The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-11-29
HOW JACK MITCHELL WAS
SOUGHT AND REDEEMED
Was True to Taylor and to Lee and I'll Be True
Now to Jesus Who Saved
My Soul

tract has been made Tor suitable build
1ngs IN Raleigh for the education of deaf
mutes and blind persons, according to
the acts of the last session, and these
edltlces are partially finished" Tho Gov
einor also stated that a school Tor the III.
strucllon OIL Gear mutes was linen IN sue
cesslui operation and contained twenty
h'e puplls. Lac Legislature when du-
thorized tie erection or the buildings of
tne present bnnd institution was that OF
1e4o- Az l was at school ne.e at the tine
the buildings We're gong up ana | re-
MEMBER, wondered where in the whole
word enough deaf mutes ana bnud couIa
DC found to fiji those immense buildings,
1or, raised in corner rs 1 was, | md
never seen but one or two bhnd persons.
and not single deaf mute. Bue wnen
the buildings were competed the fact
very loon was made manifest that they
were hot too large. And what a blessing
that Institution has been, is, and will
ever be to the unfortunate children Of
our State. From that htttle beginning
of twenty-five pupils. of which the Gov
ernor spoke, have grown the two grand
schools; the Deaf Mute of Morganton,
and the Bind Of this city, added to
which is the Deaf, Dumb and Blind
School, also of this city, for colCred chi
dreD, bestOwing lmmeasurab.e blessings
UPON hundreds of homes in the educa-
tlon and training of their unfortunate
ones, who but for such triining would
have lived and died in darkness.
Speaking OF Governor Graham, / am re-
minded to say that it was he who sug-
gested In his message OF 1S4S, that the
Legislature should adopt q joint resolu-
tion requesting the Governor in future,
to recommend some day in each year to
be cbse. we'd as a Tha nksgiving Day. North
Carolina had not, UP to that time, kept
q day of thanksgiving, although, as tho
Governor said, tine custom of such an
observance Is now nearly universal in the
State" Governor Graham was . model
chief executive, finished scholar, an
able lawyer and a polished gentleman Of
The old school. My recollection Of him
leaves the impression upon my mind that,
IN addition to his many other good quail
ties, he had a dignity Of manner and car
riage that would say more forcibly than
words: Hes the Governor"
Tho Mexican War occurred during Gov
ernor Graham's administration and it be-
came his duty to raise regiment of vol
unteers n this State. company of
said regiment WIS raised partly here IL
Raleigh by Captain William j. Clarke. a
young man reared in this city, and edu-
Gated at Chapel Hill, and who by profess
sion was lawyer. He was q brave ana
gallant officer and was promoted by the
President and Senate for his coura &c
and splendid conduct in battle at the
National Bridge, Mexico. where he re-
eeived severe wound He married Miss
M;ry Bayard Deyereux, who made herself
well ard popularity known in the South
"a a writer of verse and of fiction. In
the Civil War Major Clarke was made a
Colonel and added fresh laurels to his
military fame. After the war he was
made judge and resided in New Bern
One of the men who went from Raj
eigh, in Captain Clarkes company, to
Mexico, was A. j. Mitchell, known as
Jack Mitchell" He was a good soldier
and did good service until wounded, and
so disabled as to be unfit for further du-
ties, when he received an honorable dis
charge. But, as I remember, he went as
q soldier in Lees army, and served
through the War Between the States. But
what Z wish TO say of Jack MITCHELL
occurred Just after the war, about 1865
Temperance was making considerable
headway in this city. in the work ct
pledging men TO total abstinence and
sowing the seeds of temperance among
the young people; and so. at every meat-
ing Of the lodge there were several ui-
tiations and as many more petitions to
be acted upon. One night, to the aston
ishment of every member OF the lodge,
the name Of Jack Mitchell was proposed
for membership. Tho brother who
brought in his name, / do not now cali
to mind, but whoever he was, remember
he made very earnest and Christly talk
to the lodge, on presenting the candi
dates name, saying, If there was any
man in the city who needed to be help
cd, Jack Mitchell was that man, for. vi
less something was done and that speed.
", he would die of drunkenness ard be
lost. The ballot was favorable and
Jack Mitchell, the drunkar0, was declar
ed elected to membership and at the
next meeting he was duly initiated. lie i
was not drunk at the time, but had |
been drinking. fs was very manifest by |
the odor of alcohol which came in with |
him. Nevertheless tho cere~eo"v went |
on. and finally Brother MITCHELL was
given the right hand of fellowship by all !
tho members OF the lodge. both men ana |
women. shall never forget his look, Tor
by the time the initiation ended he was
thoroughly sobered, and had come to him
self. and was conscious that he had got !
ten into a new and better atmosphere.
During the remainder of the meeting he
seemed to be in a daze; and, when the
lodge closed he left so hastily many
thought he was hurrying to bar-roon.
But not So At the next meeting of the
lodge he wss there. and not only cool
sober. but altogether changed for the
better in appearance. jack Mitchell, l
ought TO say. was stone cutter and
at the time Of which ! am nov writing,
he was working on the Penitentiary. His
home was near the Old Rock Quarry,
and so 10 get to his work he had to
PASS through the city. a few weeks after
he Joined the Friends OF Temperance, ]
was awakened about day break one morn
ing by a most terrific banging on my
front door / ran with all haste to the
door, thinking nothing else than that the
house was on fire and somebody was try
ing to save us. AS / opened the door, .
are p