Page 19 - bonsal_efbeale1912

Early Days 3

arch which at that time marked the southern
entrance to the grounds of the White House.
While the battle raged and the enthusiastic spec
tators shouted encouragement to their respective
champions, a tall figure appeared on the scene,
scattered the boys, and seizing Beale by the collar
asked him what he was fighting for. He replied
that he was fighting for Jackson and that his
opponent, the Adams boy, had expressed a poor
opinion of the President s politics and personality.
"I am said the newcomer. "I never
Jackson,"
forget the men or boys who are willing to fight for
me, but of course I do not wish them to do it all
the time. Now put on your coats/
Several years now elapsed which Beale spent
at Georgetown College, but when he reached his
fourteenth year, the desire to enter the Navy
became overwhelming. One afternoon he called
at the White House with his mother to see General
Jackson and put in an application for a midship
man s warrant. Mrs. Beale told her story, insisting
upon the fact that her boy was the son and the
grandson of men who had served their country
and had been wounded in battle.
Jackson listened with courtesy and with interest,
but seemed somewhat uncertain as to how he
should act upon the request. Suddenly the boy
"
interrupted his mother and said, Mother, let me
speak to General Jackson in my own behalf."
He then approached the General, in a moment
reminding him of the fight and the promise he