The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-04-12
STORIES OF WAR TIMES
How a Boy Of 10 Took Part in the War
Of the Rebellion.
VERY INTERESTING LECTURE
Rev. DR.. Tiff OF Salt Lake Enter
tains and Instructs an Appre-
oiatiye Audisnce at the
Methodist Church..

Tales of war time, thrilling adventures
and eloquent descriptive passages, fol-
lowed one another closely in the lecture
given last evening by the Rev. DIR. Iliff of
Salt Lake at the Methodist church. The
patriotism of the boy of Is who forced
himself into the cavalry and stuck to It
for three long years without furlough, and
his boyish pranks and escapades in camp
and field, made a most interesting theme,
and though DIR. Lift talked for nearly two
hours his audience was anxious that he
continue his remarks.
The preliminary programme consisted
OF the singing of America by tn Q audi
ence, pray err by Presiding Elder Stull and
an Introduction of the speaker by Rev.
Mr.. Rollins of Butte.
DIR. Lift has pleasing personality. He
is genial and his good nature beams from
his face in hearty smiles. He wears his
hair in flowing locks which cluster about
. face that in many ways resembles that
of the late Henry Ward Beecher. He was
frequently interrupted by the appreciative
audience. In opening he said:
"To-night turn back the telescope of
life to view the events of years ago. From
my subject of course you expect me to
speak of the war as a Union soldier. for
such / was. am one of those who be-
lieved that and still believe that the North
was right in that war, and that the South
was wrong. was but IA when that in
comparable American, Abraham Lincoln,
was elected president. 1t was the follow
ing year that the shots rang out against
the gray walls of Fort Sumpter. My
elder brother at once enlisted, and tried
to do SO, but was sent home, being too
young.
He was continuing, when T. C.. David
son brought in beautiful flag with which
to decorate the platform, and as he placed
it in position a burst of applause greeted
Old Glory. The speaker paused, then
said: at is no use for any man to at
tempt to speak while the American flag
is being cheered." The applause was then
redoubIed.
"All the boys who were old enough went
to the front that winter, but / had fine
time at home. / never was SO generally
popular before nor since with the ladies
rs was then. / went to all the apple
parings, the cuttings and sociables, and
while the boys were whistling The Girl
/ left Behind Me- around the army camp
fires 1 was in my glory taking car of
those same girls"
He then. told how the following spring
he determined again to enlist and leav-
ing his pillow in the field one afternoon, he
went the next day to the enlisting Office.
His father opposed his enlistment, but
his mother believed he would be rejected
and If permission to try werc refused
him he would run away, and interceded
for him. "pll never forget her words as
she walked with me across the fields TO
the village. You are young, but possibly
you will get into the army and 1 want you
to be faithful, brave soldier. You will
meet hardships and privations and may
be thrown in the midst of battle, but re-
member this, my son, had rather see
you brought home in a cofiin than to hear
that you bad deserted the cause you have
espoused.'
"Some of you are wondering how boy of
Is could be mustered into the army when
the regulation fixed the lowest age at Is.
don't often tell it but 1 will il you will
not tell the preacher and have it brought
up against me at conference next year.
There we're hundreds of men in line at
the recruiting Office. First they went
under the critical eye of an army surgeon,
thence, if sound bodily. to the enlisting
officer. My turn came, l was physically
sound, and passed on to the next room.
The officer asked my age, i told him Is.
Pass out said he; you are too young. /
was sorrow-stricken. l slept over il that
night; believe l prayed over it, and the
next morning / fell in line again. The
second time / passed the surgeons ex-
animation and into the second room.
How old are you,' asked the officer. 1
am going on 10, L replied, and the
Uncle Sans soldiers. That was
quick growth, over three years in "A
hours, had / kept that up I'd be as old as
Methuselah now. Some may censure me
for that lie, but l eased my own con-
science by the Thought that 1 had only
evaded the answer and really was going
on 10 and would get there after awhile.
Now, as l look back over my life, il seems
to me that If the recording angel has no
more than that on his books against me,
st. Peter will let me squeeze through
those pearly gates when i am finally mus
tered out and into the life eternal"
Then he told how the country boys
played pranks on the city boys. who had
never ridden horses; how the the boys ac-
customed to riding jabbcd the other fell
lows horses with their spurs, and how the
horses scattered them all when they
first fired from their backs. His ex-
perience under fire at Cumberland Gap
where he was in the advance guard and
was first under an enemy's fire. At
later time, while on special duty, he es-
capped capture only by the warning of
pretty girl whom, said he, ~ determined
to marry, and / would if another fellow
had not got the best of mel
He was with Sherman on his march to
the sea, and related several laughable
stories of foraging expeditions. Then,
with an eloquent tribute to Grant, Sher-
man and Lincoln, he reused patriotic en-
thusiasm IN the hearts of all bearers. He
closed his remarks by tribute to Old
Glory. the banner of the brave in the land
of the free. s
Thirty years have passed since Appa-
mattox, and now union and confederate
alike all thank God that the war termi-
mated as it did. The issues of the war are
sealed in the blood of the heroes of 1855,
and we are now and forever one nation
and one flag"
At the close of the lecture an impromptu
reception was rendered DIR. Tiff and the
other visiting pastors, the ladies of the
church serving a dainty luncheon, of
which many partook.
TO-NIOH CONCERT.