
| guess, may be u. 1t inclined back
at an angle of 150. Long hair, salloW
complexion, thin visage. His deli
cate physique in strange contrast
with the twinkling beams that in.
deXed a fund of almost inimitable
humor. The Jeffersonian office was
overhead in the corner building on
the corner of Franklin and Water
streets, since enlarged and known as
the Vol. Williams stand. In front
on the ground floor was the book
store of G. FaXon, father of Charles
O., the rear end of that room being
occupied for pOstoffice, G. 0. FaXon,
P. NJ. Pm of the opinion that Cave
johnson had somewhat to do in
making that appointment. Bill
Dean was chief clerk in that Of
flee. For rapiditX and readableness
Bill's pen was hard to beat. Jim
FaXon and Garrett Brockman made
the type rattle upatairs. Just below
the corner aforesaid the father of our
James A. Grant kept hotel. Jim,
Sterling Neblett, Nick and Charley
Thomas were typos on the Chronicle.
That is about the way things were
there more than three decades ago.
| subscribed to the literature of the
Chronicle and the politics of the JEFF
fersOnian. Charles 0. FaXon and
George Dennison Prentiss were
friends. Their friendship was the
growth of years. Whiggery and de-
were lost sight of in the
Of kindred spirits. Full
many piece of witty and innocent
passed between them that
never appeared in Prenticidn0. Not
many can enjoy a good joke at their
own expense. l was employed in
the Faxon establishment. Down
stairs weighing rags; behind the
boxes handing out mail behind the
counter selling books; upstairs fold
ing Jetfs., et cetera. Though having
the same calendar birthday with Cor
nelius Vanderbilt, my income was
not so large. Prof Fowler was in c.
phrenologizing, lecturing and such
like. He held forth in Fowler's hall.
The latter f. was the longtime Jew
9ler of c. The former F. charged for
MS lectures generally, and once in
great many whites gave one free
Charley Faxon had tried and failed
o get me to go to the Hall until
rec lecture was announced. l was
EASILY persuaded went. AT the close
IF the lecture he called for volunteer
subjects. l went up, for the good of
he community, you know. The
Prof. took hold of my head. He
sensations not wholly for
rotten by me at that time. AT last
lie said: "Ladies and gentlemen,
you seldom see such a head as this in
! lecture room. Sometimes you do When
is a free lecture" Things were in a
yhirl about my head. The audience
cared with laughter. l didn't blame
hem. But there was one thing that
worried me almost beyond endur-
nee. Charley Faxon sat just in |
ront of me drilling a hole through |
he floor with that heavy ivory ham
He'd rattan. His mouth seem to see
t now-betrayed the fact that he was
thoroughly happy. The appendage
o his ivory handle went inward and
downward toward the lower end of
lis rattan. l Joined in the laugh.
The people of that country had not
My high grade Of journalism
hey were blessed with an able min
stry. DR.. Hammer, p. E., stood the
'eerless pulpit man not only of the
egions round about, but frem Balti
acre to New Orleans, from Charles
On to the Pacific slope. No man
Duld exceed him in pulpit power.
he office he filled in that day was
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