Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1897-06-02
DIR. JAMES BAXTER BEAN,

lino ~ioiiOWiuB very iutcIeotiuB OOlh-
munication, written by one Of Ten
nessee's most gifted and brilliant
writer's, Fl. M. Doak, Esq, of Nash.
Vile, and published in the American,
will explain itself and be read with
more than ordinary interest by the
numerous readers of the Herald and
Tribune.
Mr., Doak is mistaken in supposing
that DR.. Bean was born in Hawkins
County. He was born in this good old
County of Washington, out at the old
Jacob Hunter place ON Cherokee, now
known as the Harrison Dunn pla .e.
The last time DR.. Bean was in East
Tennessee-in 1S69-he visited the old
house in which he was born, and wrote
his name on the window facing; drank
from the old spring twice, once in
memory of his mother, and once in
memory of his childhood DAYS, and
and took some pebbles from it sandy
bottom as souvenirs.
In DR.. r. L. G. Whites clever and
ingenious Dream, which has so oppor
timely set 80 many people down to the
shamefully neglected study Of our Ten.
nessee history-in which he has done
an inestimable service, extending far
beyond the scope of the actual con.
testaIts-mention of the Tennesseean
who lost his life in an Alpine snowstorm
brought back boyhood recollections,
which | am moved to recount, because
they are of a plucky young fellow who
hoed his W row and hoed it well up
to the point where it came to an un-
timely end.
A Baltimore dental magazine of 1870,
in the story of bis death, gives Florida
as the birthplace of James Baxter
Bean, misled by the fact that he had
practiced his profession in that State.
l know from him that his early life
was spent in Rogersyille, Hawkins
County, Tenn. l think that was his
native county. / first knew him as a
journeyman painter at work upon a
house my father, Rev. Archibald
Alexander Doak, DID,, was building
in Washington County. He was a
skillful, careful, industrious workman,
a young man of about IS, of robust,
powerful frame, with massive features
and large, dark eyes, beaming with
intelligence and fun. While thought
full, inclined to be dreamy, he was
brimful of fun and good humor in
leisure hours, although inclined to
serious subjects and to seek informa
ton, II the company suited.
One autumn evening / was in a
room with him in the new house, where
a number of workmen vera gathered
about a cheerful fire of blocks and
shavings. After the manner of boys /
was making myself generally and
generously disagreeable-boy trait
which led Filina in Wilhelm Meister-
Filina in the opera, l believe it is in
the novel-to wish that boys grew on
trees. I'd a large capacity for being
disagreeable and some cultivation in
that line.
at last Jim Bean said he'd had
enough OF it and gave me the alterna-
tive of going home, or simmering dowr
to a peaceful consistency, under pen
atty of being locked up for the night
in an adjoining room. OF course, nc
well regulated boy could pass by such
an opportunity for trouble. Ny efforts
in the line of disturbing the harmonies
were redoubled. 1 had not wasted
many minutes before | had provoked
Bean to a point where | suppose ar
adult jury would have excused torture
on me of the most savage kind. He
quietly grasped me 10 his powerful
arms, and before l knew what he wal
about l was in durance vile witb-sA1
key turned. l was blind with ed N
was used to blows, give and takesof !
the indignity of imprisonment Was
more than I could bear. I shrieked out
that | would kill him when / did gel
out. In a short time he unlocked the
door. When he had reached the mid
die of the roo II and turned l rushed
on him with q drawn knife. He leaped
upon a box and kicked, but a vicious
blow laid his thigh open in a long
crosswise cash. l was seized and dis.
armed, without actual need, for blind
passion had spent itself. Bean coolly
stripped, examined the wound. called
for his box and dressed his wound, de.
Ginning to allow q doctor to be sent for
He was always prepared for all emer
gencies.
By that time l was sitting in the
corner sobbing and penitent enough
When the excitement had died away
Bean said: Young fellow, you've got
the devils own temper. A little deeper
and you'd have cut al artery and been
sorry the rest of your life. l had no
right to lock you up. l ought to have
slapped you over" He put everyone
present under pledge to say nothing
about it and then said: Now let's
make friends" l went across sheepish
ly and sullenly and gave him my
hand. l have had my face pounded
by bigger fellows many a time since,
but | have never hrawn a knife sin ce.
He limped to breakfast next morning,
gave some sort of excuse for lameness
and went on with his work. From
that time on we were close friends.
Shortly after that l heard my father
say to him: Bean, you are too capa
BILE a man to be working here by the
day; you ought to get a good educa.
ton" He replied: II know that, DR..
Doak, but l don't know how to get II
without working for it and that's slow
business" My father then proposed
that he room aud board with him and
he would prepare himfor college. Then