Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1868-11-27

:. i. 4 . . . 3
The Washington correspondent OF
the Cincinnntti Commercial. tells
this story of Thomas III. Benton.
Shillington 10 ali irish bookseller
here, of credit and renown. Benton
was u neighbor of his, and made
Shillington cut out Of books and
newspapers, every conceivable arti.
Gle ON Pacific railway and bring it TO
him. He also employed Shiilington
to select from the Congressional
Globes, which were brought to his
house I'm e street by the cart. load,
the matter THAT he wished in pub.
fishing his "Abrid1nent Of tile DE.
bates of Congress-
at was strange and remarkable
study" said Shiliington,r to see that
unable TO rise, his spcctacics poised
on the tip Of his nose, looking
through the long debates, whose
huge folios he helJ on his breast.
He knew that he had but week or
two to live. and lie was running a
race with death to get the book fln-
ished: for he believed 1t WAS the on.
ly vital thing to keep the country
together. He used 10 send me word
four or Ave times day to come up
there, and the people said / WAS his
slave. III l did not come promptly
on time, the old gentleman seemed
to feel that WAS i'm some way, dere-
lict to nay dutyato the country. One
day when the shop was full OF pee-
pie, word came down, .Mr. Benton
wants you to come up at two o'clock
to help him on an important matter.
As soon AZ I could possibly get leave,
| went round to his dwelling and
found him asleep. breathing very
hard, with q large volume OF the
GLOBE on his breast. lifted the
hook off and set 1t little out of reach
Then seeing that he did not yet ava
ken, has.sncd back to my work. In
about two hours ! returned, and the
old man looked very severely at me.
Il sent for yoI, sir. two hours ago.
have but a month ut most to live
cir; and IL Is important for the coun-
try that this book must be finished
before die. You did not come sir.
".Yes Mr.. Benton, / did, and |
found you asleep a-a
have not slept for fifty hours,
sir !! Ii was impossible that i GOULD
sleep, sir, with SO much on my miud.
"Beiiton never trusted man that
told him u lie, 80 found IL necessary
to clear myself.n L3ae :
Mr.. Benton, said r, you were
asleep with volume of the Globe
on your breast when / entered the
room, and ! found you breathing
hard, so put the book on the table
yeEder ; ass
"The cid mans eyes lighted up.
We'll, now, sir he said, / know
| had that book OH my breast or on
my bed somewhere, aud l won
dered how IL got off so far. Perhaps
| did dozs little unsconciously.
But come, sir, We must get to work.
have but n little time to do u great
deal OF work in #'#"A
cdr. Hall and his coilegue, to pro-
long the life of Benton, opened the
old mans abdomen and, taking out
his bowels while he was still con.
cious, proceeded To cleanse them. AT
Que place they found some grape
skins, then they found bits OF wood
which he used to chew abstractly
while writing or reading.
Look on, gentlemen, said ia.
old man feebly II dare say you viii
find Congressional Globes next
"When BENTON was about to die,
so vital did he think his advice WAS
to the country, he sent for buchanan
had the door closed, and solemnly
devoted his last hours to impressinp
upon the President his opinion Of the
mode i'm which the country should
be administered. "If ever there wa.
man, concluded Shillington, 'whe
thought that in his mind aud reason
lay the true destiny of the Union, II
WAS Tom. Benton. His family, hi,
fame, his future were all subordinate
to love of country, ,.......... ..... s.......#