January 9, 2007
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Hospitality means something very different to us than the people back in the 1800's and earlier. Today it means come over and have a drink and a few sandwiches. Back in America's early history there were not many hotels and as such, people would keep a bed for travelers. Abraham Lincoln himself would sleep this way when he was on the circuit as a lawyer. They slept together, sometimes up to three in a bed and thought nothing of it. In his book "Robert E. Lee," Roy Blount, Jr. tells this story of J.E.B. Stuart and Stonewall Jackson.
Stuart got to be such friends with the very dissimilar Jackson that once, on arriving in Jackson's camp in the middle of the night, he climbed into the sleeping Stonewall's bunk and contended with him for the covers. The next morning Jackson said, "I'm always glad to have you, but you must not get into my bed with your boots and spurs on and ride me around like a cavalry horse all night."
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