Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1933-02-16

are conjured up by that name
Consider, for instance, these words by re-
cent biographer-Capt John w. Thomson. Jr.,
OF the United States marine corps In his "Jeb
Stuart" published by Scribners:
"Jeb Stuart filled the eye He was strong and
rudy, and in late 1867 commissioned major
general In the Confederate army with year
and few months left to live, he was just un-
der thirty. He had a dark brown faring beard
and wide mnstaches TINT showed bronze lights
In the sun. He was s feet II inches tall and he
rode at It's pounds.
aHe was large boned, long In the arms and
the legs and short In the body. and he hooked
best on a horse. He had blue and merry
eye. which turned sdark4and piercing when bat
tie warned him or Ills temper famed. His nose
was chiseled and adventurous, the kind of nose
Napoleon admired in generals.
ALSO, there was an elegance about him-=He
wore gauntlets of white buckskin, and rode in
a gray shell jacket hlehreasted, buttoned
back to show close gray vest His sword. light
French saber-for he never carried. In the Com
federate army, the United States officers sword
of the old servce-was helted over a cavalry
sash OF golden silk with tasseled ends.
.His gray horsemans cloak was lined with
scarlet, hts wife made 1T. General Lee. he wrote
her, admired 1t : and he deplored to her the bull
let which whipped away Its fur collar at Fred
erckshurg. His horse furniture and equipment
were polished leather and bright metal, and he
liked to a red rose In his jacket when the
roses blaamea, and a loyeknat OF red ribbon when
flowers we're ol1 Of season.
.sHis SOFT fawn-coored hat was topped up
on the right with gold star. and adorned with
curling ostrich feather His boots spnrted little
knghty spurs of gold--admiring ladies'. even
VIII
him such things. He went conspicuous, all gold
and glitter. in the front Of great battles and
In a hundred little cavalry fights which killed
men just as dead as Gettysburg.
"He wore out his horses and tie wore out his
men He rode big animals of the hunter type,
blood bays with black points for choice, and
his brother. William Alexander, was kept on
the lookout for such mounts. Admirers gave
him horses: splendid hloofed creatures like Star
Of the East from Earanlerl and Skylark from
Maryland; none of them lasted long under the
service he exaced.
'FIe was5a social type, loving people, laughing
much and leading out In song; for he had
rich and golden voice. lie was fond Of charades
and wrote execrable poetry and affected ana
grams. There never any sadness where he
was
".YessIr, Ah'll tell you one ting says Cen
mex dire how quiet our headquarters
wuz'-and think General Lees headquarters
were usually qulet-'wid'ln ten minutes Nv de
time Glneral Stna't ride up to visit US every
body would be a-laiiinl And All tell you nm
other thing. sah Ginerul Stua't de only
one of dem big gneruls whit neveh did tech a
drapr
"And Lee says. coming out Of his tent to the
campfire where the young officers of his staff,
and some OF the old ones too. sat singing with
Stuart and a large stone jug, such as apple
Jack sat on a stone: Gentlemen. am to thank
General Stuart the jug for this fine muster
The remark fs close to the point, like every
thing Lee says, Stuart WINS q strong stimulant
to sall who tasted of his quality, and not stimu-
lus that died out and let you down.
He gathered to himself train of oddities
When the cavalry commands were forming into
regiments at the opening OF the war, he came
upon Joseph SWeeny, fellow apt upon the ban
TO- furnished with all the tunes, who sprang Il
arms from a minstrel troupe, electing to serve
mounted. sweeny was at once detailed to thu