The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1874-06-16
An Eccentric Member.


GONE thirty odd years ago, says "old
~ stager," Illinois sent an uncOuth,
illiterate man to Congress named Reynolds.
He had a strong vein of common sense,
much natural shrewdness, with some
comic humor He had been Governor of
the State. and Fund Commissioner, and
seemed to have been uncommony popular
with his people. At that time Illinois was
frontier State, sparsely populated, def
cient in the means Of education, without
refinement or much culture of any kind.
Mr.. Reynolds spoke frequently, always
provoking merriment, in which he joined,
without caring, apparently, whether the
House was laughing with him or at him.
His phraseology was tinged with the oddi-
ties and quaintness of baekwoodsman.
Everybody was his "worthy friend" In
opposing an appropriation for the navy he
provoked the satire of Mr.. Winthrop, of
Boston, always one of the most courteous
of men. He spoke of the want of appre-
citation of the usefulness and necessity of
ACoBCSuhpiO lOlOo lOI bu6 WdbbTg 81
often betrayed by Western men. Mr..
Reynolds rejoined "1Iy worthy friend
from Boston does me wrong in saying I'm
agin the navy. On the contrary, love and
admire the navy. Didn't our gallant sal
lors win unperishable honors in fighting
our worthy friends, the British, in the last
war? Didn't them dashing young fellows,
Perry and Macdonough, drive hostile
flag from off the great lakes, and make the
British lion put his tail between his legs ?"
Visiting Baltimore soon after he came
to Congress, he was amazed at many things
he saw. The size of the city bewildered
him, and the crowd of people in the streets
nearly drove him wild. Passing down
Pratt street early in the morning, he came
to the Patapsco at the time when the tide
was running strong flood, it being nearly
high water. Some six hours afterwaTd he
took another look at the river, when it was
almost low tide. This rather puzzled him,
so toward night he made another visit to
the wharves, and found the tide coming in
again. This was too much for him.
D"hB hiOj Sdiu me- IL bnlo uOu DeaU
all my calculations-two freshes in one day
and nary drop of rain ~
Going to New York for the first time ou
business connected with the duties of his
Office as Fund Commissioner, he put up at
the Astor House. Such things as gas and
bell-ropes were far beyond his comprehen-
sion. Lying on the bed, there being a
brilliant light in the room, he began play
ing with the bell handle, and finding it to
yield on pulling, he gave it a vigorous
jerk. 1t was responded to Immediately.
"What did you wish, sir e' "Nothing
at all. Come in. I'm glad to see you.
Take seat. was getting to feel sort of
lonesome" The waiter, slightly aston
ished, set down without word. The
Governor had taken off his boots, and John
Thomas took them out to be polished with
out attracting the attention of the Fund
Commissioner. After repeated efforts to
blow out the gas, and finding it impossible,
he went to bed.
In the morning he missed his boots.
Rushing into the hall, half undressed, he
shouted and shrieked until he brought up
one of the proprietors, and boarder or
two, and no end of walters. " My boots is
stole my boots is stole p He was asked
what kind Of boots he wore. "Number
thirteen" he screamed, "and pegged at
that"