Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1931-02-27

as the winner and appointed him II,
cadet to the limited States Military
academy.
# w.s nv tb;s n,rr&y margin thnl
JTncle Sam nbtuina,l tl,p general who
was to command tbs ,rentest armed
host ever raised in the United States
and TO lead IL IN yirtory with the III
es i'm the greatest war in the worlds
lstory
M ambition nr,tured from a.rlv
,,ybood ,rnurtod 1obn parsbing m
.oa, o,luissinn m West Point He
mad M set ideos nm becoming a sol
iar whom he was a littIe fellow In
f,ct ba u.o, ho,dod for 81 coraer .s
teacher or a Lwver. and was n stu
ent i'm the I5irlsy;lle Normal school
hen he won the aupointment to the
Military ac,,emy.
uo sn,u ,,i. ..,,,,..s,,n,,,s notico ,t
,ho avomiuntion in g. navsn.nar and
,s1,ed bis si.tar who w,s also ,ttena
ing the Kirksville school If she wonld
,dvise him to trv tho fest She Ger.
lainlv would she told him. This co
nodded with his avn ideas on the sub
iect so his military career NAV be
said to have had its first impetus in
The reading of 81 newspaper advertise
ment.
General Pershing was born in 1861
nt Laclede Mo a hamlet of some 100
inhabitants His father. whose ances
TORS had come from Alsace, had the
general store at Laclede and also
owned a farm on the outskirts of the
TOWN The future commander of the
AE f. was the oldest of six children.
He assumed much responsibility in
helping TO care for them.
Tho Perskino Youngsters spent con.
siderable time on the farm. Young
John developed into capable worker
in the fields even as boy. The out.
door life and exercise made him fine
outstanding and vigorous youth. He
was known as good fighter when he
had to use his fists, but he was never
! one TO 90 ont looking for trouble.
He could ride horseback, fish. swim
ond bunt when ba was a little shaver.
Snch training foil IN the lot of all
bows In the West in those days. His
mother taught him his first book les
sons and instiIled in him the desire
for a good education.
IF he wasn't brilliant student. he
was conscientious one and stood
well in his classes. Fellow pupils of
rho Laclede davs can recall that when
John Persbine had problem to solve
no worked at If until he had the cor.
root answer. While he was quiet as
bow he was full of fun and enjoyed
playing pranks with the youngsters of
lis own age.
BEFORE no entered the Kirksvill,
Normal school he taught for two
terms at Prairie Mound few miles
distant from j .aclede. He was eight.
cen at the time Some of his punils
were older than that. One day he
had to chastise an unruly pupil. The
lads father. well over six feet tall and
big in proportion, appeared the next
day to demand satisfaction of the
teacher.
He had gun in his poeket He
stormed about and roared threats
First the yonne teacher took the gun
from the man. Then he handed him
a sound thrashinp with his fists
young Pershing was a leader amono
tbe students at Kirksyille He was
eouaIIv nrominent ot Wext point
They tell the story that when eronn
Of bazers tried to mt the new cadet
through the mill. he tbrashed two of
them soundlv
No vos sor,ors norsistent ona a.
tormined IN bis osrorts 70 become ~
evceIIant soldier durino HE s+,,dont
doys AZ tho wi,itory aoadomr ua
noda oood raoord In his st,d,os
ranking +birtio+h n his Glaze ,vhan ~
,ras gradnotod IN 1899. Nc 1vas Sou
Inv codot oontair ana MOS alootas
nrosidar+ ~ ~ aI.,ss ''s
M. ...,.,.. $3.50 ,.
$500, n'aue n, y.