Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1863-11-03
Elegant Legislative Anecdote,
g. q. MEADE
r. +, LEE.

Elegant Legislative hnecu0te,
" You remember, Mr.. Smith, when Tommy
was member of the Legislature tie was up
at Albany last year during the Calllcut war, and
the bnldest man in the Ii luse. Tommy W.H a
man that any party might well be proud Of.
Tom Field let me tell you, It great man, Mr..
Smith. We don't know what there Is IN him
when We see him so quietly lndulgipg his tastes
in the mock auction room and beer st0ps Of
Gotham. You want 10 see him on the floor Of
the Assembly, laying it down to them heavy aud
strong. remember how he managed a dodge
that saved the Democrats, and kept Callleut out
of his election few days longer. Calllcut bad
sold himself out soul aud body, and We had been
turning the grlndstone then Tor about three
wet ks, voting over and over without any sort OF
chance Of electing any body for Speaker, just
for the fun OF the thing But the Republicans
got 1t all fixed one day, and the voting be-
gan. They had agreed to vote for Callicut,
and Cslllcut had gone over and the balance was
broken and it was plain that the Democrats
were done for II the roll call WAS gone. through
with. Calcut would be elected as sure as fate.
There was most uncommon stir, tell you,
among the men of the democratic party. Some
thing must be done, and right away, or they
must be defeated How TO gain time was the
point Now see the genius of Tommy. Every
man has a right TO explain bis vote, you know,
SO Tom Field rose to explain his. When Tom
got on his feet and time was wanted, you may
be sure he would stay on his feet till matters
had been arranged. 50 Tom went at i to ex-
plain his vote First, he told all about why be
should not vote for Callcot But be used this
all up in the course Of al hour and half, and
as things stood, he had got to keep on IN some
yay. until he had tired out the Assembly, or
else they YOU'D get vote. So Tom struck of
on the war 1t did not take well! Tor they knew
the dodge and called him TO order. But he would
not come to order Of course. Things began 10
look serious, for the toughs had not got into tie
galleries then, and Tom had no force on hand to
| keep the Assembly down you know as llst re-
sort So he was put upon his invention. Now
Tom : invention never gave out, and this occa-
sIon proved true to him. lie had reached that
part of the war, where the first Bull Kun battle
was fought, when things began to look so blue,
that e feared he would be pot down
| A bright idea struck him lie was describing
the advance of our armies " Mr. Chairman
said he. "on that evtntiul morning as our fool
isb. selfcon6dent leeions rom was OF the Cop
perbead STRIPED were advancing, the e lden orb
of day rose in magnificent etiulgence, above the
Eastern horizon. His beams shone full and
strong upon the flashing arms and gittering
bayonets Of our hosts. This mighty array passed
near a quiet COL disturbing by their laundering
tread which aried the Earth the quiet OF III
slumberous waters On the margin oil thai
Iouiet pool, said Tom, were serenely seated two
beautiful and peaceful frogs, who sa" all thl'
mighty cayalcade, with surprise and wonder II
may have been, yet with phiosophic and con
tenplatiye eve One of these frogs was yer,
large and his voice deep and sonorous The 9th
er was a little frog who sang IN treble tones. Al
the mighty hosts rushed past, and the rays o
the rising sun glanced and CLEANED On the arm
of the troops, the big frog opened his mouth an(
commented in deep bass voice, a oig Nin9'
Bug thing, q zig thing
That is what Tom said, MIR. Smith, and |
took the Assembly down. But Tom saw be ha'
] got them and so he went on. SAID he, " whel
at evening that mighty host came troocplpg back
, defeated and disgraced, fleeing from their South
ern coup,rymen whom they had undertaken
wh,p, they passed this same pool again. Their
7 were the two frogs sitting as serenely and loV
q inely together as when the morning light say
those proud legons advancing on their trium
A phaut way.
Now those Dragging cohorts OF the mornin
i were fleeing Tor their lives, and as the last ray
o of declining sunlight kissed the hill.tops an
fell upon these scattered hosts, the little irogg
remembering the comment of the big frog in tn
morning, raised his sharp treble voice and el
T claimed, (" don't sec II, don sec 1t, l don't 81
Y il " " The little lIoggy was right said Ion
Il Now, Mr. Smith, that is what call an eli
CANT legislative anecdote At oil events 1t en-
6lcd Tom to get the better Of the Assembly, IL
+ it put them into good natdred condition. INT
Tom could get his loughs in and hold them dow
while he was operating, 1t delerrei therefor
the organization of the House for a couple
weeks anl kept Collect out OF bus election f
so long 1t is not every member that can tc
so good story on the spar Of The moment
i that, or EQUAL the great r'm Field in opera
- ing IN Y. Correspondent,