The courier-index., 1918-10-25

John PerSh1ng was not a genius,
continued his boyhood friend. "He
| possessed a clear, analytical mind,
but no better mind than thousands of
other boys possess. He was clean
regular attendant at church and Sun
day school at the Methodist Episco-
pal church, of which he was a mem
Der and his mother and father were
active workers. His parents were
intensely religious.
"The traits distinguishing him from
many other boys" concludes Mr. Big
ger, were those that characterized
him as a tireless worker, indomitable
in his purpose to perform every task
set before him. And he never was
tough; he never considered it neces-
sary to seek questionable companions
or places in order to have a good
time. In the wholesouled fashion of
a healthy country boy, he enjoyed our
neighborhood parties, our taffy pull
ings, our baseball, fishing and swim
ming but he never resorted to rody
ISM"
Though never quarrelsome, Perish
ing was abundantly able to take care
of himself His old associates proud
ly tell of the first term of school he
taught when he was eighteen.
1t was at Prairie Mound in Carl
ton county. 1t became his duty in
the course of the term to thrash a
big boy, and he addressed himself to
this responsibility in his usual frank
and vigorous fashion. The discipline
had the desired effect on the boy,
but brought the boys father rampant
to humiliate the teacher.
John was then only a boy, himself,
big, strong, broad shouldered boy,
but only a boy" says Capt. Henley,
with whom the young teacher board
ed at Prairie Mound, while his as
sailant, old man Card, was a burly
giant, fully six feet four, and wildly
determined to lick the young teacher.
"He made it plain that nothing else
would appease him. John tried to
present a reasonable view of the
situation, but Card only grew more
insolent in word and gesture.
"Then it was, as my children re-
counted at the time, that Johns
usually ruddy lips whitened and his
big blue eyes narrowed to steel gray
points. He stepped toward the big
man and his words had cold pre-
cision that was truly ominous.
"You get out of this house and off
these grounds and stay off as long
as Pm teacher-or I'll kill you
with mumbled apologies old man
Card hastily backed out of the school
house" concluded Captain Henley,
land he did not trouble the young
teacher again"
From other sources there is addi-
tional evidence of the sturdy fibre
of John Pershing's courage and power
of will.
John was no sissy, even if he was
clean and well behaved" asserts
Charles r. Sturgeon, who was Per-
shing's boyhood chum and college
roommate. "He was a manly, up
standing boy. In his classes he had
his lessons, and when asked to work
a problem he would step promptly to
the board and do it in way that
proved his heart was in his work. |
at was the same at college. At
Kirksville Normal, where we were
classmates, John was hard working
student. He always was thoroughly
interested in his work, and was al
ways looking forward to the succeed
ing years in the course and the finish
when we came home at the end
of our first term | was offered
position in a store. took it, and by
heck I'm clerking yet. John had a
similar offer but turned it down.
"T'm going back to Kirkville, any.
way, he said. 4 don't know what
I'll finally do-probably be lawyer,
but inst now I'm going to stick to