The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1918-08-09
to Missouri some time soon. Much
love. JOHN.

to Missouri some time soon. Much
love. JOHN.
"'More than mortal courage 10
continue" repeated Mr.. Allen, So
bcrly. at must have taken that. You
know he had a new home at Fort
Bliss just finished-all ready for his
family-was going up to California
after them the very next week-when
when the terrible news came. 1t is
such tests that reveal mans char
acter and prove his faith.
"Pershing came back to Lacledc
quite Unexpectedly one day 10 or IA
years ago." continued Mr.. Allen. at
was after he'd been away q score of
years and had won largely of fame
and success-in fact he was then on
his way to Washington to receive ap-
pointment as general from Presi-
dent Roosevelt-but he had not chang
ed toward his old friends. He in
sisted on going from house to house
to visit everyone of his old acauaint-
ances that remained here. He even
visited the old 'aunties' and the ne
gro men who had worked with him on
the old farm, went into their shanties
and talked with them of old times"
With Aunt Susan"
Among the dearest of the old friends
visited by the General on this occa-
sion, as l learned at Lacledc, was
Aunt Susan Hewctt. If your idea of
Mrs. Hewett is merely that of "Gen-
eral Pcrshing's pie-maker" you have
been grossly misinformed. Back in
the late sixties at the close of the
Civil war there came to Laclede q
young Captain and his bride-Capt.
Jacob Hewctt of Company A, First
Maryland Volunteers, and Susan
Hickman from just across the Poto-
mac in Old Virginia. Their earthly
possessions had been destroyed by the
contending armies and they had come
west to start anew. They established
the old Missouri House at the corner
of Laclede's wooded park, and became
well-loved members of the community
and warm friends of the Pershing
family.
"Oh, yes" laughs Mrs. Hewett, re-
ferring to her "pie-makcr" fame, Il
helped in the kitchen and dining
room and often gave Johnny Pershing
pieces of pie. He was clean, we'll
behaved boy, always polite and
straightforward.
A'Hello, Mrs. Hewett,' he'd say.
"'Hello, Johnny
essay, Mrs. Hewett, can have a
piece of pie today?'
"'You bet you can, Johnny
"And that's the way it was. /
used to make turnover pies. I'd
stew the dried apples, mash them
fine, season them with several kinds
of spices, put them in turn-overs and
fry them in half-lard-and-h half butter.
Johnny thought they were mighty
good-and they were, when made
right.
"And he came back to see me ID
years ago, October a." continued
Mrs. Hewett. captain Hewett had
passed away five years before that.
I'd given up the old Missouri House
and built this little cottage. I'd come
to be Aunt Susan to this town for
if ] have a living relative in this world
l don't know it. kept busy around
shAo httiC PioSCf diiA tildL udy WAS III
the back yard racking up some wood
that was in b'llets. Uncle Henry Lo-
max came and said there was some
body to see me. l hurried around to
the front of the house but nobody was
in sight.
Maybe he went around TO the
side of the house to look for you,'
said Uncle Henry. | stepped around
there by the cistern and there was
John Pershing hiding among my
vines. He just held out his arms and
/ ran to him. We embraced each
other and we both cried.
at does my heart good, Aunt Su-
san,' said he, to greet my mothers
dear friends
1--WE had good visit, and then he
told me lie was going on out to Cash
Welch's and several other of the old
friends and that he'd see me again on
his way back. That afternoon he
came again and told me that there
was going to be a reception for him
at Pete Phelps and that he wanted
me to go-that he'd come with Uncle
Henry Lomax,s horse and buggy to