The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-12-26

most place of great commercial power
among the states of the United States
II. s. Coll.
STORIES OF A GREAT EDITOR.
Visscher, in the Times-Herald.
A great many people unwittingly con-
fuse George ID. Prentice Of the Louisviile
Journal with Sergeant 5. Prentiss. Oh MIS-
sissippi Both were natives of New Eng
land, and in many points of character they
resemebled each other, though they dif-
fered as widely as the poles In others.
Prentice went to Kentucky to write
biography of Henry Clay when that Won
derful man was about to become a can
didate for president. Prentiss Went 10
Mississippi when that state was In its
very youth. Both We're little more than
boys then. One became a great )ournai-
list, the other a great orator. The Life
Of Henry Clay was written at LexinS.
ton, KY, and at Olympian Springs. rural
resort in the mountains OF eastern keh-
tucky, then owned by Clay. The work was
done in such an incredibly short space or
time and So perfectly that Prentice at once
became a lion. and the wings put up for
him the Louisville Journal. AT that time
Shadrach Penn was the editor or the Al
vertiser, the Democratic organ In Louis
vile. and PENIS 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 an
nounced that he had quilts of all sizes
in his quiver, from the humming blrd
wing to the eagles. and persons could
choose which he should use on them. Penn
chose the eagle and Prentice gave II 10
him. For a time such 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 after
ward and died. Upon Penn's departure
from Louisville Prentice wrote an article
so magnanimous and beautiful concern
ing his ancient enemy that, it's kind has
never been eXcelled, except when ne
wrote OF Penn's death.
tit
While Prentice was working on his life
of Clay at Olympian Springs one day AT II
favorite spot in the forest, near a great
chalybeate spring. he was resting under
a 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
a double-barreled gun, that he kept with
him in these jaunts for a chance shot at
some object of game. There came along a
native. one OF the Jackson Democrats of
those times, who, II alive. which is I'M
wore coonskin cap. hunting shirt and
other things. among them rifle of the
long. old-fashioned Kentucky variety.
Speaking TO Prentice he said:
You're writin' Clay's life, amt ye?'
Yes replied Prentice.
well. l want you to write my life, and
do II monst'ou quick, too." he said, with
menacing glance at his lengthy weapon.
Suddenly Prentice snatched from behind
the tree his shotgun, and leveling 1t. full
cooked, in the face of the intruder, he
said:
81 won't write your life but I'll take 1t If
you don't leave here
The fellow protested that he was just
toll f..1 into .tttca
ment upon Prentices good looks, "lowed"
he was game and the two parted on
quite friendly terms.
-:II:-
but l was not game" Mr. Prentice
said to the writer after telling the fore
going story ~ always knew that if /
wanted to stay in Kentucky In my bust
ness | must show fight. and though | am
naturally timd | did show fight. and that
Guilty"
Prentice is often spoken of as a duelist,
but ! don't think he ever fought duel.
though he was frequently challenged. He
went to Arkansas once to fight a a duel,
but the affair was adjusted in a satisfac-
tory way before the principles met on the
field. Generally he got out of duels with
Il joke. On one occasion he said in re-
sponse to an invitation to thus make a
target Of himself: ut takes only one fool
to send a challenge, but 1t takes two to
category" Frequently, however, he was
suddenly brought into personal encounters
from which he always emerged with full
credit and often honor to himself. Once.
for instance, Frankfort editor fired at
him with a pistol on u Louisville street.
Prentice closed with the man and had him
down with a knife brandished above him.
Some bystanders shouted: XIII the
like. but Prentice put away his knife. re-
marking as he did so: 81 can't kill an
unarmed man." and allowing his foe to
arise, the two afterward became close
friends, In such matters Prentice of
Louisville was unlike Prentiss, of Vicks-
burg. for the latter was nearly always
spelling for fight and would shoot
"at the drop Of hat" 1t Is said of him.
and with good authority, | believe, that
Prentiss would leave a hand at a game
with persons who liked that sort of diver
sion. and would then come back and take
up his cards to see If he could "open n
jack-pot-whatever that Is.
-:I:-
Prentice had two sons. his only children,
named Courtland and Clarence respective
ly as to age. COurtland inherited to a
great degree the talents of his gifted ia
ther, and gave much promise of becoming z
man of fame In letters. but he went into
the Confederate army early in the war
as an officer and was killed in a skirmish
at Augusta. KY, about two months after
ward. Mr.. Prentice idolized Courtland
and deeply mourned him so long as the
father lived. Clarence, later on. vent into
the Confederate army also anl became A
colonel. He was involvd m the killing If
hotel proprietor ut Abingdon Va. and
his father was forced to 20 to Richmond
having obtained passage through th,
lines. to exert his intl.lenc with the high
confederate Cuth)r.t.es to save his son
from coniign punishment. Recurring
from the war Clarence was admitted to the
bar in Louisville. but changed his mind
and studied med! Inc. IN which profes
sion he graduated but navar practircd.
Shortly before the elder Prem 90 y death
Clarence was thrown from n buggy On a
road, near his home, west If Louisville.
and was killed, He left Il son, George ID,
Prentice. jr.. who at r,y latest informL-
tion was In law practice at San Francisco o..
! am of the opinion that this young m IN
Is dead also. but If he Is ,'vinig he j. the
only representative alive OF ,;aorr, -.
Prentice's immediate family.
-:II:-
Prentice was g :ema 'kably candid man,
Illustration OF which Is given In the nnec.
dotes which shall follow, but these are
only few of the hundreds to be told:
once when coming out of public build
ing In Louisville he was about to pass
through double door which opened both
ways. Like the sensible man he was he
started to push at the door half on his
right. a young man coming from the op-
posite direction was pushing at the same
door. being his own left. Prentice lost
patience, and throwing himself with ali
his might against the door it flew open
and the young man went sprawling on
the mosaic floor. Assisting the youth to
arise, Prentice remarked: take my ad-
vice, my son. keep to the right in your
way through life. and you'll never run
against any body but blamed fool, and
you needn't apologize to him."
VIII s. Hays, the famous Kentucky
song writer. was In the latter dow, - ~.