The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1907-05-23
A GLIMPSE OF SHERMAN.


1t is not always the great things
men DO that keep their memory alive.
Frequently il is some small act OF
kindness. some pleasant speech or
manly courtesy, which remains in the
minds OF those who knew them. So in
Illinois there is young man who
thinks OF General Sherman not as ''Old
Tecunseh," the soldier, victor in stren-
uous campaigns, but as n kindly,
rough-bearded old gentleman, who car
ried him over miles of road on his lap
In order that at the end he might real
ly see his boyish hero. the soldier.
1t was In the early eighties. The
county in which the boy lived was to
dedicate soldiers monument on Me-
mortal day. General Sherman and
Governor Oglesby were to be the two
speakers of the occasion.
From where the boy lived L was six
miles to the county seat. lie had to
walk the distance. But worst of all
misfortunes, it rained all the day be-
fore. when he should have been work
Ing In the gsrden. and so ON Memorial
day the boy had to get down on hands
and knees and pull weeds under a
broiling sun, across row after row Of
young vegetables, so that he did not
get away from home until / o'clock.
Only an hour, and six miles TO go !.
He knew Ii was useless. 4; would
take him two hours, and when he got
there he would find everything over
and the general gone-and there was
no use in anything, anyway. Tears
rolled down his cheeks now and then,
and he felt like much abused boy.
Every little while buggy or car
riage passed him going In his direc-
| ton, but al OF them were full, and
there was no one TO give him a lift.
But at last. when he was certain that
he could never get there, buggy
which came up from behind did not
pass. but stopped beside him
Hello, bub!" said kindly voice,
"Going far?"
| The boy looked up through misty
eyes. Two gray and quizzical old faces
peered at him out OF muddy buggy.
Two pleasant old gentlemen were ON
the seat.
"Y-y-yes, sir-I'm trying to-" said
the boy.
''Climb i'm. then" said the man near
est him, and as the boy, not believing
his ears, put foot on the step. the
man reached cut and lifted him in. and
seated him Oh his lap.
where you going?" he asked.
II was a-going to the monument,
said the boy, but didn't think /
would get there. Do you suppose l
will? In time to see General Sher-
manT"
The old man who was driving cluck-
ed to the horse, anu the other, strokins
his beard. said:
"Why-yes, l guess you will. Yes
I reckon he'll get there. En- Dick?'
"Why-why. yes, l reckon So" said
the other. For some reason they both
chuckled.
want to see the general, eh:" said
| the old man who held him. Don't
care about the governor, eh?"
mo, sir, not so much" said the boy
truthfully. You see, he lives right
here in this state, and he didn't march
through Georgia, or have songs about
him, or anything"
"Why, no. so ne didn't. Did he
Dick?" asked the boys old gentleman
again. This seemed to amuse then
very much They chuckled about II
q while, and then the old gentleman
who held the boy began to tell hin
stories about the campaigns General
Sherman had fought in, and about sol
der life, stories some of which were
In the history book; but most of then
| were new to the boy. Then the other
man told some stories-about Mr.. Lin
coin.
did you know hiin?" demanded the
boy; and to his delight they both did
and told more stories about him.
Six miles was long way to walk