South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1913-12-25
STA TESMEN
REAL AND NEAR
BY FRED c. KELLY.

WASHlNGTON.-Dr James Benia-
min Aswell, member of congress from
Louisiana, bears striking resemb-
lance to the late George " aShingtOn.
Though only forty-three years old.
Aswell has white hair and it curls up
on the sides in colonial fashion, much
as George Washington's did. Aswells
face is not quite so sad and preoccu-
pied as former Pres. Washingtons
but it is built along such similar lines
that he looks as it he were at least
about TO take the part of Washing
ton in cantata.
The reason Aswell's hair is prema-
turely white and his face solemn is
because of two important events back
in his bOyhOOd.
To start with. the first book ne ever
read. aside from the Bible, was Pill
grim.s Progress. Then. his father
of the Negro laborers without ever
setting TO school until he was seven
teen years old. Those things. how
ever, would not have turned his hair
white ahead of schedule. But one
day this happened:
There was young cOlored boy on
the place named Nose, a trihe older
than Aswell who looked on him as
sort OF personal companion and ac
complete. Nose had a phenomenal
predispOsitiOn toward stealing and
telling lies and endeavOreG to instil
these traits into young Aswen. Inas-
much as the latter was destined to
grow up TO look like George Wash
ingtOn, and become one of the fore
most school teachers of his state, he
did not readily take to tying and steal
ing and never did either-until one
night. Nose mentioned that there
was watermelon patch up the road
belonging TO a Grabbed old man 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 it would be
great sport to steal a melon or two
from Uncle Nathan just because he
was grOuchy and they had always
disliked him So at dusk they went
up the road and hooked a couple of
melons apiece from Uncle Nathan.
The next morning Asweil saw Uncle
Nathan's buggy out in front of the
house and Uncle Nathan himself in
conference with Aswelfs father. IN
dubltably something was up. After
the grim visitor had gone, Aswelfs
father called him in and said:
81 have arranged for you TO go over
today and help Uncle Nathan strip
fodder. I owe him little money and
that occurs TO me as the cheapest way
Tor me 10 pay II.
Now what young Aswel wanted 10
know was this: Did his father really
owe Uncle Nathan money. ands was
the close proximity Of the watermelon
incident merely 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 Ma
than, never saying a word to him and
refusing 10 accept the mans dinner at
noon.
For years and years after that
up 10 the time of his fathers death.
Aswell kept wondering if his father
really knew about the watermelon af-
fair. 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 IL wears today.
, Copyright. 1913. BY Fred c. Kelly.
All rights reserved.)