Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-02-03
SON or A BISCUIT"
How tbe LHGe Senator JIna Nse
Kept u Clerk OF tHe Senate ia
HIS Place.

How the LaGe Senator jim, Nss
KEPT u Clerk OF tne senate im
Has Plsce.
A New York correspondent oil
the ST. Louis Globe Democrat tells
the following story about "Jim
Nye:"
Since my last, | have been re-
minded of another characteristic
story about ex-senator Nye, of Ne
vada, which do not remember to
have seen in print. Some years
ago a young Californian, a friend
Of Nye, had been made clerk of the
senate. The clerk had had a quar-
rel with one Of the senator's, and
high words had passed between
them. During the excitement the
former had called the latter ga son
of a biscuit" or words to that eff.
feet; and the senator had decided
to bring the matter before a COM
mittoe Of the house to insure the
expulsion Of the offender. When
the matter had come up, Charles
Sumner, one Of the committee,
rose with dignity, and said with
solemnity, among other things, that
the duty Of the house was plain
that any person who would apply
so odious and abominable an ex-
preston to senator of the United
States should not be permitted to
remain for moment III the service
of that august body. His remarks
had great weight,
Nye, also on the committee, saw
at once that the high gh-tempered clerk
would be dismissed, unless some
body should come promptly to his
rescue. Taking the floor, he OBJ
served in his blandest manner that
the honorable gentleman from
Massachusetts, had fallen into some
thing Of an error on account of his
acquaintance with the local usage
of certain phrases. "Now, there is
son of a biscuit" he continued,
(which in New England, in Wash
ington, and on the Atlantic coast
generally, is considered, as the hon
orable gentleman says, both odious
and abominable but it is not so
on the Pacific slope, where / have
lived for years. There-particu-
larly in California, whence our
young clerk oomes-the expression
is employed in an innocent and
entirely amiable sense-in truth, |
may say as ar expression Of endear-
ment. ! know that when | have
been in San Francisco or Sacra-
mento, old friends have often come
up to mo and Slapping me on the
back, have exclaimed; 'HalIoo,
Jim, you old son of a biscuit, Pm
mighty glad to see you'll Let's take
a drink, you id old son of a bis
cuitp This, am sure, the honor
able senator does not know. / am
sure, too, that he would not willing.
ly do injustice to the clerk hy as
cribing to him as a deadly insult
and a brutality what was doubtless
designed for a pleasant jest, or for
the language OF friendship"
SamneF Immediately rose, IN per-
feet seriousness, with these words;
II thank the distinguished gentle
man from Nevada for his explana-
ton, lconfess had no conception
Of the local usage ho montions, and,
since he assures US that the phrase,
he counted so vile and unpardona-
BILE, Is used on the Pacific slope as
complimentary and endearing, |
beg to withdraw my previous re-
marks"
The clerk was retained, thanks
to the good.natured, though not
always veraciouS, Nye. The anec-
dote-related to me by the Nevada
senator, a little before the poor
fellow lost his reason-exeellently
illustrates the difference between a
man of tho world like Nye, and a