Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1895-03-07
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So
EXPORTED HIM TO SHERMAN.
va. Rather Late, but the Union Gen
eral Was Pleased.

|xras also invited 10 respond TO the toast,
.,Tbe Young Manhood of the South. at
the larye banquet given.
The young lawyer prepared his reply
,rith care, feeling he had done his best,
which is all the bar could expect Of
him His toast was the tenth in the
|,ine and the POSTMASTER had nronounc-
"a in distinct tones the title of the toast
and added that Mr.. Fleming du Bignon
4 Georgia would reply.
The lawyer rose slowly to his feet,
elapcing as he did SO down the long
5oube line of expectant, polite, upturn-
4 81 faces smiling at him. encouraging
him to proceed.
His piece" was all clearly in mind.
He remembered every planned gesture,
every turn and point he proposed to
make.
gentlemen of the bar, +" he began,
|"T"--
General Sherman. delightedly
broke in the POSTMASTER, and "Sher-
man shermanP' was echoed all down
the table, which saw dozens of men stand
10 their feet to greet the great soldier
LAWYER Us he entered the'room.
General Sherman had promised to at
tend tLis convention, bat had been de-
famed bY other engagements until this
4 late hour. and his advent was hailed
with 4 Burst 81 s one as he advanced
|doya 10 ,.is F':e char. Every one
WAS .eaking hapts w4th him, creating
|ouitc hubbub
When it finally subsidized, the toast
mastar turned again to the young Geor-
gian and said:
"Wiil Mr.. .du Bi2non now proceed
with th, toast, The Young Manhood of
The south2' /"
Tie Georgian sat for an instant dazed.
he was young, and tho excitement
breaking into his speech had foored
him
What was he going to do? What was
|he going to say? Every line of his pre-
paTed speech had left him. Every bit Of
bis plan Of thought had deserted him.
ITO stand there a confirmed dullard, to
be unable to respond to the toast that
Involved all his patriotism, when that
speech was intended to show the north
erners just what the southerners could
. de and bel 1t was humiliating 1t was
|aeolizjng,
Al this, however, did not occupy the
Z space Of time it takes to tell it. 1t flash
ed through his brain like lightning,
and even during the latter part of these
. thoughts be was rising mechanically to
his feet
H. stood still second and saw Cen
| Gal Sherlnan's face looking at him
with interest. The silence was appalling.
He felt that every one was thinking:
Po1r fellow He doesn't know what
to SLY
lna quiet tone, in which, however,
be felt culver, he commenced:
Gentlemen, l am confoundedl The
advent Of so noted a warrior as General
|SheMan has made me forget every word
Of NY peech the men all looked anx-
ious and interested-"b but / think you
ean scarcely wonder at my confusion.
.Georsilus are so used to the fact of
Generai sherman following them that
Z y is enough to simply paralyze any one
4ot them to be asked to follow the gen
eral There was pause for an instant
foyor t3s young fellows audaeity, and
= then TIE room rang with appreciatiye
Eapplaus Of his excellent wit.
Mn aaed over their plates and i'm
medll y fixed themselves into atti-
tudes d interest. They at once per-
icelyed that at least an original young
Ichap was going to speak.
Mr. du Bignon felt the personal mag
pellsm be had excited reflect on himself
|and continued with more assurance.
He said that he would tell story
about the young manhood of the south,
'he very Young manhood, including his
lirst Impressions Of General Sherman.
Inc time was the civil war, the place
h.nrageNille, Ga II was only a little
shayer BIZ started, staying at home
taxing care of my mother and younger
brother All the men had gone to the
war The cry started early i'll the morn
ing sherman is coming 1t increased
lfofn 2 whisper to frightened shout.
lhe ola negroes who were at home left
lne ileId and gathered in their cabins,
e&acilyas if it had been said, The judg-
Men' Gay j. coming People stood
lffeSo'nte in the street, not knowing
wat do or whether it was best to go
8anyw0ere
And later on he came. Soldiers and
le1s' they began to fill the town and
A8 \. H.6 houses, and fear was the
prevailing element.
INSISTED that my Shetland pony
aa' My brothers. pet rooster must be
Ao3 dy mother equally insisted that
"as @ stay in the house, for if not
would carry me away,
ace a prisoner, but owned i
and when | saw one Of the sol
uadel our house and catch the
aa5l wiring its neck was certain
fuy would 20 next So, jump.
0 al tle window, | ran to the sol
luliAg up my fist cried, Dog.
%9u Ga Yankee, if you take
i'il report You to General
a3ad for an instant and then
reurTeougly. ssCtenpral he