Uncle Charles happened to be in town & when I read the latter part of the letter to him, where the boys desired to be remembered to him & Henry; that ancient & worthy gentleman – a relic of the old school, made one of his stately bows, and as usual began “Well sir!” & proceeded to deliver himself of a grandieloquent expression of thanks that his young masters had not forgotten “the old man,” & branched off into an epitome biographical sketch of the peculiarities of each one. “Theres John, he sir! Is a boy that will tell the truth all the way through, if it is the getting of himself into a scrape, he’ll tell it.” Then with a kind of theatrical “aside” he remarked “but he is so full of fire & rides my old sheep almost to death.”

“Then theres that one they call Bajer, he is a stout hearted little fellow, O sir you can depend on him” But that little man Howell he’s my boy, if I had him here now, the way we would draw the fish out of the creek would be right.” Henry acknowledged his indebtedness to the boys for remembering him by a grateful smile which extended his mouth not small by nature, nearly across his face & by numerous enquiries.

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Source: Howell Cobb Family Papers (MS 1376), Hargrett Rare Book & Manuscript Library, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia.