The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1907-08-15
Gov. Clenn's Father.
Story of the Battle of South Noun
tain and a Faithful Negro Body
Servant.

tain ana Tdllului NSkiV Dv~J
Servant.
The Hagerstown Md Morning
Herald, edited by Mr.. Vernon n.
Simmons, who, by the way, is a lead
ing Republican, publishes the follow
ing:
Gov. Glenn of North Carolina, is a
prominent figure just now and the
attention OF the whole country is CEN
tered on him by reason o. the contro-
yersy that has arisen between the
State and Federal courts in his State
concerning the enforcement ef State
railroad law. There is a little Incl
dent connected with Governor Glenn
Of local color that is OF interest to
this section because the SCI ne is laid
i'm Washington county.
The North CarOlinians are very
proud of their State, OF its develop
ment, it's marked advance and in
creasing prosperity. The resources
of North Carolina are remarkable
and North Carolinians take great
pride in calling attention to the
wealth and opportunity existing in
their commonwealth. This spirit is
bound to place North Carolina lar
up in the lists and make it one OF the
leading States Of the Union. At
jamestown last month Governor
Glenn made speech before the Ma
tional Editorial Association and his
theme was his splendid State and its
great progress and possibilities. Or
the same stand with Governor Glenn
Was President W. W. Finley OF the
Southern Railway Company, the gen
tleman who raised the issue that has
put Governor Glenn on his metal
and caused the present unfortunate
controversy concerning the lurlsdlc-
ton of the State and Federal courts.
1t was during the course OF his re-
marks that he related the following
interesting story:
During the war between the North
and the South there was an officer in
the Confederate army who had an
old negro named Matt as his body
servant. For two years the old negro
followed his master and looked after
him carefully and faithfully. On the
morning of the battle ofSouth Noun
tain, which occurred few miles from
Hagerstown, the officer called Matt
to him and told him that he felt he
would not live through the day, that
he had a premonition he would be
killed during the coming fight. He
ga 70 Matt several letters to his wife
and $40, all the money he had, and
told him to watch him during the
dav and that if he should fall he
should bury him and take the letters
and money home to his wife down
South. He told him to stay with her
the balance of his days and help her
to raise his family of boys. The Off
GER fought all day until about sunset
when he was shot and was seen to
fall from his horse. The old negro
who had been watching him from be-
hind stone piles and trees rushed to
his side through the storm OF bullets
and raised his master from the
ground. The wound was a severe
one and quickly fatal SO that the Of
fcer, too weak to speak, could only
smile into the faithful negroes eyes
and died without uttering a word.
Matt, with the aid of three soldiers,
shOveled out grave with bayonets
and buried his master. lie then
started back to the home i'll the
South and walked the distance, four
hundred and twenty miles, where he
delivered the letters and money to
the bereaved widow. The balance OF
his days he stayed at the home and
helped her in every way to raise the
family and struggle against the adj
versities that surrounded so many
Southern homes after the war. W hen
he died he was buried by the family
as if he had been one OF it. THAT
stated Governor Glenn, and
as heuttered the worls thrill pass
ed over the convention, that officer
was my father and one OF those boys
was myself" Governor Glenn told
the story in an impressive man
ner, so characteristic of him, and Tor
which he is famous. 1t went to the
hearts of his hearers and many eyes
were filed with tears. 1t was as I'M
pressive as the speech of Henry W.
Grady at the Boston banquet III
1885. This little story closed Gov
ernor Glenn's remarks and immedi-
ately he concluded the members OF
the association left their seats in a
body and extended him an ovation
which could not be controlled. SO
were the delegates that
they seemed to forget the business OF
the convention and stood in a cluster
about the governor until finding it
to proceed with the pro-
gramme the session was adjourned.