The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1901-08-29
Charlotte Observer.

The End of an Era" by John S.
Wise, Haughton & Miffiin Co. $3.50.
The more one sees of Mr.. Wise's
book, the more delightful does it ap-
pear, and the less one is surprised
at its great popularity. Its sales
have increased steadily; its readers
have become more enthusiastic in it's
praise, and one feels like giving it
first place in the list of books that
have appeared in the last few years.
The book is, to some extent, the
story of the authors life; but it is far
more than mere autobiography, for
it introduces views of life in the
South before and during the war. and
tells the story of several great events
which preceded the war, and relates
many striking scenes which occurred
during the great struggle. In its
pages one meets many of the distin-
guished men and women Of the time;
and by reason of the accurate descrip-
tions, you feel as if you have really
known these great ones OF earth.
The author was born in 1916, while
his father, Henry A. Wise. was United
States minister to Brazil.
Minister Wise asked to be recalled
in 1S47, so John Wise's earliest recol-
lections are of his life in the king
dom of Accawmacke,' in the Eastern
part of Virginia.
Here he and his brothers hunted
and tished, rode and studied, leading
the pleasant, happy life that comes to
boy nowhere in the world, save on
a Southern plantation.
Here the family remained until
Henry A. Wise accepted the Demo-
cratic nomination for Governor of
Virginia, and began his famous and
successful campaign against the
acknowledging" Party. In 1856
Governor Wise, having taken the oath
of office, moved his family into the
Government House in Richmond.
While Wise was Governor the in
famous John Brown raid occurred.
We would give great deal if those
people who are disposed to regard
this bloodthirsty fanatic as q martyr,
could read the chapter in this book
telling of the raid aud of John Browns S
previous history. John Brown was
executed to save the Virginians, their
wives and children from being butch
ered;. so in her hour of trial the
Mother of States looked to the North
to see what sympathy she would re-
ceive-sympathy she surely had a
right to expect.
When she heard that Brown was
glorified as a saint, that ministers
had been parties to his plans of assas-
sination, that even women had can
onized the brute, as St. John the Just,
then she knew that the "irrepressible
conflict" was upon her.
When Virginia seeded from the
Union, and the widest excitement
prevailed in every part of the State
when young men and old began to
hasten to the conflict, Governor Wise
began to fear his son would attempt
to run away and join the Confederate
army. To prevent this he decided te
send him to the Virginia Military In
stitute at Lexington, the West Point
of the Confederacy. One of the mos'
fascinating chapters-and one of thu
most amusing-is the one wherein
Mr.. Wise tells of life in Presbyterian
Lexington.
What glow of pride comes tt
every reader of Scotch-Irish descen
when he speaks of the glorious par
these sturdy Presbyterians have takeI
in history OF the Mecklenburs
Declaration framed by them - o
Princeton University and the man.
other colleges and universities the,
fouuded-and of the many great mel
they produced-Stonewall Jackson
Calhoun, Henry Knox, John Lewis
Patrick Henry. and many others.
On the subject of the girls OF Lex
ington, Mr.. Wise, like a genuine col
lege boy, has much TO say. He grow
eloquent when he tells OF calling Of
these girls ..If your call is timed il
the evening. as 9 O'Clock approache
the sweet little Presbyterian girl yo
are visiting will begin to fidget; an
when the hour strikes the whole fam
lily will file into the room with mill
tary silence and precision. Befor
YOU know it, the head of the hous
will open the Bible and give you 8
least twenty minutes of Christia
comfort. Then if you have not goo
sense to leave he will proceed
fasten the blinds" What Mis-
Westminster continues Mr.. Wis
"says or does is in such fascinating
fetching, feminine sort of way tbs
it makes one want to 60 again an
again, and makes one glad that sue
a gentle, pure, refined, simple an
true people countenance an outsit
barbarian like ones self in the
society"
Since the days when Tom Brow
was at Rugby and Oxford no sui
descriptions of school boy life ha'
| been written, as these of John Wi
at Lexington.
How the cadets longed for the tir
to come when they might enter t
army and become full-fedged soldier
How many good boys became b
boys for the purpose of being "shi
ped" their parents having refused
let them esign to join the army. B
at last to these boys, wishing so ear
est for active service, their opportu
ity came.
On May 10th, 1864, dispatches We
receiyed at the Institute announci
that the enemy was advancing
heavy force up the Shenandoah v
ley; that General Lee was unable
spare any troops to meet him. a
that General Breckinridge had DC
ordered to assemble troops fr'
J Southwest Virginia at Staunton, .
. that the cadets were to join him tn
lr and help repel the enemy.
r. What wild delight reigned ame