Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-11-22
Special Dispatch 70 The star.

Special Dispatch 70 The star.
LACLEDE, Mo, November ~
(N.A.N.A.) .---Laclede had an informal
celebration when q Warrington dis
patch quoted Gen. Pershing as saying
hood days. This win follow his forth
coming story Of the World War, which
will appear IN The Star.
The reason for Laclede's pleasure u
that Gen. Pershing would have to come
to his native town TO ffeShen up on q
subject like that and Laclede wants to
help him DO IL.
some Of the old faces will not be
present, but there win be others well
known 70 the general.
I'd Allen, former mayor Of LAclede, Il
here. He ana the general led the
parade down Main street after the war,
marching right behind the Brookfleld
Brass Band. They wanted to give
"JOhn" q 1iIIaousine-the hest car In
town waited at the little red depot-but
the distinguished guest would have none
Of It. He preferred to walk down Main
street with Ed Allen; said he'd done It
many q time In the good old day1.
Army Test Recalled.
Then there's Al Caywood, editor Of
the Blade for 40 years. The general
has known Al for--well, ever 90 many
years--and he'll ind an old file in the
Blade ONCE that will give the very day
he was appointed schoolmaster at
Prairie Mound, and will tell how one
day, when John was home from Normal
School at Kirksville, he ran across b
three-line item saying there would be
3 competitive examination at Trenton
for West Point cadetship. He
hitched up the horse, drove 40 miles
to Trenton and passed the examination
by the skin OF his teeth.
And how the Blade croWed over the
honor for "our ambitious young towns
MANI
AL says II his old friend wants to
come home and do some writing on his
book, he'll get q new ribbon for the
typewriter and nix Gen. Pershing up q
desk in the corner OF the print shop.
/ Dave Ormistcn, who runs the Linn
County News at Linneus, the county
seat, and who IL the same age as Gen.
Pershing, says Laclede has just As pie-
turesque Fairgrounds a. "Tom Sawyer
had over ct Hannibal, ana he doesn't
see why the general couldn't get out .
story OF youth that would be as popular
As Mark Twain's famous book.
''For size and belligerehcy I'll put the
catfish Of Locust Greek against any
thing Tom and Huck ever caught out
Of Bear Creek" Dave boasts.
Postmaster Pershing's Defiance.
The building in which Gen. Pershing's
father, John r. Pershing, kept post
ONCE during the Civil War still stands
on q street facing the park. One day
Postmaster Pershing ran the Stars and
Stripes up on pole over the post
ONCE. Some folk thought such dis.
play was in bad taste and sent word
they were going to chop the pole down:
The postmaster got an old musket OF
the Mexican War and stood guard. the
fiag continued TO wave.
When Gen. Pershing was appointed
commander Of the American Expedi.
tionary Forces, Linn County developed
an amazing number Of stories about
him. In 1917 two Linn County towns
claimed him. Meadville erected large
sign stating that the general was born
in house on that site.
Equally certain, the p. A. n. OF La
clede put up q. granite marker in the
park, on which Is given the information
that town on Main street.
Meadville and LAclede are 8 miles
apart.
Social Error Prevented.
Charley Sturgeon, now dead, was one
Of Pershlng's closest friends in young
manhood and later. He told this story
Of his friend about the time America
got into the war:
"The Pershine family lived across
the street from us ct Laclede. My
father, DR.. Spurgeof. thought great
deal Of John. He knew John was going
10 apply for the job Of teaching the
district school at Prairie Mound. John
hired horse and buggy to drive out to
see the chairman Of the board, q blunt
farmer. John wore kid gloves. Father
saw him start.
Where you going, John9'
ITO see the Chairman Of the Prairie
Mound School. want 10 be teacher
there
a.coodl But, say, John
Eyes, STRIP
Just before you 70 in take those
yloves on
Pershing and the Kid Gloves.
ct see,' and out he went He told
me what happened. The applicant
made an impression on the chairman
ana got the school, but a. he was Leave
ing, the seo O ..,d man followed him 70 the
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