Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1908-01-04
Letter From Big Bud.

Mr.. George Ladd, one OF the oldest,
if not the oldest citizen Of our county
rode over to see me this week to tell
me he wanted me to write letter each
week to the old BEACON, telling of the
doings of the Legislature and | told him
| would do 50, provided the BEACoN's
Editor would do like his good fsther al
ways done. When he could not make
out word in my letter he put in one
that did as well if not better. while
Doug and Conner Just leave it out and
sometimes thereby destroy the sense of
the paragraph.
Mr.. Ladd still takes an active inter
est in public affairs; only last year got
up petition to change and improve the
public road. He says he has enjoyed
life and now in his old age has nothing
to complain of. His name is synonym
for honesty and fair dealing and he has
the good will and respect of all who
know him. | am proud to have the
friendship and confidence of such men
as George Ladd. And old Comrade
Ira Russell, of the famous Co. F.
Noxubee Rifles slipped in to see his kin
folks and did not let his old comrades
know that he was coming home again.
We all would have delighted to have
met him and had the camp to meet and
give him a Smoker" | would not
have thought Ira would have done this.
What visions of old times and memo
ries of the long ago does his name re-
call. Ira called himself "Liitle Jim"
and he was one soldier who went from
Manassas to APPROXIMATION and when he
reached Macon after the surrender, be
ing the first time he had done so since
his enlistment, he said well "They may
burn the woods and sift the ashes if we
have another war, but Little jim will
not be there" He and judge Price
We're two of the three private soldiers
who were with Capt. Price when re-
connoitring on the Weldon railroad near
Petersburg very dark night, they came
Unexpectedly on a Federal captain and
three privates on a similar expedition,
a flash of lightning revealed the two
parties to each other. Capt. Price, al
ways quick and ready, said, Surrender,
you are my prisoners - The Federal
captain said chow do you know sir that
the boot is not on the other foot"
Price replied because sir four Confed-
crates have never yet surrendered to
four Yankees, then down your guns or
| will open fire on YOU" The Yankee
privates at once threw down their guns
and surrendered. Capt. Price turned
them over to Ira to carry to the rear,
Ira bowed politely and said good even
ing gentlemen think | had the pleasure
of chasing you over this field this even
ing. Come and will carry you to a
place of safety. Ira fearless and brave
marched them right back to the picket
line The Federal Capt. demonstrated
with him and said they ought to be
taken out Of the range of their guys.
Ira said they are Yankee bullets ,k
will not hurt you, let me try yo>
courage and deliberately fred off his
gun to draw their fire and as the Yam
kee bullets flew thick and fast around
them told his prisoners if they were
afraid to lie down. The privates did so
but the Yankee captain stood boldly
by his side.
Walter Price said he had heard the
Judge tell so much Of Ira that he would
have ridden long ways to have met
him, and | know Billie Smith would
have liked to have recalled the time
they were in Richmond together after
the Yankees had gotten in charge and |
they had to skedaddle. | trust the old |
soldiers visit to his old home was
pleasant and that he will repeat it
sometime when we can all meet him. |
Most OF his old comrades have gone on
before, but those of us who still linger |
behind have a warm place in our hearts
for old Ira Of the immortal Eleventh |
Mississippi.
Well NoXubee's Representatives will |
all go to Jackson this week to be in !
time to juggle fer our favorite for the
speakership. We stand chance of
being on the winning side for | under
stand Iva and O'Bryne are for Quinn |
while | am for Street. The Noxubee
delegation have always been noted for
their independence rarely voting to-
gether and this delegation is likely to
Keep up the record. Our Junior mem |
Der On years. Mr.. Dorroh has already |
draw up two bill to be introduced in the |
House as soon as organized and thew
We're neatly and carefully drawn and
would DO cretit to an old and expert |
enced legislator. He sent copy of one
them-an act to define TIE practice op-
tometry, to each of the members of the
House so they conld be prepared to vote
lnteIlcgently on it. In his letter send |
ing this he says that the public has
long been and is now more than ever. ,
the victim of frauds ard fakirs who are
ignorant of the first laws of light and
optics etc. asked Iva if thew had
not imposed on him little and he said (
yes, he had been buncoed too. The
other bill is of local nature for the re-
llet OF our good friend Thos. Showers.
VINO was unfortunate enough to have |
several convicts escape while in his
charge and under the present law ia
pound for their fines and costs. The
board of supervisors are willing. SO
am told, to give him the needed relief
out have not the power to do SO. and
TINS bill is to authorize Them n rive ~,