The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1866-09-21


tanned draft OF his response to some
honorary distinction which had been
conferred upon him by learned So
ciety or institution in Germany
Turning the trick of his friend into n
Joke. the President, intending to sign
by the I mark, placed his hand to the
wrong paper, and then handed it to
the clerk who mechanically obeyed
his directions to supply the name in
the customary form of an illiterate
signer, then folded the document
sealed it, and placed it in the mail ~
The intended victim of the joke was
willing to forego his object for the
turn which the thing had taken. The
archives of some German institution
doubtless contain to this day good evil
dence that one of the most ilustrious
OF the American Presidents acknowl-
edged compliment to his learning in
document which he could not read
and to which be could not so much as
sign his name.
JtrFERsoN.
The little Trick building which stood
until a few months ago on the south
east corner of & and Fourteenth SITS,
in this city, and which for many ycurs
back has been used as school-house,
was the stable in which Mr. Jefferson,
while President, kept his horses An
aged negro informs me that his daily
habit of riding several miles about the
city was INDUCED throughout his
eight years OF Office upon one particu-
lar steed, who was remarkable only
for his extremely rapid walk The
hors8 was a dull, dun color, very large
and lean, and though always groomed
with care, and the object of Mr. JEFF
Persons personal and daily attention,
us well as fond affection, he was
n very intelligent steod, for so ell
egant horseman, and as my inform
ant, (who assured me he was well
brung up" thought particularly I'M
/ becoming the choice OF President r.
Once III riding out, attended hy his
+ body-seayant, who must have had an
ample share of the proverbial pride Of
the servants of the old families of Nir-
giuia, in everything attaching to the
name and character Of their masters
MI Jefferson met the French Minis
ter, also mounted but upon mag
uihcent charger, with characteristic
SNOWY elegance in dress &c, pre- sent
ing great contrast to the republican
President in his plain brown suit, up
on his raw-boned old horse The old
negro surveyed the two with a morti-
flying sense of tho contrast After u
brief and stately colliloquy, the digni-
nitaries were in the act Of separating,
when Mr. Jeilerson's servant, unable
longer to restrain himself, cried out to
the a.tonished diplomat: You mustn't
tink yourself buy rs on dat fine boss O.
You're Mass Tom got finer ones M
dat at home!
MONROE.
Some years ago, at Burns festival
in Cincinnati, it was declared that the
best pun ever made was made by Pres
ident Monroe. Some surprise was
expressed, in which | shared, that Mr..
Monroe should have been facetious
man. The story runs something thus !:
4 Scotch servant employed about
the Executive Mansion, who had a
broad accent and n good fand of cold
humor, had been charged, by certain
persons who had projected n monu-
ment in honor of something or some
body, with n message to an appropri-
ate official, who, it seems, was not the
President But old Sandy sought the
Chief Magistrate, in whose personal
service he was, end conveyed the com
munication to him. Nj. Monroe in
structed him to address the message
elsewhere, and thereupon Sandy, per-
sIsting like Scotchman, said: Your
honor, it is about the monument. -
"Well Sandy" replied Mr.. Monroe,
drawing himself up erect and symmet-
rical, don't You see, am not the
monument
MADISON
Mr.. Madison is said to have had an
aversion to riding in a carriage, COM
planning especially of the great oleva-
ton from the ground of the seats, i'll
/ those days of Tremendous barouehes.
He would have been delighted at our
modern rockaways' Frequently on
the street Mrs Madison would be in
the carriage, while he would be on foot
upon the sidewalk, or out IN the road
way, alongside, keeping up a CONVEX
satlon. Once he had stepped into a
store to make some purchases or the
like, and after long detention he re
turned, but not observing that his
carriage had passed, ana was waiting
few doors further on, he entered one
which stood opposite, with his GUS
tomary downcust look, without seeing
who were the passengers. The famous
British Orders in Council We're an
anxious and gloomy subject, and news
which had Just arrived absorbed his
attention A lady who occupied the
carriage, knowing his person, was too
much embarrassed to speak, and he
sat down entirely unconscious of her
presence. He is known to have talk
ed freely to Mrs Madison, whose
worth and talents are believed TO have
often aided his counsels suddenly
from his medtations, he exclaimed,