The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-02-11

bytcrIan minister who conducted his
fathers funeral services In tho little
log church of tho South Carolina set
tlement In which tho Jacksons were
leading precarious existence cav
AndrGw when he was a boy of fourteen
and spoke to him as "redhended,
freckle- faced bundle of energy. with
uttle inclination to turn ms native
ability to any profitable use, but with
an urquenchablo thirst for mischiev-
GUS sport II Is but too plain" con-
tinued this sovero critic. that poor
Mrs. jackson has litue control over
him."
It was quite truo that his mother
had little control over him: II was
equally tho fact that ho had oven less
control over himself. 1t wue the cas- :
est thing In the world to uGfront him
o"d one OF the most Difficult, to keep
from II. lie waa SO fond OF scrap
that he was on the alert constantly to
ma nm opportunity TO CRAFTY mis-
propensity. form OF self-indulgenue
In which no persisted even 10 The Gnu
| OF his nfe.
L, was Mrs. Jackson's hearts de-
| sirc that her lawiess son should be-
come minister. Cockngh,ing and
petty gami. u OF various xmas were
more TO his taste, her ncIsunora de-
clnred, and that he was more iaui.liar
| with the public room OF the village
J tavern than he would ever bc with
the church. To tho day OF her death
, the poor woman chung to her hope,
even believing that she saw n hopcrui
! sign In his pGrvcrsity.
1t was mothers blind faith In Tho
/ Improbable. for her son kept aluor
| from spiritual Influences until Old ago
admonished him that the game which
he mad played go long und so reck lcss-
ly was drawing to n close. The story
that his final earthly demonstration
was to propose wager with his at
tending physician that no would live
| long enough TO dIscredlt the mcdica,
| mans prognosis Is probably fictitious,
| but II Is by no means out OF ohnrac-
ter for Andrew jackson. gamester. Rrc-
eater. duelist military hero and stauch
| patriot.
| Martin Van Buren,, Gonorai Jacksons
intimate friend and adviser during a..
formers two administrations, vas so
| devoted to the political game that he
played no other. William Henry Iiar-
riSon, the FtrSinian. who followed him
| was not bungier al tho game OF poi
tics. but he was even moro At home
| In the vigorous forms OF outdoor sport
popular on the frontier. He wac n
crack shot and q mighty hunter us
woodsman the peer OF any man
white or rcd. In the great undevcloped
western territory.
Neither John Tyler nor James Is
Polk Was n sportsman with recorc
| which hns survived Bluff old Zachary
Taylor. last OF the Virginia Presidents
was OF more gamesone stun. uc was
rs entirely nj his ease in tho wood.
as he was awkward and out OF his eie
ment at society function. AS
marksman he had few equals In n sec.
ton % the country In which a mar
was measured by his ability 10 handle =;
gun. Like General Jackson, he mac
as grcnt respect for u bit of speed
horscilesh as for n human being"
taste which he retained until the last
OF the three men next IN succession
Fillmore, Piorcc and Buchaua A.
Franklin Pierce was the only ont win
, was even moderate sportsman. Whcr
the presidential campaign OF 1862 wa
| on, political spcllbnder who wa
Stumpirg the State Of New Hampshire
in the interest of Picrcc's Rcpub'icaI
; oppor ent, brought his mai haraneu
to n close with the following dircc
. appeal: Voters OF the Granite State
) think too well of you to believe ina
e you will cast your ballots for Il MAJ
c who would not hesitate To postpone al
t important Cabinet meeting 20 atten
1 horse race"
That orator was mistaken in his e: