Part 33 (1/2)

The late General Gordon related to me the above incident, and added that the leaders mentioned were at a later day well known to the country, one the learned Bishop Longstreet of Georgia, the other the eloquent Senator McDuffie of South Carolina

Events al since vanished, were vividly recalled as, after long absence, I revisited the spot inseparably blended with the joyous associations of childhood The platform from which I was to speak had been erected near the ruins of the old church aboveelder, my father, mother, and other kindred the earliest e--the good things suggested by ”barbecue” havingof contentan by brief reference to the pleasure I experienced in again visiting, after the passing of the years which separated childhood fro face to face so many of my early associates and friends, and remarked, that in the early days in Illinois the not unusual reply of the Kentucky erant, when asked what part of the Old Commonwealth he caton,” but that my invariable answer to that inquiry had even been, ”From the Pennyrile!”

Some mention I o, caused a momentary commotion in the audience, and iht of more than fourscore years, was lifted to the front of the platform

With arm about my neck, he earnestly inquired: ”Adlai, I came twenty miles to hear you speak; don't you remember me?” The audience apparently appreciated the instant reply: ”Yes, Mr Caskie, _I still have a fewago forgiven schoolmaster was fearfully deaf, and to prevent the possibility of a single word escaping him, he stood close besidetenderly on s to and fro across the stage during the two-hours'

speech which followed

My speech at length concluded, I arhbors and friends Just forty years had passed since my father had removed his family to Illinois, and it may well be believed that it was difficult to recall promptly all the names and faces of those I had known in childhood Even a candidate has, at such tihts under the Constitution”; one of which, I honestly believe, is total exe inquiries: ”Do you know me? Well, what is my name?” The laurels, even of Job, had he ever been a candidate, would probably have turned to s

I am here reminded of an experience of one of ress It was his happy forte to remember instantly all his old acquaintances; not only that, but to know their full names

To call out in friendly and familiar tone, in and out of season, ”Bill,” ”dick,” ”Sam,” ”Bob,” a hundred times a day, was as natural to him as to breathe

Upon one occasion, however, the fates seehtly untoward

At the close of one of our joint debates, in the southern part of the district, he was greeted by a de individual with the salutation, ”How are you, Judge?”

”My dear sir,” exclaiator warmly by the hand, ”how are you, and how is the old lady?”

”I ae,” was the deliberate response, as of one assu the entire responsibility

”Certainly not, certainly not, my dear sir; I meant you mother

How is that excellent old lady?”

”My e,” was the mournful reply

A trifle ee looked earnestly into the face of the bereaved, and said:

”My friend, excuse me, your countenance is perfectly familiar to me, but I do not at this moment ree, _I aress, now upon a fir, tapped the man of the sacred office familiarly upon the shoulder and cheerfully exclaiht to know you!”

Returning now for brief sojourn to the afore-mentioned barbecue, with a faithful kinsht ed passably well to get through the trying ordeal ”The old gentle toward us,” observed my monitor, ”is Uncle Jake Anderson He has a hat bet that you will know hi the hand extended me, I earnestly inquired, ”Uncle Jake, _how are you?”_ ”Do you know me, boy?” was the immediate response ”Know you?” I replied ”You and hbors for years; how could I help knowing you?” ”Yes, of course,” he said, ”but you being gone so long, and now running for President, I didn't know but what you had forgotten all about the old neighbors down on the Lick”

assuring hi him upon the hat he had won, I passed on to the next

The interview described was repeated with slight variations, many tiainst the tree is John Dunloe; do you remember him?”

”Certainly,” I replied, ”I went to school with hi my early classmate I took him by the hand and said, ”How are you, John?”

”Why, Adlai, do you know me?” was the proo to school together to Mr Caskie right here at Blue Water, ere boys?”