The sun., 1918-08-25

and mother were active workers. His
parents were intensely religious.
The traits Distinguishing him from
many other boys" concludes Mr.. Bigger,
"were those that characterized him as q
tireless worker, indomitable in his pur-
pose TO perform every task set before
him. And he never was tough; he never
considered it necessary to seek question
able companions or places in order to
have good time. In the wholesouled
fashion. of healthy country boy he en-
joyed our neighborhood parties, our
taffy pulings, our baseball, fishing and
swimming, but he never resorted to row.
dyism."
Though never -quarrelsome, Pershing
was abundantIy able TO take care of HIM
self. His old associates proudly tell of
the frst term of school be taught, when he
was Is.
1t was at Prairie Mound, in Charlton
county. 1t became his duty in the course
of the term to thrash big boy; and be
addressed himself to this responsibility in
his usual direct and vigorous fashion. The
discipline had the desired effect on the
boy, but brought the boys father ram
pant to humiEate the young teacher.
"yoAn was then only boy himself, q
big, strong, broad shouldered boy, but
only a boy;r says Capt. Henley, with
whom the young teacher boarded at Prai-
ne Mound, "whle his assailant, 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 pre-
sent a reasonable view Of the situation,
but CAD only grew more insolent in word
and gesture.
Showed Iron Determination.
"Then it was, as my children recounted
at the time, that Johns usually rudy lips
whitened and his big blue eyes narrowed
to steel gray points. He stepped toward
the big man and his words had a cold
precision that was truly ominous.
"'You get out of this house and off
these grounds and stay off as long as I'm
teacher-or I'll kill you
with mumbled apologies, old man
Card hastily backed out Of the school
house." concludes Capt. Henley, land he
did not trouble the young teacher again"
From other sources there is additional
evidence Of the sturdy fibre Of John Per
shing's courage and power Of will.
"John was no, sissy, even if he was
clean and well behaved" asserts Charles
r. Spurgeon, who was Pershing's boy
hood chum and his college roommate.
"He was a manly, outstanding boy. In
his classes he had his lessons, and when
asked to work a problem he would step
promptly to the blackboard and do it in
way that proved his heart was in the
work.
'It was the same at college. At Kinks
vile Normal, where We were classmates,
John was a hard working student. He
always was thoroughly interested in his
class work and was always looking for
ward to the succeeding years in the course
and the finish.
"When we came home at the end of our
first term l was offered a position in
store, took it and, by heck, I'm clerking
vet. John had a similar offer, but turned
it down.
"'Tm going back to Kirksville, any
way be said. 4 don't know what I'll
finally do-probably be lawyer, but Just
now I'm going to stick to the school,
The next time I saw him was when
he came home the time the Laclede post
Office was robbed. His father was post
master then, and of course the loss fell
upon him personally. John came home
from college and turned over the remain
der of his savings to his father-gave up
his college course 10 help The folk at home.
Won His Way to West Point.
at was just then that Congressman
Burrows of the old Tenth district an
nouneed the first competitive examination