The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1912-08-23
OBSERVATIONS.

| / have. been interested to note how
political sentiment holds men, even
| when the party does not very much
represent the principles which it did
when they entered it in early days;
and even after the party, as such, is
dead and gone, there will remain an
affectionate sentiment for its name and
memory. This statement is illustrated
by story which one of our old SOL
diers occasionally tells. He says:
my regiment was once stationed near
Baltimore, camped not far from the
ruins of Gov. Bradford's house, which
had not long before been burned by
raid of Confederate cavalry under
Harry Gilmore, whose home had been
near by, before he joined the other
side. One day party of us, tent
mates, got passes for the country,
and we proposed to visit Bradford's
place; we took long tramp to battle
in a cool stream, and to- wander thru
the woods on our way; the tramp and
excitement made us hungry, for we
were on a lark, and did some larking,
such as impressing and riding stray
horses we came across, although we
were careful to turn them loose near
home. Some time in the afternoon
we came out on the York turnpike
and soon came to turnpike gate, at
which was an old fashioned tavern;
long and rambling, with long We
randa along the whole front; the office
was bar room also, in which on the
chairs tipped against the wall sat three
or four old men, oneof them was quite
fat, and had huge double chin and
watery eyes; it was a warm day and
he was in not over clearly shirt
sleeves. 1t was proposed that we ask
for a lunch, and l was deputized to
be the spokesman; asking for the
landlord, the fat man owned to that
position, when approached him, most
courteously, and in my best manner
asked if he would give us bite. 1t
seemed to act as spark to start an
explosion. He began a TRADE about
stealing soldiers, with long tale of
trouble from them; and think it
likely enough to be true, for there had
recently been several thousands of
men In that vicinity; for it was Just
after Early's attempted raid on Wash
ington. He declared that soldiers had
stolen almost all he had outside of the
buildings. l waited till he stopped for
breath and then told him my regiment
was not of that kind, and happened to
mention Massachusetts, as my state;
that aroused him still more; for he
declared that was the home of the
Abolitionists, and he decorated them
with some hard epithets. AS my father
had been one and l absorbed such
sentiments, / could not deny the &C
cusation; he declared if we had minded
our own business there would have
been no war. The other fellows, stall
led around the room, were chucklinp
and breathing hard in their delight at |
our being walloped. Meantime II
had been glancing around the room
and noticed several engravings on the
wall, which l thought l recognized,
and a nearer view showed me pictures
OF Henry Clay, Zachery Taylor and
Winfield Scott; the old man saw my
intent gaze on the pictures, when l |
suddenly turned to him and asked, |
Were you Whig?" He did not re-
ply at once, and asked again, when
he said Eyes" "Well," said /, "my
father was Wing, and so much of
one that he named me for southern
man.. and pointing at SCOTS picture
said, II was named for that man."
and then | launched into declarationl
about my fathers whigism; how loyal
one he was and true to the principles
Of that party, which if it had sur
vived and Scott been elected presi-
dent in 1852 the war might have been
averted. The old man took his pipe
out of his mouth, wiped his watery !
eyes, spat on the floor, wriggled in|
his chair, and just then seeing a maid
through the open door he called out,
Here, bring in big dish full of
crackers and large slice of cheese"
and when she brought it in, the old
Wing said. "Here boys help yourselves
can't deny bread to the son of an
Did Wing" and then turned the con-
versation into other channels, and
drew us OUT as our party were intel
igent and pretty we'll educated. he
warmed to us. and on departing, told
rs to call again when that way!" !,
OBSERVER.