Middletown transcript., 1898-06-18
HoBsoN THE HERO.

Of Greensboro is to-day perhaps the
proudest community in these United
States.
Made famous in single day by the
glorious deed of a gallant son. she
revels in the proud distinction Of be-
ing the birthplace and home of Rich
mond Pearson Hobscn, the hero of
Santiago. Black mammies, old gray
headed uncles and little pickaninnies
show their white teeth with an un-
conscious grin as they pass you on the
streets and proudly tell you that s'they
knows young Marsy Hobson."
President Mckinley, through Rich
mond Pearson, member of Congress
from North Carolina and an uncle of
Hobson, has wired his congratulations
to the proud mother, giving his assur-
ance that her son is being well treated
and that he will soon be exchanged,
and her sweet old face is wreathed in
smiles.
Seated on the veranda of her pleasant
home she constantly repeats, "He is
my boyI He is my boyI He is my
boyl Hobson's devotion to his mother,
who is daughter of former Governor
Pearson of North Carolina, has been
one of the most marked traits of his
character.
Hobson was born in Greensboro,
Ala, on August II, 1870, in the bouse
still occupied by his father and mother
the old Groom mansion, built in
antebellum days, when the Southern
planters were nabobs. Hobson's affec-
tion for the place is indicated by the
story they tell of him that be knew
every chestnut tree in the give sur
sounding his home, so intimate that
he could tell by the looks of the nut
the tree on which it grew.
A PRIZE ORATOR.
His schooling began when he was Z.
Later he entered the Southern Uni.
versity and distinguished himself par
ticularly in prize declaration. There
are many persons in Greensboro who
recall what proud moment to him ii
was when he bore off the sophomore
declaimer's medal with "Spartacus tC
the Gladiators."
KEPT CLOSE TO HIS BIBLE.
Temperance was one of his hobbies
in college. He often lectured youths
Of his acquaintance on the subject,
and, so far as anyone knows, never
took drink himself.
The young mans religious tendencies
were, and are. pronounced, as will be
shown by the opening clause Of his will
which his father incidentally mentioned
to the writer yesterday. It reads thus
"For my near and distant future,
leave myself without anxiety in the
hands of Almighty God."
When very young he became q mem
ber of the Episcopal Church, and wher
he went to Annapolis his mother gave
him Bible and prayerbook and re
quested that he keep them always with
him, and to this day he has strictly
complied with her request.
CADETS CALLED HIM "PARsoN."
Soon after reaching Annapolis b.
was dubbed "Parson," /" because of hi'
strict religious discipline and his in
clination to read his Bible and to sa.
his prayers regardless of. the jeers O
his schooImates. After recovering
from an accident with which he me
that would have killed an ordinar.
man, he was raised to the rank o
"Parson Tough" by his fellow students
who were forced to admire his pluck
even if they did not respect his ear
nestness of purpose.
Throughout his life at Annapolis, ,an
afterward, Hobson's indifference Il
the charms Of the gentler sex has beel
noticeable. Many a cap has been SO
at him, but he never seemed to know
it.
Lieutenant Hobscn has always beef
regarded by his comrades as man O
great force since a demonstration b
gave to them at Annapolis early in hi
career, and they used to say it was n
use to run foul Of Hobson, for b
would win in the long run. And thi
is why they said SO:
| He is extravagantly fond of milk
and owing to certain unfortunate fam
lily reasons, nothing but milk does b.
drink, except, of course, aqua pura
When this popularity of his impressed
itself upon the other cadets, they nc
unnaturally argued that man VIII
drank milk and water must he of th
"milk and water" type, and deep dow
in their embryonic naval souls the
held in contempt Cadet Richmond P
Hobson. They were civil to him, bu
he was exceedingly reserved an
self-contained, and they really did nc
get at the stuff he was made of-tha
is, not for some time. Then they di
and never forgot it. Neither did be
REPORTED A CLAssMATE.
There is an unwritten law at An
napolis that no cadet, under any cir
cumstances whatsoever, when on dut
shall report a classmats for any disre
gard of duty or discipline, and the law
of the Medes and Persians were no
more rigidly enforced than is this on
at the Naval Academy. Never was
known to be broken until one day
when he had still two years more. be
fore his course would be finished, Cade
Hobson on duty reported classmat
for a slight Infringement of discipline
and said classmate was reprimanded
Hobson's class could not believe thei
ears when they heard the charge pre-