The Portland daily press., 1866-09-01
then quietly turned to the bar and ordered

then quietly turned to the bar and ordered
drinks.
Socially Mr. Richmond was one of the most
genial of men, kind-hearted and char1taDle;. 70
excess he never made an Acquaintance y, VII IN
out making friend Probably no n ai,ar;4ohie
State ever gave more literally 20 cnal,sapis
and political objects than MI. W. anu
numerous are the instances OF MS unostenta-
tious charity About eight YEA Hah,s f. so NH n
,n1t;naI s1h;eots in front of the old Clarendon
Hotel at BTffalo. was approached by poor
woman with two children, and solicited for
aims S usual gru the
woman to "get out" repeating the order with
an addition Of an oath, at the same time turn
ing his back to her. He had hardly done so or
uttered the words when he hastily turned
round and with more of kindness in his face
and manner, caught the woman by the arm as
she was leaving s7 8 t5"-
"Haven'tyou got husband to support YOU.
eh?" he said in his rough tones and gruff man
ner
The woman explained that her husband had
been lost in lake accident, which Richmond
remembered as having taken place year or SO
previously.
"How many children have you got besides
these two?" he asked. ai t.. -,
1.-TWO more sir"
"Can't they work, DIN 'em, can't they
work?" @ Pas l1,gI IL
"They are infants, sir" 2 ~ p,
"Oh!" said Richmond, with an air Of self-re-
preach; and thrusting his hand in his nocket
he took out roll Of bills, crumpled one of
them in his hand, and giving it to the woman,
pushed her gently away, saying
Get out now; get out-we're busy"
The woman moved slowly aside, but in put
ting the bill away, she glanced at it and dis
covered it to be a 800 bill. She opened her
eyes in amazement. and turning around to
Richmond displayed the bill so as to show it's
denomination, and said:
See, sir, what you have given me by mis-
"Get out-get out!" cried Richmond. petu-
lantly; "you ID beggars are nuisance.
Go home go home II tell you. Pm busy"
His bad habit of swearing to excess was one
of the most notable of his characteristics, and
much of his offensiveness to others resulted
from it. 1t was merely careless habit, how
ever, and was really only the emphasis to his
language. He swore without knowing it, and
| in every presence. The habit once gave an
acquaintance who did not know Mrs. Rich
mOnd singular idea of that very elegant and
Christian lady, entirely at variance with her
true character. The gentleman had expressed
his surprise that q railroad manager who had
travelled SO much by rail had never been pres
emit at any great railroad accident.
Never have" said Richmond, shut expect to
be some time. My wife, Mrs. Richmond, said
to me only the other day. says she, Mr.. Rich
mond, expect some time or another in your
id long trips, you'll get your Cd id
brains knocked out by one of these Internal
| locOmotives!"
The gentleman's establishment was only dis
PEELED by further experience in hearing Mr..
| Richmond swear. s-et4s .as4ce
Another incident illustrating this careless
ness in using profane language occurred DUR
| ing consultation between Mr.. Richmond and
1 q committee of New York merchants who were
| engaged in raising funds to aid in the election
of Seymour in 1852. A Rev. Mr.. Benedict had
| been arrested by MIR. Stanton and kept some
months in confinement for preaching sermon
| on the text Blessed are the peacemakers. =
| ty, told his troubles and did much towards ell
Getting Seymour. The committee comforting
with Mr.. Richmond alluded to this affair, and
| asked what effect it would have in Benedicts
| part of the State.
THAT will help, that will help" he answer
ed. II met Mr.. Benedict just after his release,
! and he told me, said he, Mr.. Richmond, I'm
going back to Erie, by Cd, sir, and intend
to hire horse and wagon and 60 over every
ID inch of the soil till rouse every Cd
| ID scoundrel in the county to vote for Sey-
| mour'"
"You don't mean to say, Mr. Richmond"
said committeeman, shat the Rev. Mr.. Ben
| edict swore in that manner"
S"No, no." said Richmond, apologetically, "but,
by Cd, he meant it,"
So absolutely innocent was the man in this
careless use Of vulgar and profane language
that he was frequently led into serious mishaps
Dy IL. minister once approached MN
with an Introductory letter from Richmond's
wife, containing request that he should be
passed over the Central Railroad son her ac-
| count" Mr.. Richmond received the minister
with great courtesy and was about to write
him free pass, when the other begged him
not to do so if it was in any way a violation of
| the rules of the road. tET
"Not at ALL" said Mr.. Richmond, writing
away, "every id vagabond in the country
comes to me for passes. You are entitled to
one"
| He never saw the mistake he had made, and
| the minister was-obliged to exercise his good
nature in suggesting, as an explanation, that
| he had meant that as every vagabond got a
pass, certainly minister ofthe Gospel was en-
1 titled to one. ~ 81