Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1876-03-02
How Zachariah Chandler Came to Have
Red Face.


Perhaps you would ike to know some
thing of Zach Chandler. You and have
heard and read great deal about him, and
lts time We knew something of him. He is a
great Big man, over six feet eig ht aud about
sixty years old lie and Horace Greeley
were born within Il cat call of each other.
and Still no single man did so much as Zach
Chandler TO defeat the philosopher for the
Presidency. He has a NUMBERING heavy
walk, of certain stride and stcady paii
He carries an alternate white and red face
IN front aud high, Il cane in ona hand, and
"A bundle OF paper in the other. He never
walks for pleasure. He is always on busi-
ness. He spitS every eight minutes-always
10 the Ieit, seldom straight. and with the
same regularity that punctuates his every
action. High and in front, like the figure
head on II great ship, he carries his great,
broad head and variegated face. On cold
day his countenance beams almost like the
red glare OF IA locomotive head light
Nlnety-nlne men who pass him on a frosty
morning make nlnety-niue remarks
ireighted with the Information that 'Old
Zach has had his bitters." But, Oh Lord.
how this world is given to lying, Th,s
'eu i'ce mas history. this crooked spit
ting has reason, and | Will give YOU both.
IL i now seventeen years since Zacha-
riah Chandler, b>ing remarkably success
ful in business, built for his family new
aud elegant house in Detroit. When near
ly finished he moved into it. On the first
evening Immediately after the gas was
turned on and lit, the smell OF the escaping
gas aroured the family and servants. and
search was made for the leak The dauph-
ter. now Mrs. Hale, then a child. with
lighted candle, detected it in a closet off
the back paror. The father, knowing the
Danger of an explosion, hurried to the
closet with a servant, took the candle from
the daughters hands, and shielded her
just in time TO receive the full blast him
self, burning his head, neck and hands al
most to crisp. The nose. ears, ewes. lips
and flesh of the face were so completely
cooked that old Zach embraced the oppor-
tunity and murmured through his bistered
lips. Bring on your cannibals. I'm
cooked"
physician was immediately sent for,
VINO, iittr lew moments, examination,
s. ook his head in the most unhopeful man
ner. With tortitude which characterizes
Mr.. Chandler to this day. he submitted to
the examination, and Ut the close demand |
ed TO know the worst. The physician, Dr.
Clark, wisely endeavOred 10 postpone the
giving Of his opinion until the next day
but Mr.. Chandler insisting, the doctor re-
We'll, doctor, my nose feels bad How
about it?'
Mr.. Chandler, you'll lose your nose"
And my ears. suppose. too
Il am sorry TO say, yes; they are com-
pletely cooked through
My forehead. How about that?"
NV ell, don't see how the skin will eve
grow there again"
MY lips?"
The upper lip, Mr.. Chandler, | shall
have to take almost completely off,"
That's bad, for man to loose his up
per lip. Won't the under one do!"
Il am sorry to say, shall have to re-
move portion of that, also
"Eh! Well. go on"
"There. that will do. III know better
in the morning."
You can't leave me until | know all.
Go on. doctor, anything else?''
The doctor hesitated
go on, doctor, my eyes?"
Your eyes?"
YES. Go on
Mr. Chandler, you will lose the sight of
both eyes,
That's enough, doctor, you can 90
now"
Nearly year passed before Zaehariah
Chandler was seen on the streets of Detroit
cept by his voice and immense frame His
face, once round, full and muscular,
was shriveled and muscleless His heavy
jaw, Indicative of firmnsss of purpose, was
almost without shred of flesh And as
lie remarked himself, he was '.the most
thin skinned man in the whole north
west.
Such is the history and the reason of hi s
red face and crooked splitting, which too
many addle pated journalists stamp as the
outward and visible sign of spiritual
awakening inside. Such is the history of
the face which disguises a man of whose
entrance to the Cabinet you all howled like
Dervishes-a face only saved by the incest
skill OF sufgery-a face wearing a sad
change, REDEEMED and muscleless, incurred
to save the pet of the household.
You have never seen Zach Chandler de-
ny any thing that the newspapers might
say of him, and many unbearable things
have they been. When his appointment
to the portfolio of the Interior Department
was announced, all Scoldom yelled with
its forty y-jackass power. The New York
Times. an administration paper, with its
usual smartness, said it didn't know what
"he was good for unless to sit up with
nights Every staff on every New York
| journal was searched for its meanest and
most sarcastic writ.r, that somxthing
worthy of the occasion and the man might
be said. The leaders on his appointment
reeked with the slimiest adjectives. but
were as free from facts as a PHILADELPHIA
medical diploma.
A reaction has, however, taken place.
and instead of the senseless ridicule there
is shamed silence or open commentator.
predict, Zach. Chandler will make the
best Secretary of the Interior that the
country has had since the foundation OF
the Government.-Robert Creighton, Wash.
tngton Correspondent Danbury Ne,cs.