The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-12-25
NATIVE ALABAMIANS
WHO PLEASANTLY MET AT DINNER
 IN COLORADO.
One Ex-Governor and two Ex-Judges and Two Other Guests-AH Born Within Six Miles of Each
 Other in Russell COun-

J. B. Grant of Colorado entertained
 at his home in Denver a party of friends to help eat the results of a re- cent days duck shooting, and at his
 board discovered that he and his four guests had been born within six miles of each other in Alabama. Judge James Banks proved that he hailed , from Silver Run, while Judge Sterling B. Toney, formerly of Louisville, gave Villula as his birthplace. The other guests were Dr. W. W. Grant and Whit
 ford Grant of Oklahoma, brothers of the former governor.
 The Denver Post tells the story as
 follows:
 During the dinner Judge Toney be- gan telling stories of his boyhood days down in old Alabama" and Governor Grant asked him from what part of the Southern State he came. "villula, sir" replied Judge Toney. Why. I came from Sand Fort and so did my two brothers" said Governor Grant.
 well. get in this, too" said
 Judge Banks. flor I hail from Silver Run"
 All Went to Same Log School. Then it was that the men realized l that they had been born within six miles of each other. and as the fond "reminiscences of childhood were reia- | ted, 1t was found that as boys, the men whose paths for the past forty years had been widely separated. and wno | had attended school in the same log schoolhouse, had again been drawn clos CT together, and the evening turned 1 from a formal affair to a genuine old time Southern publication meeting. Ex-Governor Grant led off in the story telling. and he related his first experience with soda water. He said: T remember just as we'll as if 1t had been yesterday my first experience with soda water. When 1t first came to Alabama, a man named Struper, a candy man at Columbus, thirty miles away-and Struper was better known | then than the governor-put in foun-
 tain. and the news spread quickly to the old, schoolhouse. Another boy and
 myself, I can't think of his name, in- vited two of the girls to go to Column bus with us in and old spring wagon | to get some soda water" Took Jennie and Pearl. Was that you, Grant?' broke in Judge Toney. Do you know. my dear sir, that the other boy was your hum-
 ble servant? Why. the names of those girls were Jennie Snow and Poarl White. Jennie married the man who
 was afterward the governor of the State. and Pearls husband was hung.' | Well. as I was about to say," con- | tinued Governor Grant. we drove
 along and finally reached Columbus
 and had our soda water" "1s that all you are going to tell about thGt7" asked Judge Toney. That Is all there is to it, is 1t
 not?" asked the host
 No, indeed, 1t Is not all, and I will finish 1t for you. The clerk
 asked us what kind of syrup we want ed and that stumped us. Finally Grant said; Give me any kind but
 sorghum I remember it very dis tinctly."
 Sorghum was great product of
 Alabama, and 1t was the only kind of syrup the country boys had heard | of.
 Judge Toney's Story. Then Judge Toney told the following
 story of an uncle of ex-Governor Grant, whose name was Canty Crowell: "Un- | cle Canty was a wealthy plantation 1 owner -19 besides his thousands of acres ui land he owned about 300 | slaves. Whenever he went away from home he drove In his carriage. having his footmen. outriders and coachmen. | At lCHB LII A WaS DultI rom Columbus to the town where Uncle i Canty lived but he would never ride in
 train. for. as he said, they were fit
 only for cattle, freight and common people. Instead of going on the train | and getting to Columbus in an hour he went in his carriage and 1t took him two days He only took one trip to Columbus, however, after the road was
 finished, and here Is the story: Part of the distance the track had been built along the road and the old
 man was particular that he did not
 drive by it, going eight miles out of his way. But just before coming to Co.,
 lumbus 1t was necessary to cross the 1 tracks.
 1 MT. Crowell thought he knew the | time the train was due, and according
 to his calculation. he arrived at the crossing another after the train as to | pass. But on that day the train was
 late. and just as they approached the track they heard the shrill whistle or | the engine.
 Unhitched Horses Jumping from his carriage he order
 ed the horses unhitched and assisted
 himself in doing this. The train passed
 and instead of the horses becoming frightened they stood quietly eating tho grass at their feet
 Why, said the surprised old gentle
 man. T thought these horses would be frightened at the train. How do you explain 1t, Mose?'
 "'Wen. old Mare I'll jes tel you.
 knowed dem ar horses weren't agwine
 to git skeered ob dat ar train, fer Ise
 been holding dem by de tracks ebery day to get dem used to It. Well, why in h--l didn't you tell me
 that?" inquired the angry master.
 Well. old Marse, I'll jes' tell you.
 done thought 1t was you and missus
 what was skeered of de train. an dat's
 why didn't tell you.
 When the plantation stories were