Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-12-28
Gen. PERSH|NC is
FOND or GARDEN
Commander Of American Array In
France Carved Out His Own
lareer.

ARANAAgA 4&4N 1-sAt ANAA s%%AAA A~+A 49, A~@AN%
tary career which led to his appoint
meut a. general In the United States
army and commander Of the American |
expedinonary force In France. The /
story Is told by General Pershings sis
ters, Mrs. Butler and Miss day Perish |
Ing. who are residents OF Lincoln and
who have given 10 The Associated
Press intimate views Of PershinE's
character in his youthful days.
Il was while Pershing and his sis
ter. now Mrs Butler. we're attending
the Missouri state normal school at
Kirksvflle, Mo, that his attention was
one day called 10 a newspaper an
uouncenenf that examinations we're TO
be held for appointment 70 'he West
Point military academy. Young Persh-
ing asked his sisters advice as TO
whether he should try for the appoint
ment and she advised him TO do so.
Then followed d short season OF inten-
sive study in preparation.
in a few days he was called before
p the examining board and. although inn
properly prepared, received the high
est mark among the contestants ana
soon after@ard was notified OF his ap-
poin,ment Up to this time his action
had been a secret between his sister
and himself and it remained SO until
he WAS ready TO start for West Point.
on mis- way 20 the military academy he
stopped on at the home Of his parents
and for the first time told them they
we're 10 have a soldier in the family.
As a boy General Pershing. his sis
ters says, was Of q quiet, serious tenn
permanent, assuming. as the oldest OF
= six children, many Of the responsible
lies Of the family lie was wont, dur
ing hts early years which we're spent
i'm Laciede. Mo. his birthplace to
manage Gne Of the several farms oper-
ated by his father, John F Pershing, a
merchant anu farmer OF Lsclede.
John" Mrs. Butter said, although
OF a quiet disposition, liked a good
time and enjoyed fun as much as any
one Yet when he started anything he
wanted TO get the result ana he gen
orally attained that object before he
gave Il up
While at the normal school at Kinks
Vile. he was always In the center OF
student activities and never content to
be merely one OF the crowd but wanted
10 be head OF the movement, His per
sonal magnetism and generally like
able character quickly won him friends
and supporters and soon he becam'
one OF the student leaders.
After having been graduated from
West 2nLnt and having served witt
General Mixes in a campaign In New
Mexico against the Indian chief. Zero
nimo, Pershlng was stationed as mill
tary instructor at the University O
Nebraska His friends there remem
Der him as a fun-loving young ma
who enjoyed music and dancing, par
ties and other social activities an
who appreciated a good joke.
odd Jack Best the veteran traine
at the university, remembers Pershin
intimately. He was the finest ma
that l ever worked with said Bes
It's true he was mighty strict wit
his work, but the results he got weI
so good that everybody he worke
with loved him for it. When he wa
here we had regiment the universit
could be proud Of. l just Workshops
that man and everybody around q
university felt the same about him.
any Of you newspaper men get
chance 10 tell &C. 10 him, you Just S;
that old Jack wishes him the best lut
In the world and that he hopes he w
beat the Germans all alone.
Usually he was mighty dignifed
his work. but he had a way Of gettil
next TO new men, continued Be
THE first time I ever saw him
walked right up to me, slapped me
the shoulder and said Well, ia,
they tell me You got along Nigh
well with my predecessor If you d
am darued sure wen get along il
as we'll
THE boys at the university got
surprise the first day Pershing drill
them, said Best. ut had been tn
habit before that time TO come to dr
with shoes blackened or not, just
they pleased. When Pershing to
hold, the first thing he looked at "
TO see that all shoes were we'll bla,
ed and that the heels looked as &c
as the toes. He was Just that tn
ough-going in everything all the tin
lie was AL in every way and you
ask anyone who knew him II Il
isn't the gospel truth
ODD as 1t may seem in q fight
man. General Pershing's one fad.
cording to his sisters, is gardeni
His father was an expert gardener a
the taste descended to TIE milit;
man. Whenever he was on leave.
Immediately would don work-(
clothes go into his. fathers gard
seemingly enjoying the work over
vegetables as much as he enjoyed
olal activities.
The first time that General Per
ing appeared In Chicago and was S,
by neighbors, he was clad In overa
and was hard at work In a vegeta
garden In the yard behind his fathf
house in the southside Of the G
There was some surprise among
II neighbors that a man who then '
entitled 10 wear the uniform and br
Buttons OF a captain should be will
TO put them aside and hoe the gard
but the incident is lliuminatiye OF
character OF the man upon whom
country relies to lead the Ameri
forces TO victory against the Germ
in Europe.
TELLS ABOUT THE TANKS.
Berne, Describing