Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1892-02-28

| that was going on about him, forceful
gestures all contributing to the effect
which surprised all beholders and de-
| lighted his friends. 1t is not often we
see In the United States senate or any
| where else man seventy-five years old
| disporting himself in the oratOrical
arena like man Of forty, with all his
faculties unimpaired and the fires OF his
eloquence undimmed by the cloud OF
| age.
The span OF this mans life carries Us
back to the year 1877. His career has
been synchronous with the development
OF nearly all there is OF the American
republic. He was almost man grown
before the iron horse made its appear
ance in the land. In his youth the cohn-
try existed chiefly east OF the Allegheny
mountains. Through all these seventy
| five years he has been worker In LIES
vineyard, In the very thick OF the fight
ing in war and peace, and yet here he Is
apparently good for quarter OF CEN
fury more OF activity and usefulness.
Like so many OF the great men who
have been sent TO the capital by Illinois.
Senator Palmer is a native Of Kentucky
and comes OF good old Virginia stock.
| His great-grandfather came from Ire
land and was of Scotch ancestory. His
| grandfather was born on the shores OF
the Potomac, 100 miles below Washing
ton, and carried a gun In the war OF the
| Revolution. ~ have myself heard my
grandfather tell OF the battle OF York
town, said Senator Palmer day or two
| ago, ''and remember distinctly little
| Joke which he was fond OF perpetrating
| in that connection. He always spoke OF
Lord CORVALLIS as 'Cob-wallis-because
we shelled the corn off him at York
town." Senator Palmer's father,
Lewis D., was plneer in Kentucky, a
| cabinet maker at Lexington, whence he
removed TO the Green river country In
that state to become a farmer. His
earthly possessions were q wife, two
horses and two boys, the younger OF
them being the present senator. IL was
very young them" said the senator In
recalling some of the incidents OF his
youth, shut have been told that my
| father rode one horse with my brother
up behind him, while my mother rode
the other with me In front OF her. !
was so young that all needed TO make
me happy was plenty Of food and sleep,
and so far as know have been In the
same condition ever since"
| On the Black Jack lands OF the Green
| river country Lewis Palmer acquired
more children than riches. OF seven
sons ne considered John McAuley one OF
the dullest and least promising. He sent
the boy to school TO Daniel Boone, who
used hazel switch on the future gov
| ernor and senator about twice day
| during one whole term, and when Pal
mer senior returned from the Indian
wars, where he had served for time I'M
der General William Henry Harrison, he
gave 1t as his opinion that young John
| had deserved all he had received and
more. After time Father Palmer
caught the Illinois crf re which was then
sweeping over Kentucky, and which
gave TO the state, which Is now the third
OF the Union. some Of the best blood
from Kentucky and Virginia. Packing
up his few chattels and his seven sons
| and daughters he removed TO Madison
county, Ills, firing the imagination OF
his sons by telling them that on the
prairies they could all have farm for
the asking and I'll their pockets by
simply tickling the virgin soil.
Young John, who was at that time
fourteen years old, very soon began 10
evince an extraordinary desire TO secure
an education. His father said to him:
John, my son, am poor man and
cannot give you money. The most j
can do for you is 10 give you your time.
Go and see what you can do for your
SELF" In those pioneer days father
expected the full benefit OF his sons SER
vices till he was twenty-one years old,
and he was considered very generous
who made bis son present OF two or
three years OF his minority. So young
John started out TO see what he could
do. he worked by the day for the neigh
! boring farmers. drove four oxen break
ing the prairie sod with big plow,
husked corn, planted, cared for stock.
One day he went 10 town and saw 10 a
tailor's shop a cotton suit which the
tailor had left on bis hands. II
worth twelve dollars. Young Palmer
eyed II enviously, and the tailor asked
him TO try IL on. As result the tailor,
whose name was Moore. sold the boy the
suit on credit A few months later the
Sd day Of July found the youngster with
$3.50, which be had earned by hard
days work on the neighborlng farms.
John" said his father, you still owe
Tailor Moore seven dollars" "Yes.
father" "And you have s7.50?" "Yes."
'swell, tomorrow will be Independence
Day, and IL you want TO be a free and
independent man go the first thing in
the morning and pay that debt. No
man is free and independent who owes
another money" Next morning the
debt was paid, and third of century
later, when the barefoot boy had become
governor Of Illinois, IL was paid again In
the appointment Of Tailor Moore TO .
somewhat lucrative Office, which be held
for many years and which was his sup
port In his declining years Of life. 81