The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1922-01-29

Of our national expansion, the exploits of
Sam Houston, the conquests Of the
ArsonauH and the rise Of empires on the
Pacific Coast. But to not many In this
generation Il given the pleasure Of speaking
with the heroic few who, here and there,
remain to tell Of those almost forgotten
days. So not long ago when met Captain
WilliamsJ. Howard, only living member OF
the California Rangers, a man whose
memory goes back over almost a century, l
had. historically speaking, a new sensation.
Here was . man who not only talked
Intimately Of the pathfnders and leaders in
early California, including the intrepid
Fremont, but who knew Sam Houston. the
TEXAS statesman, and recalled William
Walker as he appeared in the flibusterinE
days Of Nicaragua. True, had read with
patriotic fervor the elementary history's
meager account of those picturesque days,
and later as q university student, the
scientific pages of Turner'S Rise Of the New
West" But to get the favor Of the period,
to see men through the eyes Of their con-
temporaries, it remained for me to talk with
this veteran of ninety five years and note
how his eyes kindled and rekindled as he re-
called the drama of the long ago.
Did know Sam Houston7 OF course,
knew him; he was my fathers friend"
simple answer, but with it flashed into
my consciousness something Of the signlf-
eance Of Captain Towards career. I began
to sense the vital and dramatic forces that
had played a part in the life Of this man,
. Virgtnian BY birth, resident Of Texas IN
ler formative period and later a "4e-er''
- Hols
moment he had seemed merely a pleasantly
Interesting gentleman; he had not appeared
% far away from the world Of my knowl-
sdS@ When I entered the room he had
greeted me with that courtesy and Difference
oftsn noted IN the ways Of the old to the
young. The barrier Of time, momentarily
ssnsed In hh hrst questioning glance, had
been forgotten In the ensuing moments Of
comfortable chat. And then after the ques-
lions on family history, Captain Howard
hpsed into easy narrative and casually re-
ferred to Sam Houston.
We were sitting In the alcove Of western
windows, and the full light Of a mellow
October afternoon fell upon him, intensity
ing the fairness Of his skin and the blue
ness Of his kindly, observant eyes. He
smiled almost tolerantly as if conscious of
my effort 10 reconstruct the vague outlines
Of history, to reconcile the romantic past
with the here and the now. But he could
hardly glimpse the conflicting emotions
which gripped and held me silent. Charmed
With my narrator's delightful "Ah, yes"
and thrilled with his strange tales of ad
venture. was experiencing the Joys and
trials that are the portion Of the historian
~ uvOnld faithfully ~
voice Of the scientific historian cautioninE
against the acceptance Of individual testi-
nony seemed less potent in the vital
presence Of this man who had outliyed nearly
"A his contemporaries. After all what
need to verify that strength and zest
for life which has projected itself across the
years? May such heroic life not reveal
something Of the motive, the will, the temper
Of another epoch1 If 30, color and vitality
can thereby be added to the structure which
research has carefully founded on political
and economic fact. And no one will say
that the last word has been written about
the ante-bellum history Of Texas and the
pioneer days Of California as long as men
ike Captain Howard survive, men In whom
one detects the stuff Of which commonwealth
are made.
Il knew Houston" resumed the captain
when was a boy, after we had moved to
Texas. he came often to our home in those
days. You see, father stumped the State
with him. All, yes, there was a great deal
Of excitement then. electioneered for
him, too"
Did you make speeches. Captain How
srdT'
Il guess that you would call them
psechss." He smiled reminiscently. "At
any rate, hAranEued the schoolboys."
uEhE my narrator turned the conversa-
- hon from himself and spoke Of Hous-
tn, the political idol of bis boyhood He
was q lawyer in Tennessee, brilliant one.
too, but he didn't practice long Something
happened in his lite-something that
changed his whole career Shortly after he
was elected Governor he married a Mis-,
Ansn, and within a short time they sepa-
rated. But to the world they said nothing.
Not even Houstnn's closest friend under
stood the trouble. Almost Immediately he
resigned his Office, left Nashville and took IN
LIE with the Cherokee Indians, for whom he
had once been a Federal agent. Later no
went 10 Texas. When the Lone Star State
raised her banner he was there to lead her
forces to victory. Have you ever heard
Row he raised an army Of 800 men, which
Ultimately led to the complete defeat of old
Santa Annals army of several thousand
Mextcans7'
As Captain Howard recalled the Cover
Worship Of Houston and his indefatigable
fight for annexation he gave a spirited ac-
count Of the opposing factors, reciting the
arguments Of the Army and Navy. And IL
his unconscious association Of the Army
and Navy with partisan activities one caught
an echo from days long dead.