Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1923-01-05
"Sunshine" Hawks
Visits EaIiimorr

/ su WNo
4 Visits EaIiimorl
Below we publish excerpts from al
!, interview with the famous southern
humorist, as published In the Balti
more News on Christmas day.
| Mr.. Hawks was boyhood friend O
DIR. T. F. Locke, of this place, whose
uncle, Capt. John Locke served on
Gen. Jackson's staff with Mr.. Hawks
father.
y nave delivered, l suppose about
15,0OO lectures. and the total numbe,
of people, | reckon, who have heard
me is som ewhere between three and
five million.
Il was born in Charlestown, Jeffer.
son county, Virginia, and naturally
think the Southern people are the best
in the world.
"The old days are very vivid before
me. remember one thing especially
that may strike you as good Christ
mas story taken from real life.
Il was an only son and when was
little fellow my father had plenty of
money and, of course, there were gifts
all over the house.
"On Christmas morning awoke and
saw standing at the foot of my bed the
blacklist little darby l had ever laid my
eyes upon. I'se your Christmas gift,
he said, your pa bought me from Mr..
Washington yesterday and he said l
was to be you valise. Please get up
and let's look at our Christmas things
1--WE grew up and played together
in the old home. Finally the war came
and Lkntered the service. After the
surrender found that Jim, for that
was his name, had gone north. One
day, many years later, a friend travel
ling with me on Pullman happened to
mention my name"
An old porter came up to me. Are
you Mr.. Arthur Hawks he asked. l
told him was. We'll, Pm Jim, your
Christmas gift. You're Presbyterian
and Pm a Methodist, but let's go back
here and have word of prayer to-
|gether.
'He told me he was living in New
York and had a wife and children. |
did not ask him his name, for ! wanted
to remember him as my Christmas gift.
| met him another time during the war
in Washington wearing the same uni
form as l, that of the Y. NJ. C. A., and
he told me he had three sons in SER
vice.
81 had the pleasure and honor of
speaking to more than 100000 men in
the Army, and Igave them all my
motto, which is this:
After all, there are only three
things really worth while-to be good,
to do good and always to SMILE
ga Red Cross nurse wrote me from
France telling me that one of the boys
who had gone over the top the night
before had asked her to write me that
he heard me at Aberdeen and that he
had taken my motto for his. Tell him
tried to be good and to do good, and
thatI went over the top smiling he
added, 1t is things like that that keep
me happy and smiling.
Il have known many men in my time,
but the greatestof all were Gen. Robert
+. Lee and Stonewall jackson. My
father, Maj. Wells J. Hawks, was on
Jackson'S staff and his name was the
last on the lips of the great soldier.
1t has been said that General Jack
son never laughed. But l know of
one time that he did. 1t was when my
father and Iwere travelling with him
and part of his staff in an omnibus
from Strasburg to Winchester in the
Valley of Virginia.
my father told jackson this story:
During the early days of the settlers
in New England two Puritans met.
One was carrying gun and the other
asked him the reason. 81 might meet
an Indian" he replied.
"But you are Calvinist and believe
that you will not die before your time
has come. Then, why the gun?'
eyes l do believe that, was the re,
ply. But might meet an Indian whose
time has come.
General Jackson was Presbyterian
and enjoyed the story immensely. l
not only saw him laugh, but felt him
for he was holding me Tight was
mere lad against his great, big heart.