Durant weekly news. (Durant, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 190?-1944, 1905-02-17
PunSters' Paradise
forIrInnl.l

fOriginall
Whatever induced my parents to sad
die me with the name under which
have staggered through life | am at
loss to know. The surname Pretty
man is enough in itself for one person
to bear, but when pre6xed by Dawes
Deering-tbe name of my mothers
brother-it is next to unbearable. How
ever, | can say what few can say-my
name has been the rudder which has
steered my life's bark.
What at first called my attention to
the incubus under which was des
tined TO stagger were the puns | en-
dured in childhood. was told at
least once week that II made ns
pretty man as boy | would be an
Adonis. When I came to an age to be
On object Of interest to young girls
punning on my name burst into a
flame. In one year, having made n
note Of the different puns thrown at
me, counted twenty of There's a
dear ring to IT." twenty-four, ITS a
very endearlng name:" eighteen. "I'll
wear my heart upon my sleeve for
DAVIS to peck at" while the different
puns on Prettyman numbered fifty
six.
It was this part Of my name that
decided my career. From my youth I
realized that I could not afford to en-
brace an ordinary. especially an ef-
Terminate. career. For instance, it
would never do for me to stand behind
a counter and sell ribbons to ladies'. l
was trying to think of some occupa-
ton especially manly when the Span
Ish-American war broke out. Here was
my opportunity. I enlisted and went
with my regiment to Santiago.
After the first fight I was made q
corporal, but was at once reduced to
the ranks to enable the captain to
pun on my name. He'd make pret-
ty man for a corporal" he said sardon-
Ically. Nominate some one else" But
in the next fight all the mon CONS"
were killed Off, and l was again put
forward. This time my name saved
me. The captain had been killed, and
the first lieutenant promoted) recon-
mended me for lieutenant in order to
get pun off to the colonel.
"Whom would you recommendf' ask
ed that officer.
II think know a pretty good man,
colonel" replied the captain.
"Well, who is itT'
Dawes Deering Prettyman," replied
the captain, looking very knowing.
In few minutes the colonel saw the
point. burst into laugh and said; by
Jove, but you're bright! I'll see thai
he is appointed"
One night was sent for to report in
person to the colonel He told me that
the general had asked him to recon-
mend the best man in his regiment fol
an important daring service. He had
decided on me, and 1 knew that 1t was
to enable him to get the captains pur
OF on the general. He sent me to bri
gade headquarters with a note. WheI
the general read it, he burst into {
laugh.
well, Mr. Prettyman," he said, "th'
colonel says that you may not be hi,
| DtSI Iudli, Uul yOu Ec IL pretty mum ant
he thinks you'll make pretty goof
man. Bright man, your colonel"
made no reply-aloud, but ground
my teeth and said inwardly, I'm dt
something to stop this business or die
The same night l went into the enc
my's lines, found path by which we
might get to the base OF fortified hill
we wanted and returned TO the gen
eral with my report.
General" l said. ''as reward fOl
my service, which is without the line
Of duty-that Is, voluntary claim The
right to command the force of which
must he the guide TO the rear of the
hill"
He thought moment, then his face
lighted up. Selling n pen he wrote q
note to the general commanding, stat
ing my claim, my reasons, and recon-
mending me cordially, ending with til,
words. Hes the prettiest man in ths
'a'"'SiN'' f6r the work After readiuo