The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1917-06-16
ssThe Mann Without a COmmtry''
BY Edward Everett Hale

TELL me their Names he said, and
he pointed to the stars on the flag.
The last | know is Ohio. My faith
er lived in Kentucky. But I have
guessed Michigan and Indiana and
Mississippi-that was where Fort
Adams is-they make twenty. But
where are your other fourteen?
You have not cut up any OF the
old ones. hope?'
well, that was not a bad text.
and I told him the names in as
good order as could, and he babe
me take down his beautiful map
and draw them in as I best could
with my pencil. He was wild with
delight about Texas. told me how
his cousin died there; he had
marked a gold cross near where he
supposed his grave was; and he
had guessed at Texas. Then he
was delighted as he saw California
and Oregon-that, he said, he had
suspected partly, because he had
never been permitted to land on
shore, tho the ships were there so
much. And the men,, said he,
Laughing, brought off good deal
besides furs.'
Then he went back - heavens,
how far!--to ask about the Chesa-
peake, and what was done to Bar
ron for surrendering her to the
Leopard, and whether Burr ever
tried again - and he ground his
teeth with the only passion he
showed. But in a moment that
was over, and he said, God for
give me, for | am sure forgive
him. Then he asked about the
old war-told me the true story
of his serving the gun, the day we
took Java-asked about dear old
David Porter, as he called him.
Then he settled down more quietly,
and very happily, to hear me tell
in an hour the history of fifty
years.
"How / wish 1t had been some
body who knew something! But /
did as we'll as | could. | told him
about Fulton and the steamboat
beginning. l told him about old
Scott and Jackson; told him all I
could think of about the Mississip-
Ipi, and New Orleans, and Texas,
and his own old Kentucky.
And do you thing he asked who
was in command of the Legion of
the West?' l told him it was a
very gallant officer named Grant,
and that, by our last news. he was
about to establish his headquar-
ters at Vicksburg. Then, Where
was Vicksburg?' l worked that out
on the map; It was about a hun
dred miles, more or less, above
his old Fort Adams; and / thought
Fort Adams must be a ruin now.
1T must be at old Vick's planta-
ton, at Walnut Hills said he;
well, that is change!'
Tells Him About Lincoln
II tell you. Ingham. 1t was a
hard thing to condense the history
of half century into that talk
with a sick man. And I do not
now know what l told him - of
Emigration, and the means OF it
Of steamboats, and railroads and
telegraphs-of inventions and of
books and literature-of the col
leges and West Point and the
Naval school-but with the queer
| est Interruptions that ever you
heard. You see 1t was Robinson
Crusoe asking all the accumulated
questions Of fifty-six years!
II remember he asked. all OF a
sudden, who was President now;
and when told him, he asked il
Old Abe was BENJAMIN Lincoln's
son. He said he met old General
Lincoln, when he was quite a boy
himself, at some Indian treaty.
said no. that Old Abe was a Ken
tuckian like himself, but I could
not tell him Of what family; he had
worked up from the ranks. Good
for him. cried Nolan; 4 am glad
Of that. As I have brooded and
wondered. have thought our dan
ger was In keeping up those regu-
lar SUGGESTIONS in the first fam
ilies.'
Then I got talking about my
visit to Washington. told him
Of meeting the Oregon congress
man. Harding: I told him about
the Smithsonian and the exploring
expedition; told him about the
capitol. and the statues for the
pediment. and Crawford's Library.
and Greenough's Washington; Ing
ham. told him everything | could
think of that would show the
grandeur Of his country and its
prosperity; but I could not make
up my mouth to tell him a word
about this Internal rebellion.
Prays for His Country
And he drank II in, and en-
loyed It as I cannot tell you. He
grew more and more silent. vet
never thought he was tired or
faint. I gave him glass of water,
but he just wet his lips and tai
me not to go away. Then he
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