El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1898-09-03
About Richmond pearson Hobson.

Green-DOrO, Ala, July IL, IoSo.-
Richmond Pearson Hobson was born
and reared in Greensboro, Ala, the
county seat of Hale County, in the fam
Gus Black Belt region of this state.
Rich has three brothers near his
own age, one older and two younger,
and besides these boys cousin, who
was one OF the household in the
days of his childhood. These boys
were my playmates. My home and
their home were the joint property of
our boyhood. Not tree in either
place did we fail to climb or a rat-nest
or rabbit hole we did not explore.
Greensboro was then the terminus of
Selma and Greensboro Railroad.
Every morning the train ran to Selma
and returned in the evening. One of
young Hobson's great delights was to
Slip down to the depot in the evening
and help the train crew, the help con-
sisting in riding up and down the
switch engine until the time came to
turn it, aud then how he used to push
away At that old turn-table lever until
she swung clear around headed for
Selma once mora. We boys were more
hindrance than help, but we thought
we were ''the whole thing"
He was as fond of kites as any of US,
but could not make one that could fly.
However, he always managed to coax
the agent into making him 3 kite that
was better than any the boys could
make. Once, in our explorations of
| the pasture, we found q wasps' nest
and determined we wanted it, to use
the "young vases" as "Rich" called
them, for fish bait. The vases" did
not like 'sIlch's" attack and stuug the
little fellow freely. Nothing daunted,
he wore out all the switches in reach
trying to dislodge the wasps' nest, and
finally took of his little hat and broke
| the nest of the tree and carried it of
| in triumph to the house, where he APP
piled for soda to relieve his strings.
Rich" Hobson and all the boys
went barefooted all summer, and some
| tins in winter: not from poverty, but
because our parents thought it made US
harder. Barefooied, we use to run
| tournaments sport whose object
was to catch rings which we hung from
poles, three in line, Oh the point of
our lsnces, which were merely sharp
ened sticks. We went by fanciful
names. Rich" was either "Briau du
Bots Guilbert," "1vanhoe" ''or Rich
ard Occur de Leon,' l don't know
which, but he took as many rings as
any of the rest.
He was a n ost excellent Sunday-school
boy. Our teacher was Mr.. Charles l..
Stickney, superintendent OF st. Paul's
Episcopal Sunday school for % years,
man Of great force of character and
fond OF his boys. His custom was to
make the boys commit to memory q
hymn and the collect each Sunday.
The regular lesson we usually read
over in class aud listened to a lecture
by our teacher, whose rich fund of in
tellectual stores was nothing short of
marvellous. erich" used to say he be-
lieved Mr.. Stickney had swallowed
Shakespeare and the bible whole.
Sometimes the boy would surprise US
by repeating word for word some long
passage from Scott, Byron, orsCowper
he had heard his teacher recite to the
class. The greater part of Pope's
Essay on Man" was as familiar to US
as the catechism. Erich" used to
gloat..over the part beginning,
Lo. the poor Indian. whose untutored mind
Sees God in clouds and hears Him in the
wind.
And being very fond OF dogs himself,
he.used to saythere was nothing wrong
10 the poor Indians thinking that
Admitted to that equal sky.
His faithful dog shall bear him company.
In fishing and hunting he delighted.
IL he could not have a gun all his own,
he was glad to have the use OF the fam
huLElC CNCTJ JULIET WEEK,
and, when there was no horse to ride,
made nothing of tramping down to
Wildwood, on the Warrior River, 10.
miles away, after squirrels or catfish,
according to whether it was the season
for rod or gun.
Richmond Pearson HObson lie one of
the most devoted sons l ever knew. Since
be has been away from home, whether
at Aunspolis,i jim Paris, or wherever he
might be, he has been q regular cor
respondent, and never fails to write to
his father and mother. His visits
home are looked forward ID with de-
light, as all love t)italk to our gallant
young lieutenant. The statement that
he owes his appointment to Secretary
then congressman Herbert is an err
ror. He won his appointment in q
competitive examination and was ap-
pointed by the late Colonel Alexander
C.Davidson, then representing the
fourth districtj of Alabama. If he
ever had q sweetheart in Greensboro /
don't know it; in fact, he never spent
much time with the fair sex when he
was boy, and since then has only been
at home on brief visits. about three
years ago, while he was at home on q
visit, L remember hearing him speak
OF the battleship Kesrsarge, which
was to be built. He remarked then
that they ought to build companion
ship to her and call her the Alabama.
When the news Of his exploit at San
tisgo reached his home people, the
citizens of Greensboro Immediately
petltioued Secretary Long to have him
made captain of the Alabama when she
is ready.
Ask anyone who knew erich" Hob
son as boy, and you will receive
about the same answer: He was one
of the manifest, most dutiful and thor
oughly sincere boys ever known. His
career was not at all out of the or
binary in his boyhood, but he showed
that he had a fine mind, strong will,
and ambition without limit. That he
would go into the face of death itself
we did not doubt, and we rejoice that
his fame has so suddenly been won.
His return to Alabama will be an
ovatiou.-H. G.. Benners, Editor Ala
bama Beacon, in Leslie's Weekly.
The EVangelists As Witnesses.
One of the most striking things about