The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-12-13
WINSTON'S
OWN OBlTUAR
1t was Written by Dr.. John A, Broad
dus.Forty YearsaAgo-A
Peculiar Pleasure.

1t is a rare thing that 4 man has the
pleasure of reading his own obituary.
But that is what Professor Charles II.
Winston, of Richmond College, has had.
He has his own obituary at his resi-
dence on the college campus. 1t was
written at the close Of the Civil War.
It's author was no less n man than the
late John A. Broaddus, D. d., president
of the Southern Baptist Theological Sem
mary, at Louisville. DR.. Broaddus was
probably the widest known Baptist min
lister who has ever lived in the South.
Professor Winston was seen ut his home
yesterday afternoon by Il Times writer
an6, asked about that peculiar little paper
that says, some nice things about the
alleged late Charles H Winston
"But," said Professor Winston, 'how
did YOU know about it,"
"Oh, L Just heard it," said she news
paper man, in an off-hand, non-commit-
tai way.
Being a former teacher Of the news
paper man, and having learned not to eS-
pect from him a much more salts
factory answer to questions. the Pro-
fessor kindly told the story of how
the pleasure was all his to come
homo after the war and see from
the papers that he was dead on the field
of BATTLE and to read the nice things
that nearly every one puts off until that
period of ones existence. or non-eXis-
tence, to say of his friends But this was
not true Of the distinguished gentleman
who wrote Professor Winston's obituary.
He esteemed Professor Winston highly,
and when the report came of his death
he did not forbear to pay his tribute.
1t happened this way: The soldiers We're
coming home from the war. In every
neighborhcod in the State, and South, for
that matter the boys" We're coming in
one by one or in companies of twos and
threes. When some one had returned to
the old neighborhood the people at home
would ply him With questions about those
yet absent Many of Professor Winston's
friends had come i'll. but not one of them
had seen him, SO they related. None of
them knew where he was. AS the days
wore on and he did not come, the IN
u,ries of friends became Very anxious
Presently some one suggested that the
Professor might have encountered Il bull
Yet and was no more. The man who
heard this sugg stion told the next man
who inquired that he had just received
the sad intelligence that the young SOL
.dier-afterwards to become an honored
professor in Richmond College-was DEAD
And that was enough. Dr. Broaddus, then
living in Charlottesville heard it and
accepted it as true. To hear of the death
Of friends was an everyday occurrence
then. He wrote, a dignitied notice of his
friends death and sent it to the paper
to be published. It said that the deceased
was a cear-minded gentleman of unusu-
ally fine traits. It said other things also
commentators and in the good taste and
iflignif7ed way one would expect from DR..
5Rroaddus.
Professor Winston came home just in
time Ito scare the first friend he met
out of his wits. The friend thought he
had seen a ghost.
Professor Winston could not lay his
hand on his obituary yesterday afternoon
or that would have been published. But
he has it among his papers.