Evening star., 1901-11-13
WATTERSON AS A YOUTH
HOW HE IMPRESSED AN OBSERVER
OF MEN AND THINGS.
Characteristic Anecdote of His Bril-
liant Predecessor, George ID. Prem
tfce-OId Henry Winter Recalled.

"ilttSu loI Inc LNehbS Stai.
Henry Watterson's recent resurrection In
a national sense recalls to me the first time
ever met him and renews as we'll memo
ries of the galaxy of geniuses in which his
youthful light was beginning to glinmer. It
was the dark period of the early war when
Washington was the centering spot of the
newspaper giants, some already statured
and others yet growing
John Savage, the poet and Fenian, then
editor of the States and Union took me
along with him to the modest quarters on
Sth street near G where young Watterson
was then domiciled.
Henry received US with true blue grass
hospitality, promptly produced the best
vintage peculiar to Kentucky, and we three
took sundry ''nips' as we discussed mat
ters and things in general" l was struck
more with Henrys freshness and assertiVe-
ness at first than anything else, being my
self a much Older, consequently more mod
est, man. But l soon appreciated the ground
of the boys confidence He felt his oats; he
knew he had a good thing and didn't mean
to lose his grip for a single minute, nor
ever let it 60 When / saw the youngSter
that day I could not have possibly i'm
agined this day. Since then dear old, flash
ing-eyed, curly-headed Jack Stevens, with
the brain and heart Of electric fire, has
passed away and gone to his rest, and
many, many miss and mourn him. But
Henry Watterson, escaped from the bottle,
and every impediment, looms up giant,
powerful genius.
Previously [ had met and enjoyed de-
lightful intercourse with Watterson's ia
nous predecessor on the Louisville Journal,
George d. Prentice. His wit was marvel
GUS His humor was as flashing and as in
tangible the heat lightning over a sum-
mer sky. One night l remember when
Prentice told characteristic story
Il got in snarl up in my country late
ly.' he said, altogether owing to my fri
volity, which runs away with me occa-
sionally, this does, too docking at the
glass of old Kentucky in his hand). A
prominent citizen, sleepy or overcome with
drink, or both, blundered into the home of
another citizen, and although he was
sharply questioned on the staircase, gave
no satisfactory answer. 1t was late at
night and the proprietor of the premises,
family in the rear, lost his head completely.
Sc did the intruder almost The master
of the house brought his wood ak with
which he had armed himself, right down on
the middle of the crown of the presumed
burglar.
well where 1 put my foot into 1t next
morning on learning the Incident was this
way: [ justified the man, whom all the
countryside condemned brutal mur-
derer, owing to the wealth and consequence
Of the victim, In these few words:
1t was all right. What could the man
DO? Here was stranger who came to him
/
know who it was, and so--he aXed him" "
l was introduced to Prentice by dear old
Harry Winter, who had a history of his
own. He was not only a stonecutter but he
was an artist and an architect, a fine man
of business, as well as fine fellow
Harry was a dandy, but never an idle
one. He was always Industrious and skill
ful. Every morning in his apprentice days
he presented himself faultessly arrayed
at the sheds and work bench, stripped him
self of his flnery, including finger rings,
scarf pin and cravat cuffs and patent
leather shoes, put on brogans, overalls,
apron, paper cap and went to work with ali
his heart and mind till the whistle blew
each day, never abating his best efforts
When the O'Clock whistle blew 1t took
MIN some time to clean up and become
again the Beau Brnmmel. He bought an
entire square of ground at the foot of New
jersey avenue and built colonial mansion
OF twenty-five or twenty-five rooms. some
of them big enough for banouets
and balls, and carved with his
own hands the two striking and
impressive white marble lions which guard
ed the main entrance. Little l Thought
when often his guest that years after
Harry died !, with my family should he
''Genelvn," the old Winter manor house
which still stands, but now in the route
and the way of the new contemplated
track and tunnel of the PENNSYLVANIA raft
road. The lions We're not all the SCULPTURE
which Harry Winter executed Ali the
grounds beneath the aboriginal trees We're
decorated with cleaning white marbles in
hne taste and beautifully designed and
carved