The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-01-31
THE LATE RICHARD PEED.
Humor and Pathos in the Career of
One Whose Life Was BENSON.

To the Editor Ever since the death
of this remarkable man, 1 have thought
that more than a passing notice of his
life ought to be given to the public
There are lessons in his life that are we'll
worth studying and learning. He had
unusual native ability. His perception
of men and things was keen and accurate
He was an original thinker. He gave
you many new, rich thoughts. He was
not what the schools would call an edu-
Gated man. When boy of seven or eight
years of age he thirsted for knowledge
He went cut one night and looking up
at the stars he said: How beautiful you
are. o that l knew who made you!"
His father was uneducated and had rails
ed him in ignorance. When older he at
tended session or two of the "old field
school, taught sixty or seventy years
ago. He learned to read and write well
enough to help him much in life. Mr.
Peed enjoyed a joke. When a schoo'
boy, one day at recess, he got lump of
rosin from pine tree, and spread it out
on the log bench by his side, where a
school mate always sat. The boy came in
and took his seat by Peed's side. After
while the teacher called the boy to
recite his lesson. The boy made effort
after effort to get UP but was stuck fast
to the bench. The teacher said sharply:
Jim, come on and say your lesson!'
The hoy tried again to rise but failed.
Jim, if you don't come I'll whip you."
The boy made desperate effort. and
broke his suspenders. Richard sat as
sober as a judge, pretending to be study
ing his lesson.
In early manhood Mr.. Peed married
an excellent young lady. He promised
her he would not drink any more. Not
long afterwards, early one morning a
neighbor came along with a tickler of
whskey. and offered him drink He
accepted and took a little too much. 1t
added his brain. He wanted to conceal
the fact from his wife. To do this he
got into an old fashioned loom in the
room where his wife was preparing
breakfast. He got over among the tred-
dies and gear, and took his seat He
sat a moment. and said: This won't do;
if I sit this way she will find out 1 am
half drunk" So he changed again and
said ''this won't do: she will find it out"
He kept changing to every possible posi-
ton. His wife eyed him with slight
glance, and gentle smile. Presently she
said mildly: "Mr. Peed. breakfast is
ready; come out of the loom. I know
what is the matter with you This was
his last drink. When he got sober he
went out alone, and looking UP to heaven
he raised his right hand and said: 80
God with Thy help I will never drink an
other drop. There shall live and die one
sober Peed.' He kept this pledge to his
dying day. He was called on to tell his
loom story wherever he went. He
worked and made speeches for temper
ance as long as he lived.
His wife was one of the most quiet and
sweet tempered women ever known. He
loved to tease her. Getting her in COM
pany he would say: "Wife and 1 have
big quarrels We generally quarrel in
the morning about the work of the day.
She wants to boss me. She quarrels with
me when 1 start to work until l get to
the gate. Then stop quarreling and let
her have the last word; and when 1 do
this l always get a good dinner when /
come home"
Brother Peed was a good neighbor. He
loved, helped and lived in peace with all.
But strange to say, he had at one time
neghbor who hated him, and missed no
opportunity to injure him. This man
was taken sick in the winter. His wife
and children could not get fire wood
Brother Peed took his hands and wa
gons and cut and hauled wood for him
all day, and then left his hands to cut
the wood the proper lengths for the fire
places, and stack it on the porch, ready
for use. This conjured his enemy and
made a strong, lasting friend of him.
Brother Peed was devoutly pious
man. His Christian experience was
based on a heartfelt sense of sins forgiv-
en-. He loved to talk of Christian ex-
perience, a thing now too much neglect
Continued on Page Three.)