Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1905-11-04

better one an officer Who was more
thoroughly posted in tactics 81 who could
handle men to better advantages and the
student soldier had been his own teacher
q, when 8 miner.
Three years after The war We find him
the editor and bright, original and
successful editor of weekly paper.
I Later on he was editor Of one Of the most
influential paper, in the state. outside OF
/ Milwaukee. Wine on that paper the
governor OF the state commissioned him
colonel Of the national guard, and an
other governor gave him very impor
taut state Office, whose duties he per.
| formed with marked ability.
Then he returned to newspaper work.
remaining until his health failed For
seven years he has been an invalid, and
almost any other man as sadly afflicted
would have surrendered. but not such a
miner lad -elfcducator. thresher, sol
der editorial deliver as my hero.
During the past five on six years. and
all of that time unable to take an hour
OF perfectly natural sleep. he has written
and had printed five books, all gems.
choicely composed, full of material of
value to the public. well calculated to in
terest all classes Of citizens. All of them
will be standard century hence. ard
probably much longer.
have just finished reading his last
book one of the most interesting and
inspiring ! ever looked into. / think its
perusal will add ten years to my stay in
the country the author of the book helped
to steer away from rocks that promised
wreck when he was soldier | wish all
might read it: and / am especially
anxious to have all elderly people pos
sess it,
1t is called Masters Of Old Age"
Let me introduce the miner lad Of long
ago--Col Nicholas Smith of Milwaukee,
author OF that and four other choice pub
lications, an honorcd citizen of Wiscon-
sin, whose humbly begun life has come
far from being failure, and whose his
tory and successes | commend TO the at
tention of all boys and young men who
may think. 1T times, that they are in
hard lucE
capt. Tom L. Flesch died at rs home
IN California recently He served
through the bic war in the Second Wis
coH-in cavalry whose first colonel was
the late Coy. G. C. Washburu.
Tom La Flesch was rough diamond
q high grade diamond in the rough
Twenty five year. ago. when good
many people at the ncrth were still light
ing the battles OF the Civil war and de-
rouncirg southern soldiers. he insisted
that the war was over and hat il was
not wise or kindly to say harsh things
about the old FOE i'm glay.
4 here was time. during the war
SAID the ceptain when ! was mad, too
but when our regiment, well to the close
of the struggle. hanked a regiment of
the Johnnies out Of their camp, and |
saw and heard the prison ers. felt like
lifting my hat to them. and rs | now
recall them and their condition, it pretty
nearly brings the tears The ground was
frozen and every last prisoner was bare
footed. and they told us that not more
than quarter Of the regiment had boots
on shoes For two weeks their rations
consisted of one ear OF hard corn on the
cob, for each man. day and some of
the poor fellows were SO hungry that
they ate it raw-eouldnt wait to parch
it. And vet those men still fought like
tigers for what they thought was right
The way | look at it, boys. it was am
honor, great credit, to us 10 fight and
get the best of an army OF such men
and such soldiers. am as glad Is any
of you that we won. but ] could 10 more
say the mean things about those brave
old fellows that some of our chaps are
saying than could say mean things
about George Washington and my dear
old grandmother"
That j. the way Capt. Tom La Flesch
talked and felt a quarter of a century
ago, and it is about the way that most
OF the veterans feel and talk today.
was at La Crosse last June when
letter from Capt. La Flcsch was read be.
fore reunion OF the :, cond cavalry
There was silence in that company oil
old meh for several minutes after the
secretary had finished reading the letter.
Then q snan who had served in his trocp
said, capt. Tom La FIcsch was the best
all around officer, soldier and man that
ever Knew" and after that nearly
every man at the reunion had something
Kind 10 say about the absent member.
One part OF the captains letter made
Is lasting impression on the minds OF all
who heard it, viii You print it,
hope You may reap rich harvest Of
enioymcn' ct that meeting | had hoped
to be with yuu al this titne. but my
health would not permit, though ! still
hope 10 meet many OF YOU at some future
reunion 4, sit in my cabin door on
the lonely Scrras. lookin. to the west.
the sun l. slowly dipping behind the Hill,
on Is Way to the bread Pacific To the
cast IL ray still brighten The high and
hoaN peaks; then the brightness van
isho~ from them too, and seen all will be
folded in the robes ot silent night Thus
n l.. my comrades with the grand old
army Morning aud noontidc have
passed; our star l. also dipping behind
the western bulls a. our cyeutijo draws
on It. lingering rays still rest upon a
q" ct oar hoan beads they too. will
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