Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1896-01-18

MISSED EVERY GIRL IN THE PROCESSION.
ing with n good squeeze by way of
making the OSCILLATION more impress
ive.
The incident is suggestive not only
of the fact that pretty girls like to be
kissed-provided the other party is a
famous man and of discreet age-but
the more instructive truth that kissing
pretty girls has been favorite occupa-
tion of nearly all great men of mature
age, military men being particularly
given to it. Gen. Grant was perhaps
the notable exception. This recalls an
Incident which came under the obser-
'yation of the writer at Galena, ILL.,,
shortly after the close of the war. Gen.
Grant had returned on short visit to
his old home. A great crowd was as
sembled at the railway station to well
come him. AS the general alighted
from the train, he was greeted by
procession of dozen or more young
ladies. AS the first blooming miss
grasped the hand of the hero, she held
up her ruby lips-the lips of brave
and tender girls like this are always
lruby-with the firm but inexpressibly
sweet compression which every expert
enced osculator recognizes at glance
az meaning business. The general
seemed surprised, flushed slightly,
glanced down the line of waiting beau
ties, drew a long breath, and then,
with the resolute look of a man de-
termined to fight it out on that line
If it took all summer, he deliberately
and with praiseworthy impartiality
Kissed every girl in the procession.
The general was modest man, but he
was never known to finch in the face
of his duty to his countrymen - or
,countrywomen.
Gen. r. +. Lee, notwithstanding the
staid decorum Of his ordinary de-
meanor, was ever ready, it is stated, to
face an emergency OF this kind. At
Lexington, Va, in the closing years
of his life, there were many pretty girls
and many osculatory encounters, the
girls being quite willing to have it to
say" that they had been so distin-
guished by the great commander. The
college boys heard of it with mingled
feelings of envy and emulation. To
this day, it is said, the visitor MT Lex
ington will be stopped at this or that
turn of the road by his guide, with the
remark: Here, in 1860, 1 saw Gen.
Lee kiss Miss So-and-So. They met;
they chatted. At parting the damsel
would say: Why, general, aren't you
going to kiss me" and thereupon the
general would respond with evident
animation" A great number of spots
at the southern Mecca are decorated
with similar legends-so many, in fact,
that the tourist is inspired with regrets
that he, too, was not u great general
and strategist.
Gen. Sherman's exploits in this Ct
tractive field are more widely known.
Indeed, they were extended over a
wider area and were performed with,
perhaps, trifie less discrimination.
At every grand army reunion there
would be found a number of blooming
misses who aspircd to kiss the general.
Being a gallant man-every soldier
must be gallant-Gen. Sherman re-
sponded to the seductive challenges
with exemplary alacrity, to the sorrow
tOA JouHB OlhCCioy WIZ buCu
sweetness wasted on an old man, and
,a married man at that. Gen. Joseph
r., Johnston, who opposed Gen. Sher-
man on so many fields, was in this line
of operations also a rival worthy OF
his steel.
1t was not the good fortune of Gen
lJohnston to attend grand army re.
unions to any considerable extent, but
in his limited sphere Gen. Johnston
had in his last years great many con
ifederate admirers of the charming sex
twho, with his ready sanction, testified
their cordiality in the characteristic
land always pleasant feminine maner
Tie was handsome man, even in ex
Itreme old age, so that there was nc
drawback to chill the futtering heart
of the impulsive feminine patriot.
i'FIt must not be assumed that the
generals that have been naned are the
only ones who have had the courage
to meet their feminine admirers Of the
third generation half way. Their name
Is legion, so far, at least, as appreciation
goes. 1t is noticeable, however, thai
the girls draw the osculatory line Al
major generals. They are severe il
their requirements, exacting rank
/. fame. and an ago few ordinary NOR