Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1902-07-10
AN ODD HONEYMOON.
4 Texas Congressman's Bridal
-: +. Tour by Wagon.

AVoA "o6VAs
k16eA = His Edueatioa by His Brio
NhiIs Performing the OnicsA
49, q . Baekwoods Ped.
.&sAaA-- asoEss.
J There ere . few men in the presen,
congress whose early histories ar.
linked with what they still call tn,
good old days" when they shaped
aud carved their own careers. Th.
one whose story follows has oA line,
about himself in the congressional di
rsctory, says the Washington Star.
He was in his room the other nigh,
reeding Cesar's Commentaries wher
interrupted by visitor, politician
When the business talk was over the
visitor went out and met an acquaint
snee, to whom he said:
i called on Texas congressman
awhile ago and found him reading
Latin I didn't know he was . college
man.
The visitor'o inference wac cor
: rect from where he stands. for he il
one OF the present generation. But
50 years ego no one was suspected OF
being colege-bred simply because he
could translate Latin. The Texas rep
resentative Of this story is not only
tolerabiy we'll up in classics. He ID
% proficient in the higher branches OF
mathematics that few college men
oosh puzsls him. he is q lawyer and
vas q soldier in the civil war.
When he married 80 years ago, he
could read and write. Bey = that
he slaimed nothing. He II little
Of the history of his country. His
honeymoon journey was made in Z
swo-horse wagon from his home to
South Carolina to what was then a re-
mote settlement in Texas. He started
on the day of his wedding. He reached
his destination. which has been his
home ever since, on Christmas eve.
There were more Indians in the sst-
Element than whites. The rife and
ahotgun were % necessary a. The
plow.
A1ter the young South Carolinan
had cast about for q means OF hvsli-
hood, some Of the nsighbors sugges4-
% that he take up school.' That
was the way 1t was expressed then,
:and the expression IL adhered to stEl
u some parts Of the south.
He went home and told his brids.
He knew she waA capsule OF teaching.
and the proposition was made to hsr.
She dissented and told her husband 10
accept He realized HE inability a. On
Instructor. His wife urged him to saks
u Il viii help you," abe said
BE became a backwoods peda4o1uA
and the first few weeks had no trouble
In his work. His pupils were nearly
all Of the kindergarten class, Of would
be 70 considered at this time. Later
older and more advanced pupils came
into the school, and the young peda-
gOgue was troubled in mind. He
assigned the lessons for the advanced
pupils day ahead, and at night he,
with his wife's assistance, labored late
over the problems for the next day.
He heard these classes first while tie
Lessons were fresh in his mind.
But occasionally an ''overly smart
boy" as he said, would want to know
something I. hadn't thought of, and /
would be foored. But knew il would
never do to show my ignorance. and
that 10 where learned my first lesson
In whatever diplomacy I may have.
was always on the alert for the
smart scholar who knew more than /
knew, and when he asked me q stump
er ! had some excuse ready and put
him of until the next day. Thsn when
went homo my wife eod would
tackle the smart boys poser. and
maybe We would work on - uuNl
quite late. But we always mastered
|t and when I called school next day
expatiated lea<nedly 90 Ahe opee
lion.
But 10 this there was o serious o.
|ection, for my learned dsquisition
nearly always aroused the latent Gu
dosity Of some other boy, and he
rould come at me with proposition
which would have to sidetxuck until
he next day.
Preparing lessons In Texas In those
lays had its dangers. The Indians did
heir mischief most generally In tho
Night, and In consequence most whites
we're afraid to have lighted candles.
The lights attracted the Indians, and
hey would come and demand admit
1sce. II the house was dsrkened
hey were less liable to annoy. Many
J night my wife has darkened the
windows with what few clothes we
ould spare and we prepared our les-
on by the light in the fireplace"
In this way the young pedagogue
vorked until by his own exertion and
he assistance Of his wife he was fur
her advanced than the average pub
&c school pupil Of to-day in his third
ear. In time he was ahead Of his
upils and no longer lodged problems
rom one day until the next. He
tudied law and was admitted 10 the
ar. He was successful The civil
7ar interrupted him in his work. He
nlisted - private in the confed-
rate cause.
He was reelected 10 the Forty
ighth congress and reelected four