The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-12-29
MEETS HIS OLD
BLACK SERVANT
AUNCLE FRANK % YEARS OLD
- rRoUDEsr MAN IN ALL
srAUNroN TODAY.
HIS MARsE ToMMIE
TUToRED FUTURE PRESIDENT IN
THE ART OF WALKING, nut
FAILED THROUGH Use
OF wHEELBARRow.
BY n. W. VINCENT.

STAUNToN, VA, Dec. 2S.--"Heilo,
''Uncie Frank" was the son of an old
"My. my. Marster Tommie % this
really your"
This was the exchange Of greetings
today when Frank T. Ware, sixty.
eight years old, who was a slave, was
received In the Rev. Or. Fraxer's lie
brary. in the Presbyterian manse by
President-Eiect Woodrow Wilson.
Uncle Frank" wa sthe SON Of an old
servant OF the Rev. Joseph r. Wilson.
the prestdent-elect's father. and he
was "Tommie" Wilson's nurse from
the time he was old enough to be
pushed around in a wheelbarrow un.
til the Wilson family removed to Au-
Eustat, Ga. in 1858, when ''Tommte"
was two years old.
1t was the first time Uncle Frank"
had seen '.Tommie'' since he moved
to Augusta two years before Abra-
ham Lincoln was elected president
While hundreds were waiting for q
chance to have a word with him. Gov
, ernor Wilson spent half an hour talk
ing to the old negro man. who had
been his friend and protector before
he learned to walk or talk. They
talked about the president-elect's
father and mother and two sisters
and the governor learned much of his
carly cuuuHoou, winch ne utd NOT
know. from the one-time slave.
First Time He Saw Him.
II remember the first time I saw
the governor" said Uncle Frank" to
The Vrginian correspondent. His
nurse brought him out into the kitch-
en- SO that some OF the neighbors
might see him. I was then twelve
years old. The governor looked like
all babies. He was baldheaded. and
kept biting his chubby little nsts.
For the first few weeks he made lot
of noise, too"
"Uncle Frank" said that the baby
who was one day to become presi-
dent of the United States. really did
rot come under his oare until he
Was nearly one year old. II was
Uncle Frank" who first gave Tom
mie" Wilson his lessons In stand.
lIy alone. but he never sncceed~d In
tea king him how to walk.
Hides In Whecaha.~cw.
II had a wheeibarrow." continued
Uncle Frank" land used to take
the GOVERNOR can't call him 'Tom-
n,de'' now. although can never
think Of him a. anybody except
"Tonm!e" wiison-out riding. One
day, remember, rode him down
the hill TO meet his mother. and
upset the wheelbarrow. and threw
''Tcmnie." or ] mean tho governor.
out, and he had such q bump that
his nose h1ed was afraid to go
hack to the house until he had stop
ped crying
''Dr. Wilson had q horse and
buggy. and ! used TO take the baby
for buggy ride The old mare was
gentle. and there was no danger
remember that the governor thought
he was mighty big man when ia
let him hold to the reins. He would
ciuck TO the old horse. and try to
make her 20 at lively gait.
"Fe ives fne baby. and his moth
er and father were as fine white
folks az ever lived In the shenaa-
doah Valley, but. Of course, I was
not counting on '"Tcmmie'' some day
beirK governor ana a president He
certainly treated me fine today. and
he ssid 40 many things that I can't
recollect all Of them. Of course.
was kinder nervous a bit you know.
fnr ! didn't know whether ne woufi
remember me He said his mother
had often told him about me-
'Unc,e Frank" hopes to 20 to
Washineton TO attend the inAueura-
ton. He II u typical old Southern
| darkey ana he was the happisse man
In Staunton today