The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1919-12-24
MOTHER Of DEAD "PERSH|NG DAY"
WOMAN CHARGES IN MISSOURI TOWN
DEATH RESULT Of WHERE WAS BORN
AN ILLEGAL ACT'A. {. F. LEADER

Iaclede, Mo, Dec. 23.--Warren
Pershng, IA years old. will sit down
to dinner today in the old dining room
whore Daddy" used to eat his Christ
mas and Thanksgiving turkey, way
back yonder in the days when DAD
was Warcn's age and ordinary folks
could afford turkey. Along with War.
ron al the dinner will be "Dad"-Gen.
erid John ] Pershing, you know
and "Aunt May" Pershing, and the
governor OF Missouri ana Mayor Allen
OF Laclcde. on whose grocery wagon
. DAD used 60 hook rides, and 81 tew
more folks. Most Of them Will be folks
who knew the general when he was
Warren's age, ana when fun justice
has been done to the turkey and fix.
ines and pie, General Pershing win
step out on the porch of the old house,
where he used TO live, and address,
few remarks to the Linn county
neighbors who are 10 gather in the
yard.
Everybody at the dinner except Cen
eral Pershing, can eat as much as he
pieaSes, but the general must same
room for the fried dried apple pie that
aunt Susan Hewitt, IS years old
has baked for him. The visit to Aunt
Susan, who used to bake pies for John
J. Pcrshing, long before anybody ever
dreamed he would be general, is an
important part of the home coming
celebration Of the commander-inc chief
of the American expeditionary forces,
Where Laclede win put the visitors
nobody knows--probably in Brookfield
and Linneus and other nearby towns
But it is a matter that doesn't trouble
Laclcdc much
For Johnny" pershings coming
home: he gets in on the noon train
from St. Louis, and the railroad (even
railroads have hearts, it seems has
promised to leave off the express to-
morrow so that General Pershing will
be sure TO get home in time for din.
ner. And for eight hours Black
Jack" will belong TO the modest town
that gave him birth.
This is Lacledc's historic day-for
years they will tell stories Of Johnny
Pershing's home coming, and what ne
said at dinner. and point out the place
fright there's where he stood when
the governor pinned that gold medal
on him that the state gave him" That
/ ceremony is to occur after dinner
where the crowd on the lawn can see
it.
At dinner a silver loving cup, bought
by old friends Of the general will be
given him.
At 2:3O there viii be a reception at
the city hall, where everybody who can
get in will have a chance to shake the
generals hand, and then there is that
scheduled visit to Aunt Susan Hewitt,
for Aunt Susan is bed-riddcn now ana
cannot come to the celebration. She
has announced that she wants a lew
minutes real visit with johnny ana
chance to watch his face when he
sees that fried, dried apple pie
lie hasn't had one of Aunt Susan's
pies for years, and he used 10 pester
her to death for them, when Aunt
Susan's husband used to run tavern.
1t was hard to tell which John Perish
ing liked best, Aunt Susan says, those
dried apple pies or Captain jacob
Hewitt's stories of the civil war. Lac
! iedc is sure those had something to
do with Pershings deciding to become
soldier.
While pershing is being steered by
the welcoming committee, a commit
tee Of Lacledc women will entertain
Miss May Pershing, the generals SIS
ter and q crowd Of the committees
sons will pump Warren for little IN
side information about France and just
how his father beat the Germans. The
visit ends at S:42 p. m, when the
Pershing party takes a train Tor LIN
coin, Neb., to spend Christmas
Some Of the early ones brought
chairs and seated themselves in adYan-
/ tageous places. Officials commented
upon the large number of persons that
had driven from the rural districts IN
motor cars. Few persons seemed 10
heed the drizzle that began failing late
last night with the prospect of CON
tinuing most of the day
Ed Allen, mayor Of Laclede, announc'
ed that arrangements weer being made
TO change the out.of-doors portion oil
the program if the weather became too
unfavorable. The states welcome and
its thanks to General Pershing for the
part he played in winning the war will
he extended by Governor Frederick D,
Gardner.