The Washington times., 1902-06-02
PHYSICAL STAMINA
OF Sen NATOR PETTUS
Caused by Vigorous Out-of-
Door Life.
Story of How the Veteran Legislator
Has Reached Four Score Years
and One.


cal stamina that has brought you so woll
along all your years."
This was the question asked the
junior Senator from Alabama, Hon. Ed
mund Winston Pettus. who on July 6
will complete the eighty-first year Of his
age. Senator Pettus is an extraordinary
specimen Of physical manhood, possess
ing the nerve and vigor even now of
well preserved middle age. By reason
Of strength. indeed, he has attained four
has come to him through love of the
open air that was born in MIN. His an
swer to the question was:
I've got what stamina ! have from
life out of dors-vigorous life out of
DOORS
unremitting activity has characterized
the long career of the Alabaman. He
was young lawyer at Gainesville, Ala,
when the Mexican war came on. and he
volunteered. serving as lieutenant.
Two years in the service, he thinks, did
not do SO much to harden his powers Of
endurance as a later experience. In 1S49
with party OF thirty young companions
he rode horseback from Gainesville to
California They crossed .he Mississip-
pi and rode straight. day after day, to-
ward the setting sun. through country
uninhabited save by savages. After
tarrying while at Santa Fe they turned
northward. and made their way TO the
land of the Mormon5 in Utah, and
thence to the great Pacific Coast State.
The party had no trouble with the In
dians nor any semblance OF molestation
except on one occasion. when a large
band of Comanches hovered ominously
about them. But the hardy young Ala
bamans were everyone armed to the
teeth, and demonstrated so effective
familiarity with their firearms that the
Indians, very few OF whom had anything
but spears and bows and arrows. let the
palefaces proceed with untouched
scalps.
Life on the Plains.
After two years OF adventure and
thorough enjoyment of life on the plains
and in the Rockies. prospecting for gold
and hunting grizzlies. young Pettus re-
turned to Alabama. Resumlng his law
practice, his neighbors were so pleased
to get him back that they elected him
judge of the Seventh circuit. and. rid
ing horseback to widely separated court
houses. he again INDUCED in the exer-
else which gave him the elasticity and
ers of the gray adopted him as worthy
TO go on the glory roll with Crockett
vigor of muscle that now grace an old
age as wonderful for its force and glow
ing vitality. Then came the civil war,
when he became an officer of a fighting
re giment and later the commander of as
gallant brigade as ever carried the
stars and bars. He was captured at
the siege of Vicksburg. as was referred
TO by Senator Bacon the other day. and
put Icy Grant in charge OF an officer.
but he wouldn't stay rut." He escaped
the same night. and the next day he
was leading his men against his late
captors. In one of the assaults upon the
Confederate works at vicksburg a strong
body of Federals stormed and took a
salient. making 4 breach in the de-
fences through which the whole of
Grants army might have poured, but
for the instant judgment and courage
He FASTENED to get troops to meet the
peril; his own were not at hand in time
Waul's Texas Legion.
Waul's Texas Legion was the nearest
body OF effective fighting men. Colonel
Pettus quickly explained the situation
The officers were doubtful until the men.
learning his willingness to join them in
a counter stroke, persuaded their lead
ers to undertake to recapture the sail
ant Let's go with him; he looks like
he'll do" SO Colonel Pettus led the
Texans with n rush. rctOok the point.
killing and wounding many and captur-
ing hundreds OF prisoners. Ever after
hat the Alabaman was fondly called
old Texas" The Lone Star State wear
and Houston. There were four years OF
vigorous and wearing exer-
ion. but General Pettus went home hale
md sound. He found abundant employ
nent in the practice of his profession. |
Valued for his sympathy, his courage |
md his exceptional strength and sagac- |
ty. he was In constant demand as a
'riend as an arbiter of differences or
- n political leader. Yet he took no
part IN -DOll1lCS as "A G1Iuludlt LOT OlUCt. ]
allied into party conferences as he fre- |
Iuently was, until he was elected TO /
he United States Senate in 1886. sue
,eeding Hon. James l.. Pugh.
The venerable junior Senator takes !.
good naturedly the fanciful stories /.
which make him the subject of anecdotal |
,astime His friends are sometimes |
shocked at the absurdity Of the iictions. |
,ut he bears 1t with a smile and look /
IS though he were just a little bit sorry /
Tor so pitiful a display Of capacity for /
He said the other day |
lbout story of the eXac;itude and reg |
ilarity of his habits reporting him as n |
o'clock in the morning riser: !
ITS the biggest lie In the pack. They /
wake me for breakfast? They have |
; akened me for breakfast for the last ,
fifty years. Ny habits are regular, ir |
cgular and defective
Mansfield Not a Chesterfield.
Mi1wo,tLaa Gnptina1-Miss Isabel Trv- /