Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-06-08
AUGUSTA ASKS
LEWIS To BRING
HIS WHISPERS
Home Folks Perturbed by Report
That He VIII Remove Famous
Pink Hirsute Adornment.
FATHER TELLS OF BOYHoOD
Senator From Illinois Was Good
Dresser as ChiId-Has Always
Been AffeCtionate Son.

AUGUSTA, June Augusta has
invited James Hamilton Lewis, junior
Senator from Illinois, Democratic
whip" of the Senate and the posses
sor Of the finest pair Of pink whis-
kers" in America to come home. A
royal welcome is to be given him but
in the invitation it is stipulated that
he must not sacrifice those celebrated
whiskers beforehand.
Augusta doesn't remember, the ].
Hamilton Lewis of the pink whiskers,
but she does remember the celebrated
Illinois man as a lad in knee brooches
and later as a slender youth study
ing in the law office Of the late Frank
H. Miller here.
Colonel Lewis has visited here seldom
in recent years and only on flying
trips to see his father, Major John c.
Lewis, who lives here quietly at his
cottage in Harper Street.
Major Lewis, an ex-Confederate
veteran and ex-policeman on the Au-
gusta force, is almost "a years old
and is supported entirely by his son
who sends him a check for 500 on
the first of every month.
Check Always Comes.
II the colonel is abroad exciting
the admiration and inspiring the en-
Wy Of many thousands Of Europeans
because or his whiskers,-at the court
Of the Mikado, as envoy from Amer
lea to Nippon. or at the front fight
ing the enemies Of his native land,
that monthly check comes just the
same. The colonels office men have
instructions to send 1t.
The happiest man in these United
States when the long deadlock at
Springfield was broken and J. Ham
ilton Lewis was named United States
Senator, was the aged father Of that
celebrated gentleman, Within three
hours after he had been elected Ma
for Lewis received the following mes
sage:
Springfield, H., March 20, 1913.
Major John c. Lewis,
I47s Harper Street,
Augusta, Ga.
"I have Just been elected 10 the I'm
tied States Senate. l am happy that
this great honor has come to me
while you could enjoy IT, VIII write.
"(Signed) James Hamilton Lewis"
A representative Of The Sunday
American was cordially received at
the home Of Major Lewis. Although
past three-score years and ten and
suffering from unhealed wounds re-
ceived in the Civil War, the old gen
tleman IS stiIl very active.
81 want you TO tell me Of the boy
hood Of Colonel Lewis" said the news
paper man. The old gentleman was re-
clining IN an easy chair. He is com
paratlvely slight OF stature, being
about Ave feet seven inches i'm height,
has almost snow white hair and a
long beard. His appearance was, in
way, patriarchaL He is slightly
deaf.
Colonel Lewis Always Smart,
MY boy was always a smart boy"
Major Lewis began. and he was al
ways a good boy and a neat boy" He
never gave me any trouble in his life.
Jim was frail as a boy and I had
grave doubts Of his ever reaching
maturity. However. ne was fond of
outdoor exercise and encouraged
him in this, but ne did not get his
full growth until he was more than
p years old.
From babyhood Jim was neat and
l recall that he would raise a racket
whenever his dresses would become
soiled. He would insist on putting on
clean ones then and there. was not
able to give him all Of the advantages
that l would like 70 have given him
f5r you know abou: how much sal
airy a policeman gets,-and the pay
then was not as good as it is now.
but l did the best ! could and l
have never regretted any Of it,
YIN was a good boy, as I said,
but at the same time he was mis-
with him was in regard to negro
peanut vendors with whom he discus
sed religion on the street corners. The
old negroes would get very much ex-
cited and while in the midst Of heat
ed argument would not notice that
Jim was scattering their peanuts on
the ground I had 70 nay them a
number Of times for the peanuts he
threw away
Good Dresser As Boy.
IN the days when Jim was grow
ing up / lived on Watkins Street and
he attended Sunday school and
church al Calvary Baptist near hE
He also went 10 the Houghtoa Gram
mar school ind ia,eI to the Rich
moud Academy. He graduated from