White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1868-07-16
The BlafrH-HOw Frank Sunk
his own Shirt.

General Frank Blair's recent letter, ia
which be asks the Democratic nomina.
tion for President. is so utterly d,siru tive
of whatever remote chance he may have
had, that it reminds Us of an incident
Related Of the boyhood of that distin-
guished blunderer.
The Blairs were raised 10 Washing.
ton City, and the boys then as ever
sines had enlarged ideas of the Blair
Family. They were big. strapping fel-
lows, and small chaps always avoided
them for the wsntouness with which they
imposed on those too weak to defend
themselves.
Thirty or thirty-6ve years ago. the ca
nal which now serves Washington City
rs Q sewer was not the mud hole it has
become Of late years. It was favorite
bathing place for boys. particularly the
smsller ones. who did hot venture to 60
to the river. On one of these occasions,
when Frank and one or two other Of the
Bisirs were present. little fellow in ad-
vance of the others picked up q shirt
from the pile of clothing and commenced
to dress. As the boy was very little
one. the opportunity to show the power
of a Blair was too good to be lost; Frank
snatched the shirt from the child and
threw it overheard. The outcry at so
mean an act. be answered with laughter.
for his big brothers stood by him. The
shirt not sinking so fast rs be wished.
he threw chunks OF mud and stones upon
1t. until the over.freighted garment went
down. Frank laughed long snd loud;
the little boy cried; whsreupon Frank. as
. punishment for not accepting as an
honor the notice taken of the garment
by the Blsirs. threw additional weight
upon the already sunken shirt. which
would now almost need dredging ma.
chine to recover it.
By this time all except the Blairs had
dressed themselves. and the pile OF un-
claimed clothes was reduced to those be.
longing to them and the lad selected %
victim. The Blsirs had enjoyed their
psstime. dancing in aboriginal costume.
but turned now to their own clothes
One Of their shirts was missing. The
supposed victim had found his own gar.
tnent; and escaped to safe distance.
Terrible was the profanity and wild the
wrath when the truth becaihs spperent
that Frank Blair had thrown his own
shirt overheard and had sunk it irrevo-
cshly!
Frank Blair has attempted Statesman
ship and Generalship; and q variety b!
othet things. bat. with 9 characteristic
disregard of the rights Of others. and
reckless attempts to gain bis own ends.
he usually winds mp by sinking bis own
shirt. His recent letter declaring that
the Democracy wants no President ex.
csps one who will declare the laws oil
Congress unconstitutional. aud who, put
ting himself at the head of the army.
will, BY the sword, undo the work oil
RECONSTRUCTION. put to fight both hohsei
of Congress. restore the rebels again at
the South. and recognize them and The
Northern Democrats slone az the Amer.
lean Congress. He wants & President
who will promptly seize the Republican
eagabonds 10 Congress and in the Son.
thern State Goverumstts, and throw
them overheard. and who. il they do not
sink fast enough. will load them until
they are anchored in perditiou. He and
his brother Montgomery hoped thst By
imitstiag Brick Pomeroy and Dean they
would excite an enthusiasm in which tb,
greenbscks of Pendleton. the bonds o
Seymour. the military record of Han
cock would be forgotten. and Franz
hailed as the new Issder of new rebel
lion. But tie letter has been received
with contempt. either as the rsnting of
knsvish or the vsgsry Of drunken man
The little boy whose shirt he sunk 10 tn
Washington canal is q delegate to tb
Tsmmsny Convention. and be. at least
will recall the incident We have related
and laugh at General Blsir's blGndsr
ing persistency in sinking the wronl