The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-03-18
Covode and 6e whisky.

but I presume he dld, for Uncle John was
too families a man 10 drink whisky I'm
less Il was good for him. Atany rate, he
used to keep It In his roor1y and drink
some when he felt q little faint He came
from whisky producing district, and
the boys used 70 say that he always had
on hand nice article. In those days, be.
fore we had any Congressional Temper
ance Societies, when McDougal, Yates
and such kindred spirits were In theiI
prime, whisky used 70 be sold Of the res
taurants In the Capitol, and II was not
unftequently kept in some OF the commit
tee.roomB. Isl. - ~.
1.-THE chairman Of 9 committee was bib
ulOusly inclined, and had two or three o.
the same feather on the committee with
him, the chances were that thirsty SOU
could always find comfort In that room
Covode, at that time, was Chairman o.
tho Committee Of Public Buildings and
Grounds, the same over which Mr.. Hal,
scy, Of New Jersey, now 80 ably presides.
There was not much business for the com
mittee 10 do, and the room was o hand
some one, with lounges, and arm chairs
and all the inviting Influences, besides, II
was convenient. It was handy for the
members TO run into during the long de-
bates, to smoke cigar and have q chat,
and ut almost any hour In the day party
of Jolly members might DO found In thai
room, drinking, smoking, and telling
stories The whisky was plenty, CovodG
was liberal with 1t; case after case came to
his address from Pennsylvania dozen
bottles, two dozen bottles, small keg,
demijohn, oil sorts.
GOING TOO FAST. 49,.
One day, early in the session, Covodc
told one Of his friends that there was a
good deal OF whisky drank In that room.
Ills friend seemed utterly Indifferent to
the information, merely answering ~
s'pose 3d." E.aa| -
"Well," said Covode, az don't so much
object to the boys drinking all they
want, but don't want them to walk oil
with 1t in Wholesale. Pm not ambitious
10 keep o wholesale establishment. A
fair retail business Is oil / care for. They
may come here If they're our friends, and
drink us they want, but don't want
them 10 steal It. don't want them To
take bottle to-day, demilohn to.mOr-
row, and key the next day"
"Have new lock put on your wash
stand, then"
THAT'S q good idca," said Uncle John;
tits wonder / hadn't thought Of 1t be-
fore" T-C.
So new lock was put easihe wash.
large rosewood case.with. doors
in front and q marble top. This would
hold small key of whisky, two or three
demUohns, or u couple ot dozen bottles
The new lock did not seem to work very
satisfactorily. A day or two after It was
adjusted, the whole store, about a dozen
strong, was taken. Anew days amer the
lock was changed again no use-more
whisky gone mysteriously. Finally, o
very intricate and complicated lock was
put on. Then the, robbery was to stop
sure. The very, next night demBohn
disappeared.
1t was but natural that by this time
Uncle John became a little discouraged
and unhappy. Still, he could not give up
the luxury and satisfaction Of having
something nice about him all the time. Il
was pleasant togive Q friend q drink once
in while, and 1t was sociable, and final
ly he got mad and swore he would be
dog. gOnCd il he wouldn't keep a little
Of that stuff in his room, and he would
10 dog.goued if he would allow anybo-
dy to steal it, either. So he set a
trap. A new stock had arrived that day.
and he put it in the. washstand, as usual
After the House adjourned he concealed
himself in the room and waited. He did
not have 10 wait long. he heard two
pairsof feet tip-tOeing up to the door. He
laid low. Pretty soon key was turned
in the lock, and then two men entered.
From his hiding place Uncle John peepcd
out and recognized two waggish Demo.
cratic members, who were fond Of their
joke, but still ionder of Uncle Johns
whiskys Still Uncle John laid low, but
kept his eyes open. The two men walked
straight to the wash stand and deliberate.
ly lifted off the marble top. That was all,
but it was enough for Uncle John! He
kept quiet, however, until they had hand.
cd out two or three bottles. Then he
stepped out and said:
"That'll do boys, want the rest"
There was at first CONSERVATION on one
side as may be imagined and anger on the
other, but these soon gave way to laugh
ter, and laughter was succeeded by
drinks. 1t was q good joke on both sides,
but Uncle John CoyodeI to the day Of
his death, never forgave the Democratic
party that trick. ........--.-....