The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1896-12-31

~ oAMelv EARNED HIS RIGHT TO
/ STAY IN KENTUCKY.

4 Fee Inciacnts Nlrom the Career Of the
YaAous Louisviile Editor - How He
Trssssa . Rivai-The jackson Dsmocrss
Who Wanted Prentice to Write His Life.
A great many people unwittingly con-
fuse George ID. Prentice of the Louisville
Journal with Sergeant s. Prentiss Of
Mississippi Both were natives of New
England, and in many points of character
they resembled each other, though they
differed as widely as the poles In others.
Prentice went TO Kentucky to write BIZ
ography Of Henry Clay when that wonder
ful man was about To become a candidate
for president Prentlss went to Mississippi
when that state was In its very youth.
Both were little more than boys then. One
became great journalist, the other great
orator The "Life Of Henry Clay" was
written at Lexington, KY, and at Olym-
plan Springs, rural resort In the noun
tains of eastern kentucky then owned by
Clay. The work was done In such an In
srsdibly short space of time and SO per-
fectly that Prentice at once became lion,
and the Whigs "put up" for him the Lou
isvilie Journal At that time Shadraoh
the Democratic organ in Louisville, and
Penn's friends predicted that he would
make short work of the Yankee boy. But
he didn't Prentice made short work of
him.
At the start Prentice announced that he
had quills Of all sizes in his culver, from
the humming birds wing to the eagles,
and persons could choose which he should
hn nla
Prentice gavo it to him. For time such
a polemic war was waged between those
giants that people stood almost aghast,
but after about nine years Penn threw
down his weapon and quit. He went to
St Louis shortly afterward and died.
Upon Penn's departure from Louisville
Prentice wrote an article so inagnanimous
and beautiful concerning his ancient enc
my that its kind has never been excelled
except when no wrote Of Penn's death.
When Prentice was working on his
life Of Clay" at Olympian Springs ono
day at fayorlte spot in the forest near
great chalybeate spring, he was resting
under huge chestnut tree that is standing
to this day and is called "Prentice's chest
nut, " with manuscript and pencil In hand.
Leaning against the tree back of him was
. double barreled gun that he kept with
him In these jaunts for chance shot at
some object OF game. There came along n
native, one of the Jackson Democrats of
those times, who, IL alive, which is i'm
probable, is still voting for Jackson. He
wore coonskin cap, hunting shirt and
other things, among them n rifle Of the
long, old fashioned Kentucky variety.
Speaking to Prentice, he said:
YES" replied Prentice.
well, / want you to write my life and
do 1t monst'ous quick, too" he said, with
. menacing glance at his lengthy weapon.
Suddenly Prentice sna.ched from behind
the tree his shotgun, and leveling 1t, full
cooked, in the face of the intruder said:
81 won't write your fife, but I II take 1t
n you don't leave here"
The fellow protested that ne was Just
joking, fell into good natured compli-
ment upon Prentice's good looks,
Z" lowed he was game, and the two
parted on quite friendly terms.
But I was not game" Mr.. Prentice
said to the writer after telling the fore
going story. always knew that II want
ID to stay in Kentucky in my business
must show fight, and, though I am natu-
rally timid, j did show fight, and that show
has saved me from many difficulty"
Prentice Ia often spoken OF as a duelist,
but don't think he ever fought duel,
though he was frequently challenged. He
went u Arkansas once to fight duel, bus
the affair was adjusted in satisfactory
way before the principals met on the field.
Generally he got out Of duels with joke.
On one occasion he said in response to an
invitation to thus make target Of him
self, lit takes only one fool to send a chal-
lenge, but IL takes two to fight, and beg
TO be omitted from tho category. Ere
quently, however, he was suddenly brought
into personal encounters from which he al.
ways emerged with full credit and often
honor to himself.
Once, for instance, a Frankfort editor
Aired at him with pistol OH Louisville
street Prentice closed with the man and
had him down, with knife brandishod
above him. Some bystanders shouted:
xiii the scoundrelr' "Cut his head OFF,
and the like, but Prentice put away his
knife, remarking as he did 40, II can't kill
an unarmed man." and, allowing his foe
to arise. the two afterward became close
frienda In such matters Prentice Of Lou
Nville was unlike Prentiss of vicksburg,
for the latter was nearly always "spoilins
for fight" and "would shoot at the drop
Al n hat" IL Ia said of him, and with
good authority, I believe, that Prentiss
would leave a hand at q game of poker to
90 out and exchange shots with persons
who liked that sort of diversion, and would
then come back and take up his cards to
80 II he could "open jack pot''-what-
ever that is
Prentice had two sons, his only children,
named Courtlapd and Clarence respective
~. CourtlaDd inherited to great degree
ths talents Of his gifted father, and gave
muoh promise Of becoming man Of fame
In letters, but no went into the Confeder-
ate army early In the war a. an officer and
was killed In skirmish at Augusta, Ky.,
about two months afterward. Mr.. Prem
Noe idolized Courtland and deeply mourned
him so long as he lived Clarence
later on went into the Confederate army
also and became n colonel He was In.
volved In the killing of hotel proprietor
at Abingdon, Va, and his father was
forced 70 60 30 Richmond, having obtained
passage through the lines, 60 exert his In.
0vxDn xxtt H.. s..l. ~