The Washington herald., 1913-12-24
Statesmen, Real and Near.
BY FRED C. KELLY.

BY FRED C. KELLY.
DIR. James Benjamin Aswell. membe
of Congress from Louisiana, bears I
striking resemblance to the late Georg
Washington.
Though only forty-three years old
Aswell has white hair and IL curls VI
on the sides in colonial fashion, muci
as George washington's did. AswelTi
face is not quite SO sad and preoccupieC
as former President Washington's. but Il
is built along such similar lines that HI
looks as IL he were at least about tC
take the part Of Washington in a cantata
The reason AswelPs hair is prema.
| turely white and his face solemn Is be-
cause of two important events back in
his boyhood
To start with, the first book he evei
read, aside from the Bible, was Pilgrim
| Progress. Then, his father failed after
the war and he was obliged to work on
| the farm alongside OF the negro laborers
without ever getting to school until he
was seventeen years old. Those things.
however. would not have turned his hair
white ahead OF schedule. But one day
this happened:
There was a young colored boy on the
place named Nose. a trihe older than
Aswell. who looked on him as a sort of
personal companion and accomplice. Nose
had a phenomenal predisposition toward
stealing and telling lie. and endeavored
to instill these traits into young AsweIl.
lnasmuch as the latter was destined to
grow up to look like George Washington,
and become one OF the foremost school
teachers OF his State, he did not readily
take to lying and stealing and never did
either-until one night Nose mentioned
that there was a watermelon patch up
the road ha1nnUinU fn rrah hhad ola
whom they called Uncle Nathan. They
had an abundant watermelon patch on
their own place, but that was not the
point. The idea was that IL would be
great sport to steal a melon or two from
Uncle Nathan just because he was
grouchy and they had always disIiked
him. So at dusk they went up the road
and hooked a couple OF melons apiece
from Uncle Nathan.
The next morning Aswell saw Uncle
Nathan's buggy out in front of the house
and Uncle Nathan himself in conference
with Aswelfs father. Indubitably some
thing was up. After the grim visitor had
gone, Aswelrs father called him in and
said:
II have arranged for you to 60 over
today and help Uncle Nathan strip fod-
der. owe him a little money and that
occurs to me as the cheapest way for me
to pay it."
Now what young AsweIl wanted to know
was this: Did his father really owe
Uncle Nathan money. and was the close
proximity OF the watermelon incident
merely a stray circumstance, or did one
event follow the other in logical order?
He would have liked to know, but his
father said nothing and so he asked no
questions. but went sullenly and worked
all day for Uncle Nathan, never saying
n word to him. and refusing to accept
the mans dinner at noon.
For years and years after that. clear
up to the time of his fathers death, |
Aswell kept wondering II his father really |
knew about the watermelon affair, but
he never found out, for the subject was /
never mentioned again. Such a long
stretch OF wondering about one thing
helped to start his hair turning and give
his face the thoughtful look that it wears
oday.
The next great crisis in Aswelrs life
sme when he was about seventeen years
I'D and having his first glimpse or
chool. He worked for a livery-stable
proprietor mornings and evenings and
holidays. doing various chores about the
table and helping in the general store
he liveryman also conducted. His first
ustomer in the store was a woman who
Wished to purchase a corset, Aswell
ooked about the shelves until he found
ne of a size and style that he thought
Tould suit, and spread 1t gayly before
er. The customer was greatly pleased
nd bought II without looking further.
he placed a gold coin on the counter
1 payment. Aswell had never seen a
old coin before, but he had heard OF
gold pieces, and he gave the woman
in change, for the corset was priced
My 81, which was really a bargain
so when the proprietor returned and
'und that AsweI had given out 81 and
corset for a 81 gold piece. he explained
lat there would have to be an evening I
} process. Aswell had been getting 10 I
'nts an hour for his services, but now I
: had to work out that 81 deficit, be-
SO a month. Even to this day when '
counts UP his money and chattels it
ems to Aswell that he is still "a short.
he never got to school until
was seventeen, Aswell now is an A. B., .
A. NJ, an LII. D., and one thing and
other until IL he We're to write all his =.
llege degrees after his name II would o.
ok like printers pi line.
He is usually called DR.. Aswell, the
lr' referring to his Ii. d. degree.
Id this Doctor is never corrupted TO
Ioc." You take a regular pill doctor. n
physician, a dentist. or even
preacher. and no matter how good he a
in his line OF endeavor, some one is q
ely to address him as doc" but when
man is none OF these and is called
spelled out in full. you un- \,
rstand-it is almost a sure sign that =
: man Is thorough-going highbrow. a,
Iswell has been the State superintend-
Of schools. president Of the State a.,
'rmal School in Louisiana, and was al IL
st nominated for Governor year or :,
ago.
for all his George Washing "
hair. the man is net actually so SOL
n as he looks. Engage him in conver-
ion and his face relaxes until his eyes II
I'm like those of Santa Claus.
p5rsht. 1913. by Fred c. Kelly. An rights re- Is
Line o Cheer Each Day O 6