The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-02-16

average height. a strong. muscula- and
well-rounded body. crowned by Il heavy
shock OF what had once been raven back
hair, now iron gray. His face was rudy
with the glow Of perfect health. and his
fun round lips and the twink. Of RS eye
showed him to be q lover OF the good
things OF life. He wore n heavy must1cA=
which seemed q fitting ballast FOR the lower
part OF his face against the heav" pro-
1ecting straight eyebrows and busEy hair.
AS he shook hands with his old S~oiitsrs MS
face was wreathed In smiles, his eyes
flashed with something Ike tears, ana He
had a pleasan: word for all.
Tom Camp was one Of the first % sly
the General and hobble 10 him as fast az MS
peg-leg would carry him.
"Howdy. General. howdy CO. Lordy. rs
good for sore eyes ter see ye.' Tora heIo
fast to his hand. and. turning 70 the crowd
said:
Boys. here's the best General thst ever
led a brigade. and there wasn't a man in it
that wouldn't a died for him. Now three
times three cheers." And they gave i Win
e will.
said the General. What are YOU. after
now7'
"A speech, General" a spsechi =
Speech the crowd echoed.
The General slapped Tom on thu back
and said:
what sort OF 8 fob IS this you're put
ting up on me-Im no orator. But I'll Just
say to you, boys, that this old peg-ieg here
was the finest soldier that I ever saw carry
a musket. and the men who stood beside
him were the most patient. the most obedi-
ent, the bravest men hat ever charged .
foe and crowned their General with. glory
while he safely stood in the rear
Again q cheer broke forth. The General
was hurryirg toward the Courthouse. whe
h. NO. I'D a.rF.
negroes. In the front ranks were a hundred
Of his old slaves who had worked on his
Campbell County plantation. They seized
his hands and laughed and cried and
pleaded for recognition like q crowd OF
children. Most Of them he knew. S1me o.
their faces he had forgotten.
HI dar. Marse Danl. you knows ms!
Lordy. Use your boy Joe dat used tel! ketch
20 hoss down at the plantation
'Ot course, Joe! OF course"
u know Marse Danl aiut forget Old
Uncle RUDE said an aged negro. pushing
his way 20 the front.
That haven't. Reuben! And h0w's Aunt
Julie Ann
"She des tolIabIe. Marse Dan'l, We'se DO.
III US had De plumoagO. How is you al
sence de wah?'
obi frst-rate. Reuben. We manage
somehow to get enough TO est. and If we 90
that nowadays we can't complain
OATS Ge God 3 trAE. marsttr, $40! Ell
now Marse Dan'l. we all wants you Ter
make Us er speech en- 'splain erbnut dis
freedom ter Us. Dey's so many desc yeTe
BURGERS en- Leaguers round here teilin'
US niggers what's er comm, tweI We ae'
E doan know muffin fur sho!'
"Yassir. Oats hitl You tell Us er speech,
Marse Dau'l!'
The white men crowded up nearer and
Joined in the cry. There was no escape.
In g few moments the Courthouse vas
filed with a crowd.
When he arose a cheer shook tha build
Ing. and strange as 1t may seem to-day 4
came with almost equal enthusiasm from
. white and black.
u thank you, my friends" said tie Gem
eraI for this evidence Of your confidence,
l was 4 Wing in politics. I reckon | hated
a Democrat as God hates sin. 1 was q
Union man and fought secession. Ny op'
ponents won. My State asked me 70 de-
fend her soil. As an obedieut son l gave
my lie in loyal service.
y need not tell You as E Union man tAa'
7 am glad this war Is over. ! have alway'
f=lt as a business man. a cotton manu-
f~acturer as well "a farmer. In touch viii
the free labor OF the North. as wen as m
slave labor CT the South, that free lab9
was the most economical and efficient.