The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-03-10
A PICTURESQUE LUNA.EIc.
General Smith, of TeIs1.--see, Once "a
DashinE Soldier in an Asylum.

A PICTURESQUE LUNA.CIC.
General Smith, of Tennessee. Once Il
Dashing Soldier in an Asylum.
Probably the most picturesque crazy
person in Tennessee is General Thomas
P. Smith, of Williamson county. Cen
eral Smith was the youngest brigadier
in the confederate army and was a
daShing soldier At the battle of
Franklin he received a saber cut on
the head from a federal trooper, and
it wrecked his mind 1t was several
! years after the war when he had his
first delusion. He imagined he was an
Indian chief, and in truth he looked
like one when he decked his long,
black hair with feathers, painted his
face with polkberry juice, and,
mounted on a spirited horse and armed
with along hickory bow and culver
of arrows, went galloping over his es-
tate. He kept up that practice for
several months before he was con-
fined. Finally he sent an arrow
through the arm of an inoffensive old
man and then tried to scalp him, and
the authorities broke up his fun
He was sent to the asylum, and as
his insanity was of the intermittent
variety, he was a most entertaining
gentleman when sane. He becme a
great favorirte with the superintend-
ent, DR.. Calendar, and his wife The
general was made trusty, for his
keepers sooned learned to know that
his paroXysms of insanity were always
presaged by the delusion that he was
drilling a regiment of soldiers.
One afternoon he was noticed drill
ing his men in buckram, but he quiet
ed down and 1t was regarded as safe
to let him attend dinner given by
DR.. and Mrs. Calendar. He took the
hostess in to dinner, nd, after the soup
was disposed of, showed her butcher
knife about two feet long.
The sight sent the cold chilIs chas-
ing up and own Mrs. Calendars back,
but she realized that 1t would never
do to manifest any apprehension so
she dissembled and said: why. gen
eral, what are youn going to do with
that big knife?"
Il am going to kill Calendar" re-
piled the general, camplacently toying
with his fish.
Mrs. Calendar had more cold chills,
but she plucked up heart of grace
and said imperiously:
General Smith; | am surprised that
a gentleman of your culture should
think of being so rude as to kill an
other gentleman in the presence of a
lady"
Pardon, me- madam" said the gen.
eral with courtly contrition, 81 had
forgotten it; but it probably would be
unpleasant for you to see me kill Cal
endar. He might bleed; and the sight
of blood is obnoxious to most ladies'.
Pardon, me ma'am, I'll put it off until
you retire, and the general resumed
the discussion of hisfish
General Smith, said Mrs CaIen-
dar, give me that knife
81 IL, \
Il will have use for it presently
"Fiei Fie, general! Do you forget
that southern gentleman never re-
fuses a lady's request?"
II am rebuked again, madame, and
again beseech your pardon replied
the martial lunatic, and he handed
Mrs. Calendar the knife with the air
of a Chesterfield, requesting her to be
sure to return it to him after dinner
as he needed it to kill Calendar with
Mrs Calendar left the dining room
as soon as possible, and sending for
her husband gave him the knife and
told him. what had happened. Then
her nerves gave way and she tainted
The general was secured after hard
fight and had an attack of acute in
sanity that lasted several weeks.
When he is himself, General Smith
likes to tell how he frightened a city
man who was hunting birds on the asy-
ium grounds. The general was a
trusty, and strolling up to the sports
man. asked him what luek?"
None at ALL replied the town man,
my dog finds the birds all right, but
L can't hit EN-"
The dog came to a point just then.
and the general, who was examining
the strangers gun. advanced, and as
the covey rose dropped bird with
each barrel
The city sportsman was delighted.
by Georger' said he, you're bully
shot. Suppose we keep together and
you do the shooting and I'll furnish
the gun, and We'll divide the game"
General Smith had reloaded the gun,
and, facing the stranger, said: My
friend, do you know whose got your
gum
"why, no; who?v said the urban
nimrod
IAN escaped lunatic from that asy-
lum over yonder' replied the general;
then. as the stranger turned pale, he
added, impressively:
My friend, you're in "a bad fixp'
The stranger thought so, too, and
trembled like an, aspen leaf. The crazy
general enjoyed his discomforture a
moment, then returned the gun to him
and advised him to be more careful
in future about putting himself in the
power of strangers.
General Smith is "a regular attend
ant of confederate reunions, paying an
asylum attache to accompany him He
is a great letter writer, but even in
his sanest moods can not write CO.
herently. He invariably subscribes
himeslf ''Thos. p. Smith, General c.
S. A. and u. S. AZ He is frequently
visited by his old somrades, and al
ways accords them a hearty welcome
New York Recorder,