Mexico weekly ledger., 1902-10-09
h K D O
An OLD Soldier Tells a War Story Re-
garding This Paper all is
Peace and Prosperity Now.

Col. Bob White, with pardonable
pride, makes the following announce
ment:
"The Mexico LEDGER has been un.
der the present management for twen-
ty-six years this week. The policy
will continue to be as OF old, make
each issue OF the LEDGER better than
the one before
This "policy" has resulted In making
the LEDoER a paper to be proud of,
And all this reminds US OF an Incident
which in the long ago had its scene in
Mexico, and as there IA but one
paper there at that time 1t must have
been laid In the LEDGER Office. For
ty-one years ago last June ten compa-
MES Of Fourth Missouri Infantry, the
Black Jagers, marched into the then
village OF Mexico. The beautiful
and enterprising city was then a small
collection Of cottages, n or two only
to a square" The track OF a rail
road, at that time, we believe, known
as "the st. Louis and Northern" but
now the Wabash, had made an effec-
tual effort to enter the town, but had
stopped just at its edge while the ties
were laid through and ashort distance
beyond the village, A liberty pole
from which a rebel flag was floating to
the breeze occupied a prominent posi-
ton near the center of the town.
All Of the male inhabitants had
suddenly remembered urgent business
that called them out OF town, and had
forgotten to leave their cards. But
the ladies. God bless them, more beau
tiful than ever, II that were possible,
by the rosy flush Of excitement and
Indignation at the Invasion of the
"Lincoln ~hirelings," and yet with
sufficient confidence in the g~allantry
and manhood Of those same ~hirelingS
to face them brayely from their front
porcheS and garden gates, still "held
the fort"
AS soon as the ranks were broken
the Jagers dispersed to size up the
town they had captured" but not to
wrong its inhabitants. The printersl
In the command, of whom there were
a number, naturally graviated to the
newspaper office. Here they found
the Storms" Of the weekly newspaper
all ''made up and ready to Ego to
press" A hasty inspection Of the
proof-Sheets showed that the ''Uat-
ter" contained in the "forms'' "a Of
the most ultra southern" or ''treas-
enable" character.
Lets 'pi' the rebel Sheet" shout
ed one enthusiastic soldier, and a rush
was made for the imposing stone to
put the hasty suggestion into execu-
tion.
But another voice was heard. Don't.
do that boysl We are not here to.
wage wal on individuals, and country
publishers have enough to contend
with, at best. Let's distribute the
type and get out at least one true and
loyal edition In this rebel town. These
people have been awfully imposed up
on. Let's tell them a little whole
some truth"
The motion was promptly seconded
by the laying of Of blonses and the
rolling up Of sleeves, and In short
time the offending types we're all in
the leases" again.
Meanwhile one or two OF the more
fluent Of the boys had devoted them
selves to making ''copy," and before
the sun went down a perusal Of that
rebel" sheet would have done good
to the hearts 'at home" Mexico had
a Union paper for one day, and that
was the paper now known IS the LED
GER, though we cannot recall If that
was the name by which it was then
known; and one OF the printers who
had a hand in the sudden ~transforma-
ton "a the writer Of this sketch.
And we are happy to add that no
more loyal paper than the Mexico
LEDGER-loyal to friend, to party, to
town, State and nation, can be found
anywhere. We congratulate Bro. Bob
on his conduct Of the paper we once
helped to rum after the editor had
run himself to cover.