The Washington herald., 1919-09-17
EARLY LIFE OF
GEN. JOHN J.PERSE HING
AUTHENTIC STORY
OF THE BOYHOOD DAYS
OF THE FAMOUS GENERAL
By HAROLD F. WHEELER.

right with us boys, and with the
girls, too. He was our hero after
that We idolized him: we loved him
And I guess I need not tell you that
there was no more trouble in school
Even the big boy who started the
row got to Like John. Who could
help admire a teacher like him.
1t must not be thought that teach
ing in the Prairie Mound school took
all Of Johns time during this period
Of his life. Indeed, no. He returned
to Laclede every Friday afternoon,
and on Friday night and on Satur-
days and Sundays he entered spirit
edly into the social life Of his home
town. He went to parties and sleigh
rides and hunted rabbits or fished
with his boyhood chums who still
remained in Laclede
A Boyhood Romance
Perhaps, to the minds Of many per
sons, will come conjecture as to girls.
Did John Pershing have a girl:
they will ask. Was there someone in
Laclede who might have been MIS-
PershinE?
I asked the question Of those old
Laclede folks.
4h'4C - q hiuA- just HluLr OF q
romance in Johns life at this time.
There had come to Laclede Just a few
years before a family named Artlip,
and daughter Of the house, Arabelle
Artlip, was looked upon as the pref
test girl in 1saclede. L,aclede folks do
say that John. about the time Of his
Prairie Mound days. had a crush"
on ArabeIle. or Belle" as she was
called thon and as she is called today,
Yes. Arabelle still lives in I.acIede. as
charming and sweet a woman as one
would wish TO meet She is the wife
of one of the I.omaN brothers. James
Mr. DomaX owns and runs Laclede's
dry goods store.
SO l was not content with listening,
to the Tumors and hints Of this
romance. ] went to the dry goods
store and there asked Mrs. I-omax il
she would not tell me the story Of Il
| Her husband was in the store, stand
ing with his wife behind a counter
in front Of shelves piled high with
linens and EinEham-
II guess I never heard OF this" he
Unmarked, as l questioned his wife
But there was a twinkle in his ewes
. that belied his statement-a twinkle in
his eyes and a rare glance of love and
satisfaction as he looked at his wife
Mrs. Donax blushed.
Why" she declared, there wasn't
any romance"
And by the way she said il one knew
there had been-a boy and girl
romance. one Of those sweet, clean boy
and girl romances that make Of this
world a more beautiful place.
.'The Girl, Tells Her story.
laughed and told her OF the
stories-the rumors-I had heard.
Nothing to it, she replied with
a smile. John used to so to the
same parties I went to, and once, I
remember, it was a leap year party
in Mary Griffith's home-her father
was Col. GrifTith-John wanted to
walk home with me. 1 chose to walk
home with another young man. John
didn't like It very well But romance
no"
Mr.. Lomax listened, enjoying it all
immensely. Mrs. Lomax. too, seemed
to enjoy the situation Nothing more,
though.
Tracing the generals life through
all the paths of it, one knows that
romance-whole-sou romance-was
not to enter into 1t until he was over
20. Then love came into it, a romance
that will always be remembered as
one Of the prettiest romances the
army ever knew. but a romance. alas.
which was to end in such a tragedy
as plunged a whole nation into grief
the tragedy OF the Presidio. Yes. the
, nation mourned with you, Gen. PERISH
ing.
The term Of teaching in Prairie
Mound came to an end and John
was able to go to Kirksville. His
sister. Bessie. now Mrs. d. NJ. But
Ter. of Lincoln, Nebr.. and Charlie
Spurgeon went with him. All lived
Z in the same house near the State
Normal school, and Charlie and
John during the first year roomed
together. John, IL il were possible.
studied even more earnestly at