Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-12-23
PERSH|NCb0Y'
AGAIN IN HIS.
NATIvETOWN
Greets Folks He Used to
Know and Eats Fried
Dried Apple Pie.

LaCleOe, MO-, Dec. ZS.-Warren
Pershing. 10 years old, sat down to
dinner today in the old dining room
where Daddy used to eat his Christ
mas and Thanksgiving turkey
way back yonder in the days when
Dad was Warren's age, and ordi-
nary folks could afford turkey.
Along with Warren at the dinner
were Dad-General John J. Per-
shing. you know-Aunt May and
Governor Gardner of Missouri
and Mayor Allen Of LaClede, No.,
on whose fathers grocery wagon
dad used to hook rides, and a few
more folks. Most of them we're
folks who knew the general when
he was Warren's age. When full
justice was done to the turkey and
fixin's and pie, General Pershing
stepped out on the porch of the Old
house, where he used to live and
addressed q few remarks to the
Lynn county neighbors who gath
cred In the yard.
And That Pie!
Everybody at the dinner except
General Pershing could eat us
much as he pleased, but the gen.
eral had to save room for the fried
dried apple pie. The visit Of Aunt"
Susan, who used to bake pies for
John J. Pershing long before any
body eve- dreamed he would be a
general, was an important part of
the home coming celebration of the
commander-in-chief of the Ameri-
can expeditionary forces.
LaClede planned a different sort
Of day from any the general has
spent for many years. It il q day
OF shaking hands with neighbors,
and "H0wdy, JOHN" and John. I
had boy over yonder; you didn't
happen to run across him, did
you?"
Towns Historic Day.
This is LaClede's historic day:
for years they will tell stories Of
Johnny" Pershing's home coming
and what he said at dinner AMI
point out the place-"right there's
where he stood when the governor
pinned that gold medal on him that
the state gave HIM" That cere-
mony occurred after dinner, where
tho crowd on the lawn could see It.
At dinner q silver loving cup.
bought by old friends Of the gen.
eral was given him.
At 2:30 p. m. there was a re-
ception at the city hall. where ey-
erybody who could get in had
chance to shake the generals hand
and then there is that scheduled
visit to Aunt Susan Hewitt, for
Aunt Susan is bedridden. She has
announced that she wants a few
minutes real visit with johnny"
Pershing and watch his face when
he sees that dried apple pie.
Ran the Tavern.
He hasn't had one Of Aunt Su-
sans pies for years and he used
to poster her to death for them.
when Aunt Susan's husband used
to run the tavern. 1t was hard to
tell which John Pershing liked
best, Aunt Susan says, those dried
apple pies or Captain Jacob Hew-
tits stories Of the Civil war. La
Clede is sure those yarns had
something to do with Pershins's
deciding to become soldier.
While General Pershing is be-
ing steered by the welcoming COM
mittee, q committee Of LaClede
women entertained Miss May Per-
shing, the generals sister. The
visit ends at S:42 p. m. when the
Pershing party takes train for
Lincoln, to spend Christmas.
Don't Mind Rain.
The crowd began arriving short
ly after daylight. Some Of the
early ones brought chairs and
seated themselves in advantageous
places. Omcials commented upon
the large number of persons that
had driven from the rural districts
in motor cars. Few persons SEEM
ed to heed the drizzle that began
falling late last night with the
prospect Of continuing most of the
day.
The states welcome and its
thanks to General Pershing for the
part he played in winning the war
was extended by Governor Freder-
lex d. Gardner.