The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1874-03-18

Ex-senator Nyc, OF Ney ada Is visit
/ ing Washington. As plain Jim Nye"
he is familliarly known 10 us. he
is one Of the brightest, handsome,
most popular men who has ever been
in Congress. Nothing or nobody
was out of the range Of his wit
Even the stately Sumner, whose POM
posity inspires awe in the most
thoughtlcss, was target for his
neighbor's repartee. Nye is native
of New York State, but emigrated
to Nevada while Nevada was quite
young, and figured there as governor
(of Virginia City, during that re-
markable gold excitement so graphi-
cally described in "Roughing IT,
Mark Twain seems to have a great
admiration for Nye, and has given
US characteristic sketch Of him in
his Presidents Reception"
"Many and manv is the time"
writes the inimitable Mark, I've seen
him stand up and beam and smile on
his children (WashOes and ri Utes),
as he called them in his motherly
way, beam on them bv the hour out
of his splendid eyes and fascinate
them with his handsome face, and
comfort them with his persuasive
tongue; seen him stand up there and
tell them anecdotes and lies. and
quote Watts hymns to them, till he
just took all the war spirit out Of
them and sent them away bewilder-
ed with his inspired mendacity-
Most remarkable man, Jim Nyel He
can tell lie with that purity Of ac-
cent, that grace Of utterance, that
convincing emotion / do reckon he
is the handiest creature about max
ing the most of his chances that
ever found an all sufficient substitute
for mothers milk in politics and sin "
That is bad esough, but London
magazine, the PicddiIiy AnRuat for
1871, i think, reprinted the Heath
en- Chinee, =" with foot note explain
ing that the gentleman who went for
All Sin was intended to represent d
certain American Senator named
James Nye," whose weakness for
cards was proverbial Poor Nye.
Such is fame, As be lounges on the
Senate sofas, talking to an old friend,
bending his head and dropping voice
| in that peculiar way which he has
when be says anything especially
ridiculous, | cannO; help thinking
what an acquisition he would have
been to the salary bill discussion.
There is no one to take his place.
| Upton is only occasionally funny,
and his voice and appearance make
him so, when be really does not mean
to and had rather not be; Carpenter
is blunt, Flanagan grOtesque, Butler
is too much of bully, and Cox lacks
repose; but for genuine wit, always
opposite, quietly delivered, brief, and
keen, Nye never had, nor has he now
an eqnal in Congress. NOtwith-
standing all the jokes at his expense
by Mark Twain and his fellows, Nye
is a man of honest and strong cOnvIc-
tions, a sworn foe to any sham, and
a fearless defender of his opinions.
He is also a man of wide and self ae-
quired culture and fine memory.
The best Sunday school scholar in
the land is not more familiar with
his bible than he. Verse after verse,
page after page, he can repeat in his
deep musical voice, with every beau
ty of emphasis and intonatiOn. He
is about sixty though younger in ap-
pearance and manner. In his young
davs, when he was living on his
fathers farm in New York State, 1t
was his duty to harness the horses
on Sunday morning and drive the
folks to church. So one bright Sun
dav, when Jim was feeling particu-
larry lively he sent the horses around
the road, and came across lots jump
ing all the fences and hedges OF his
way. He found his father birch in
hand, at the front door. and inquired
with some anxiety what he had been
doing to evoke such dangerous symp-
tons
Doing" said his father, sternly
"Sir why couldn't you walk instead
of running? III teach you, guess,
not to go jumping fences on the Sab
bath day in that light and frivolous
manner"