The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1877-01-24
NEW YEARS CALLS.
Several Uninvited and UnweIeOme
Guests at the White House.

~-N'' @<T~-~ - 1hAf&@rs
Several Uninvited and UnweIeome
Guests at the white House.
Long after the senators and congressman
and diplomats had left the white house, and
after the last of the private citizens had
claSped the hand of the president and de-
parted the door bell rang sharply and Wis
itor pushed his way into the blue room.
The president was alone in tlfe apartment,
and as he hastily locked the closet door of a
cupboard and turned around to meet the
caller, his face showed plainly that he re-
garded the visit as nothing more or less than
an unwarrantable intrusion.
You do not recognize me-" said the un-
hidden guest, advancing to the center of the
room. "Yet we ought to be tOlerably well
acquainted. / picked you up out of the
gutter of New York city is years ago and set
you on your pins l was able to do you a
service, if remember rightly, just before
the surrender of Vicksburg. / followed you
pretty closely through the war, giving you
friendly lift every now and then. / hap
pened around in 1868, and, although you
abused me for four years after called again
in 1872 / have been at your elbow ever
since, and never a man have | treated more
kindly, but you have kept up the abuse.
You have abused me outrageously, Mr..
Gantl'
who the devil are your asked Grant,
taking two or three unsteady steps toward
the speaker.
20, my name is Opportunity" said the
caller, and will add that this is my last
call. Good afternoon, Mr.. Grant" And
thereupon he left the room, slamming the
door with some show of indignation.
The president stood moment in thought,
and then, with muttered exclamation,
turned again to the sideboard. But another
caller had already entered unannounced.
Here we are again, old friend, said the
new conner, who held his head high and
moved with lordly strut "How's your
courage, Ulysses?'
You have the advantage of me, said the
president.
Don't know mel Why, now, this is sur
prising. / have been your humble servant
ever since Elihu Washburne introduced us.
Some folks have regarded me as your mas
ter, but don't insist on that point Give
me your hand, old fellow; my name is Am
bition. BY the way. who was that | met at
the door,"
at was Opportunity" said the president.
HE has just gone out"
THE deuce, you sayi' exclaimed Ambi-
| ton: ''then you'll have~o excuse me. I'm
no account without him. ! might stay and
potter along with you for a while, but |
would only make fool of you, and waste
my own time into the bargain. Good bye,
| Mr. Grant"
And Ambition, with a hurried bow,
walked bFiskly out of the white house
and fastened to catch up with 0pportu-
nifty.
The blue room had now become very blue
| to the president and he once more had re-
course to the sideboard. The next caller
was melancholy chap whose chin pressed
| his breast, and whose eyes wandered gloom
| lily about. At first the president paid no at
| tention to his presence, but he had way of
| making that presence felt.
"Mr. President" said he, mournfully. II
wish you happy New Year. Why are not
Belknap and Babcock and Orvill, and Avery
| and Shepherd here to celebrate this glad
season with your
Don't speak of Them" said the president.
The subject is not pleasant"
There are many other things | wish to
speak about on this happy OCCASION re-
turned the caller, with dismal groan. "By
| the way, how is poor Custerr'
"Sirl' exclaimed the president, ''this is
impairment Who are your
| 'You ought to know me if you don't.
| am RemOrse. There is a good deal wanted
to ay. and would say to another man, but
| see Indifference coming and | will make
way for him. Mr.. President allow me once
more to wish you happy New Year"
Indifference, who entered as Remorse
| stalked out, was stolid, hard featured fell
| low, not unlike the president himself. He
i
| board, where they drank confusion to the
past in many bumpers. At length this last
and most welcome of all the presidents
New Years callers dropped his glass on the
floor and rushed out of the room as if in
great alarm. The president turned dizzily
around TO see what was the matter. There
entered at that moment a guest with
| frightful visage, every muscle of whose face
told of agony, and whose eyes spoke horror.
The president started back and gasped:
| you are"
81 see you know me-" said the caller, with
a CHASTITY leer Tin administrative circles |
pass as Neuralgia of the Brain. Let it go at
| that"
"And you have come"
Eyes, Mr. President" replied the appa-
rition. LET there be no ceremony between
| us. have come to stay"
"And have brought my family" he
added. as he opened the door and let in a
swarming troop of distorted images and
hideous, grinning little devils, all of whom
| echoed the words:
1--WE have come to stay"