The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-08-04
Romance in the Early Life of
 Late Senator.
His Love for Maiden Caused Him to Get His Mothers Aid to Acquire KnOwIedge-His Long and Beautiful Home Life Was
 The Sequel.
BY ]. H. NUNNELEE.

An allusion has been made in one of the daily papers of the state 10 tue struggle that Gen. Pettus had to ac- quire an education. This ailuslon put me to thinking. and an inciuent in the carly career of Gen. Pettus was called to mind, an incident that shows the great determination of the man 10 ac- Quire an end when once he made up ms mind.
 The incident also deals with the TO- nance of Gen. Pettuss lie. ana shows that beneath his rugged exterior there was the heart of the true and gal lant m,n that he was.
 There is an old saying that all the world loves lover. and 1t VIII Dc true in this instance, for Gen. Pettuss romance could be made the foundati on of beautiful love story in the hands of an accomplished writer, and would real like a romance of the ages gone by. when some gallant knight sacri- dced his life for the woman of his choice. But instead of Gen. Pettus sac rificing himself. the incident below sets an example to the youth of the land to emulate, even Tn the matter or preparing for the battle of life. which every one must ht.
 The story was related to me by an intimate friend of Gen. Pettus. and w,n relate 1t here as near in the words or Gen. Pettus as mt nory viii permit
 This friend and Gen. Pettus were taking long ride one day. and the great old soldier and statesman un- bosomed himself to this friend and told this early story of his first real am- bi.ion.
 T was between sixteen and seven teen years of age" remarked Gen. Pettus to his friend. when 1 fell in love with beautiful young woman most sen ble girl and did not possess 70 many of the frivolitles as most girls at her age had. but when 1 found out that I loved her I talked right out In nd tnl1 hnr nIxy told her tlat I loved her. but | |. Cd marriage to her.
 She was g. girl of fine impulses and generous heart. and di everything that she could to restrain the ardor Of my youth. but when she found out that was in dead earnest she turned to me and In the kindest tones possible in. formed me that l was Ignorant and should not think about such matters until l had acquire an education
 The idea that I was ignorant had never occurred to me before and [ went home that night and rolled and tossed on my bed all nIght long. 1 was mortihed to think that any one should tnink that ! was Ignorant. especially thought about 1t the more conv need was l that she had sized up the situa- ton correctly. My fath h
 and my mother was left with a large and the question that was agitating me that night was. where was l to get the money to acquire an education. |, NY MT mother sa was living on a farm uean task for man even. to make a living for & large family of childl en- clothe, feed and give them a common schools afforded and the question that was uppermost in my mind that night was: Where was the money to come rom to acquire an education. for had decided to get an education as soon as my sweetheart had informed me that was too ignorant to think about her marrying me.
 Next morning. bright and early. I took my sweet-fa mother off [
 side and asked her if was possible for her to raise the monev for me to % SSn to school I did not tell her wha. step. but she saw from the manner that assumed that was in dead ear nest l was then ar overgrown. aWk- ard boy Of hundred and eighty fact that l was ignorant, the more I dtermined to have an education. My mother sympathized with me in my desire to get an education. but she was wanted to weigh matters well before sne spoke So she told me that she would take the matter under advise night. '" 'a
 "All day long visions of an educa : tion fioated through my brain and tnougnf that night would never come But finally the sun set in a halo of glory behind the western hills, a sum- Set that l shall never forget and sought out my mother to see what con. clusion she had come to. Her manner was so grave and thoughtful that was not able to read in her counte. nance whether she was going to be able to send me to school or not.
 We sat down together and she tolL me as had never done before of .hs trials and burdens that she had te bear. and felt that it would be wrons to deprive her of the money that II would take to send me off to school when she had so much dependent or her.
 But, like all true mothers, she was ambitious for her children to be some thing in this world, and she finally told me that if I would take a little pony that she owned and would go tc . certain school up in Tennessee. board out in the county and ride in to schoo every day. that she could, by stintin g raise sufficient money to send me tt school for four years.
 "The thought seemed to be too gooC to be true, and I jumped at the oppor tunity to get an education, and l tol( my mother that she would never hav'