Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1878-12-13
MRS. LONGLEY'S BIG CHEESE.
The Queer Effects Produced by Ii and It's
Accomplishments on the Legislators of
Maine. i'm 1910.
Lewiston (Me.) journal.

/
No living member of the legislature
of 1910 will be likely to forget old
Mrs. Longley's big cheese.
Mrs. Longley was the energetic
wife of one of the large farmers of
that day, living III the town Of Greene.
She was not only an excellent house
wife, but o radical politician, and
great admirer of Governor John Fair
field, who then occupied the executive
chair of Maine. One of her sons was
messenger to the governor and council,
and to show her appreciation Of the
favor, and admiration of the executive
branch, she manufactured a cheese
weighing several hundred pounds and
forwarded it to Augusta, Il present to
Governor Fairfield. In order to give
the thing aliterary notoriety, the COVER
nor sent the cheese to the house, and
requested that the same be cut up and
distributed piece to each member Of
the mouse and senate. 1t was the year
of the great Harrison campaign with
log cabins, coon-skins, and hard cider
for watchwords. Colonel John Otis,
then member of the house, from Hal
lowell, and q flaming whig, volunteered
to furnish q barrel Of hard cider, and
brown bread, to go with the cheese. His
liberality was duly appreciated, and in
u given hour in the alternoon the house
adjourned for half an hour to partake
of the choice entertainment. The mes
sengers, with their long carving-kniyes,
pitched into the big cheese. The brown
bread was neatly sliced and the barre
OF hard cider, put Oh tap. The cheese
was pronounced the richest and best o!
the season. The brown bread worked IL
completely with the cheese, while the
hard cider gave both an excellent relish,
and the members voracious appetite.
The entertainment was grand one, ano
by the time it was over the members
were generally on their dignity. Han
nbal Hamlin, who was then speaker,
promptly at the time called the house
to order. The session was scarce for
mally opened when fifteen to twenty
members were on their feet, voclferat-
ing at the top Of their voices, MIR.
Speaker! Mr.. Speaker" The speaker
pounded with his gavel, and at the TOP
OF his voice called for order. But il
was no use-every man on his feet was
bent on recognition by the speaker, and
could not be choked off. The zeal OF
the contending orators knew no
bounds, while the members in the seats
We're shouting them on. The house
became a pandemonium. The speaker,
in his vain attempt to restore order,
shouted himself hoarse. Things were
going from bad to worse, when, rs i
last resort, and to get out of the diem
ma, he voluntarily put the motion to
adjourn. Those in favor gave faint
yea, and when the negative was put
the response was like the voice OF
many waters. The speaker got dis
couraged and with hundred voices
yelling laundering may" in his ears,
declared the house adjourned, and left
the desk to take care Of itself. The
joke of the whole matter was the fact,
aiterward ascertaned, that a roguish
wag, from the ranks Of the log-cabln
wings, had so mingled the hard cider
with brandy that even a moderate
quantity would produce intoxication.