The Washington herald., 1919-09-12

CONIlN OE@D EHOh Lo L EANA -
Peach orchards, since time imme-
mortal. have been an attraction
which few small boys could resist
Jshn Pershing was no exception.
On a Sunday not very long after
Sam Hawkins, the ~Huck Finn"
OF old LacIede. had tried to teach
John to smoke and chew tobacco
peach orchard raid was made OF
Nke raiders
As the story goes, John, with
several Of his gang was walking
on the outskirts Of the town this
particular Sunday morning and
stopped to rest near the home OF
Farmer Margrave. Now in all La
cIede, there was no finer peach orch
ard than Farmer Margroye's, and
never before or since. 81 one be-
lievss the story, did the peaches ap-
pear more alluring than on this par
ticular sunday. Ripe, luscious
looking. they were an attraction
hat John and the boys with him
ould not overlook.
Conducts Successful Retreat
A few words were passed and
ohm deployed his gang" one boy
to a tree and himself to the largest
tree Of all Everything was going
nicely, Just as the young leader or
the raiding party had planned. when
Farmer Margrave suddenly appear
ed on the scene. Retreat was ineV-
table. and il came, wild and hasty'
befare the advance of the Irate
farmer. II was a successful re-
treat Farmer Margrave could not
catch one Of the raiders. could not
even get near enough e recognize
them The whole town learned Of
raid a few hours later and sus-
picion pointed to John.
Mr.. Pershing-he was superin-
tsndent Of the Sunday school Of the
Methodist Church at the time
leard Of It and called John before
i'm. Whether John had ever read
George Washington and the
lerry tree Is not known. But any
ay. John. like George. confessed
guilt and told the whole story.
solving the other boys No blame
uId attach to them. he told his
Ter. as he was the first to think
aiding the orchard and directed
raid
Got any Of the peaches. john"
father asked
No sir" the boy replied. We
to leave too quickly"
Well" said Mr.. Pershtng. after
few moments of reflection. If
MarErave should ever ask you
out the affair look him in the eye
tell him the truth. I guess the
jrd understands what a tempta-
on an orchard or a watermelon patch
to A boy, but He will not stand
or lying"
t was about this time in the gen.
us life the time OF the peach
hard raid. that an incident hap
I'd which LaClede recalls today
I-aclede. Ask anyone of those old
ede folks about Capt Loves goat
ked George N Lomax, the brother
he banker, the brother who lives
Dennison. Texas.
We had just planted the park then ="
- Domax told me. The trees were
all. little more than shrubs. One
ght Capt Loves goat broke loose
I'D, went to the park for a banquet.
ate several of the trees. Those he
int eat he stripped Of bark. John
d I and some Of the other boys de-
ed that Mr.. Goat had eaten his
It tree Next night, led by John. We
auEht Mr.. Goat We hung him. Yes.
II. we hung him-to the bandstand in
he park. OF course Capt Loves wrath
was terrible. He offered a reward Of
S5 for the apprehension Of anyone
who took part in the hanging. The
reward is still unpaid"
Mr.. Lon1ax tells Of other esCaPades-
raids on peach orchards and water
melon patches. Mr.. IOmaN was a boy
then. just about the generals age, and
} the raiding parties usually consisted
of himself. John Pershing. Bomax,
VIII Love and a few Of their play
mates Mr.. Love recounts the history
] of one Of these raids.
John and l." he told me, were
roaking about one day on the south
of the town. We came across a patch
of melons Boylike We wanted some.
They looked good to us We took a
rye melon and lugged it away to a
ace where we could not be seen and
4 out our knives. Guess We'd
ade a mistake. We had a citron or
e-u1elon. John laughed. He was al
Tvs game. But we didn't have any
termeIon-that is. not that day"
he generals brother. Jim" Persh-
has many interesting tales to re-
mt Of those childhood days. There
one in particular. the story Of the
cttine he and John ever chewed
eco As Jim tells 1t, there was in
.ede a boy named Samuel Hawkins.
Alien remembers him. Hawkins.
respected business man. lives in
lahoma now. But the Samuel Haw-
Is Of boyhood was a boy much like
rk Twatn1s "Huck Finn"
Cen PershinE's Brother.
John was Il and I was about T.
Pershing said. 7 think perhaps
had tried to smoke before. But
never tried to chew. We looked
IN il as a CondescensiOn for Haw-
to offer Us a bite out of his plug
Wy. We accepted it and We bit
The plug generously. We did not
/ Hawkins to think We were moi
Sddles- Since that day I always
le when people talk Of being sea-
:. They really do not know what
,ry is
you know" Mr.. Pershing con-
this anecdote, somehow John
never had the same venera-
for Hawkins after that day"
soyhood, however. was not all play
n Gen Pershing- There was much
to his days Study and work
@father had bought farm on the
Skirts Of the town-entered into
n1. such study and work as only a
nIry boy brought up in the West
know.
Pershing-he was superintendent
Sunday school Of the Methodist
at the time-heard of it and
IN before him Whether John