The Southern herald., 1897-10-29
GEORGIA OF LONG AGO.
Recalled to Arp By Scholarly and
Historic Letters
One Who Knew DOndInOt When n
BOy-StO ries of Lieut.. PaschaI-
An Early ROmRnce-YOunE
Indian Archer.


Thought that almost every body was
dead but me, especially since Judge
Clark died, the man of memories,
the historian. the jurist, the amiable
and loyable citizen. Iwant his book as
soon as Mrs. Wyly has it published.
know it will be treasure to the old
people, and should be to the young. l
thought that all my contemporaries
who wire familiar with the public af-
fairs of fifty and sixty years ago were
dead, but l was mistaken. Quite
a flood OF historic letters have come to
me of late from venerable and scholarly
men who hayeawakened from their long
retirement and write me some most iu-
teresting recollections of men and
events of bygone days. What careful,
artistic penmanship illumines most of
these letters, reminding me of my fa-
theirs, and John Mcpherson Berrien's,
and Henry Il. Jackson's, and others
who were trained to write by the
schooimasters OF the olden time.
Here is a long and scholarly letter
from Mr.. S. p. Hale, of MadiSonville,
Tenn, who is now in his seyenty-fourth
year, and whose father was an officer
in the army that moved the Cherokees
beyond the Mississippi river. 1t took
many months for the soldiers to gather
these Indians together, for they kept
in hiding as long as possible, and while
this was going on Mr.. Hale's father and
his family were located at New Echota,
in what is nOw Gordon county. I'VE
lived said Mr.. Hale, "in house that
my father rented from Boudiuot and he
purchased from him many articles Of
handsome furniture, among which was
heavy folding leaf dining table made
OF cherry wood and finished in artistic
style. This table has been in the fam
lily ever since and is now in my house,
and en- 1t we eat our humble meals
three times a day. Iprize it highly as
souvenir of my childhood, for l
was then only IL years old. | Iremem-
Der well seeing Mr.. Boudinot and John
Ridge and other notable Indians in com
ference there. Ridge was tall, erect
and copper-coiored; nose aquiline, eyes
black and piercing and hair straight,
black and coarse. lie dressed like a
white man and spoke broken English
tluently. His father was an Indian, his
mother a half breed, and he was edu-
Gated at Moravian mission school.
"Boudinot was not SO tall, but was
heavier, broader man, with attractive
features and polished manners. lie
dressed stylishly, wore a dark silk hat
and spoke English in its purity. He
published a newspaper at New Echota
in the Indian dialect, and we boys did
often play with the type. Boudinot,
whose Indian name was Charles Vann,
was of mixed blood, and while at the
mission school attracted the attention
Of Elias Boudinot, wealthy gentle
man of Philadelphia, who adopted him
and gave him his Huguenot name. This
is the same philanthropist who was the
founder and first president Of the Amer
lean Bible society, and gave it $4,000
to start on. His will contained many
bequests to charity, and among them
one of $4,000 to provide spectacles for
poor old women.
"But can you tell me anything of Pas
schal-Lieut. Paschal? / think he was
a Georgian. lie was there at New
Echota on Gen. Woods staff as aid
de-camp, and came here with Capt.
Derrick's company from Dahlonega.
lie fell desperately in love with John
Ridges only daughter, Sarah, a beau
tiful and lovely girl, and the best horse
woman | ever saw. He courted her and
married her there. They spent some
time at our house, and their marriage
was quite romantic episode in our mo-
notonOus life. During their court
ship she one day expressed desire to
ride my fathers horse, 'Muckle John
a steed of blood and mcttle. Ny fa-
ther reluctantly consented, and for her
safety had bride with a very severe
hit put on him. Paschal was mounted
on a fast Indian pony, and they were
soon away and out of sight. They rode
five or six miles to the big spring, and
when about to return, the happy, laugh
ing girl proposed to swap brides and
let Muckle John 90 as fast as he pleased.
paschal tried TO exchange without
her dismounting. But the moment
Muckle John found his mouth free he
gave q snort and started for home on
wild cantcr. In vain did Paschal
try to override his sweetheart. 1t
was John Gilpin race, and Muckle
John never slackened his speed until
he reached the horse block, where his
rider had mounted. She was wild
With laughter and excitement, and de-
clared it was the finest ride of her life,
and that when the horse got tired she
lashed him on. But poor Paschal did
not for long time recover from the
shock, for he feared he would never see
his darling alive any more.
"Pasehal and his bride went west,
and many years ago read something
about Judge Pascnal out in Texas. Is
he the same man|'
suppose that he was, for Paschal
did live in Texas several years and pub
lished paper at Austin, and in 1859 con-
tributed largely to the election of his
friend, Sam Houston, as governor. He
settled first in Arkansas and practiced
law and soon won distinction and was
elected Judge Of the supreme court in
1871. In 1869 be removed TO Washing
ton city and founded the law depart
ment of Georgetown university and be-
came its president and there received
the degree of Ii. D. He published and
compiled many law books and also
wrote a biography Of Gen. Sam Hous-
ton. 1t is with pride we give this sketch
Of this notable and gifted man, for he
was a Georgian, born in Greene county,
educated at Mercer and admitted to