Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-02-01

The Manse. Staunton, Va Where
Woodrow Wilson Was Born.
t. II. Brewer of Chicago,. was a great
tomboy and idolized her cousin. and
the two spent many long. happy sum-
mer day at play in the woods Long
before she knew a letter he had filed
her mind and Imagination with the
Leather Stocking Tales" and what
he read to her or told her in the twi-
light on the verauda they acted out in
their play next day. Casting aside all
the encumbrHnCes OF civilization except
that which conservative authority in
the shape of the aunt and mother re-
Qured. they stained their faces. arms
and legs with pOkeherry Juice and with
headdreSSeS OF feathers and armed
with bows and arrows crept out of the
house and stationed themselves by the
side OF a lonely road leading from Au-
guSta to Il negro settlement in the
piny woods Here they would lie in
wait until chance brought them their
victims in the shape of little darkies
on their way TO town with bundles OF
lightwoOd on their heads. Then, with
boOdcurdliu- warwhoOps. they would
dash out upon the unsuspecting prey.
brandiShing wooden tOmahawks in
friehtfuI fashion.
On other occasions the little girl had
to enact the part of various kinds of
game Once she was supposed TO be a
squirrel in the top of a tree So good
a markSman was her cousin that she
was hit by an arrow and came tum,
bling to the ground ut his feet. The
terrified little hunter carried her limp
body into the house with conscience
torn rs it probably never has been
since, crying: Il am a murderer. 1t
wasn't an accident | killed her"
Young bones are supple. and the little
girl had happily sustained no injury.
Mr.. Bones house stood next to the
United States arsenal, which after the
close Of the war was occupied by the
Federal troops Tommy and Jessie
never tired Of going to the guard
house. nj the entrance TO the arsenal
grounds, 10 look at the soldiers and
talk with them. One day, however,
JesSic's mother explained to her that
/ those friends of theirs were Yankees
and had fought against the south. 1t
was a great blow to the couple, and
they often discussed the feasibility of
converting the Yankees into Presbyte-
rians. all good people being Presbyte-
rians and all wicked ones Yankees.
Tom Wilson. for one reason or an
other. was not taught his letters until
long past he date at which most
youngsters have learned to read. II
may have been that his mother. who
had been StrenUOuSly taught in her
young years in England and who used
I'm later life to speak feelinGily OF the
folly of having to learn Latin in ones
sixth year. had IDEAS Of her own about
forcing the Young intellect. 1t may
have been Ills father. who was man
Of very great DoSitiveness and origi
nalitv of OPINION. was averse to having
/. his son get his first Glimuses into thu
world Of knowledge otherwise thar
through himself But however Z
came about. Tom Wilson was no
taught his alphabet until he was nint
, years old There was great deal o
reading aloud in the family. not onl!
his father and mother, but his two sis
: tiers. frequently reading him choice e1
tracts from standard books. Sir Wal
ter Scott and Dickens were made ia
mliar to the lad in this way. He re
. members still the pleasure which hi
: father show,& in "PicEwick." readin
: the inStal.mrnJS aloud. with Mrs. Wi
son as tie special audience, thong
. even at the early age of eight the bo