New-York tribune., 1878-02-20


ticker and sticker; a moist-mOuthed post
master with pOnderous thumb. And
Sa,oucl G.. Sargent was confident OF con-
tinuance. So confident, we suspect. that
| it lad not occurred to him that his commission
| would shortly run out, and he might not be
reapponted. 1t may be that he viewed his
commission in something the same light as a
| life insurance policy, which there is always an
agent watching to prevent its lapsing. But
Samuel G. Sargent was too sanguine. lie
might have trusted Methuen, to be sure, so
to speak, "to the bats end,' but Methuen
was powerless The appointment must proceed
from Washington and an Administration en-
gagged in reforming the Civil Service.
1t was about the 9Th or 9th of December,
as the record runs, that the Hon. MIR. Butler,
representing the district in which Methuen
lies, received a printed notice that vacancy
would shortly occur in the Methuen Post
Office All this time, so far as we can learn,
Methuen lying there unconscious OF impend-
ing peril. And the printed notice asked Mr.
Butler if he would recommend some one
for the place. "Will l recommend 7" said
he with alacrity evil duck swim ~
And then he laid his right 'fore-
finger against his nose, and said, reflect
lively, "Methuen! Methuen | don't seem to
remember anybody in Methuen, but it's easy
"to make acquaintances in town where
"there's vacancy in the Post Office" lie
was very soon in communication with a
Methuen man, to whom he sent the notice.
The Methuen man took immediate action, and
soon afterward sent in petition, signed by
about twenty persons. in favor of the
appointment of n MIR. Boswell. Mr.. But
Ter then responded to the printed re-
quest to recommend person to fill the
Methuen Post Office, and forwarded the name
of Mr. Boswell. "Now, by st. George" said
Mr.. Butler, as he exchanged glances with him
self over the bridge of his nose, the work OF
"Civil Service Reform goes bravey on" Mr.
Boswels appointment was made, and his name
sent to the Senate for confirmation. But
while Mr. Butler waited for the confirmation,
Methuen seems to have reused herself from
her lctharSy: 40 citizens OF Methuen
broke out in wild and flaming petition Tor
Sargents reappOintment, and secured the In
dorscment of Senator Hoar for the applica-
ton. At length Mr.. Butler, waiting vainly for
Boswcl's confirmation, went to the PRESIDENT
and learned that Methuen had risen up, as 1t
were, for Sargent; that BoswclFs name
had been withdrawn, and Sargents sent
in for reappointment Then said Mr. But
Ter: "Uold off thy hand till visit Methuen
in person :" and he says it was promised
Visiting Methuen, he called upon Boswell
| and learned from that person that he didn't
care about the place, and that Sargent had
got the support of the best men in town. But
Mr. Butler is not the man to abandon to It's
own wayward inclnatiOns town that has
post office vacancy. lie would not so
desert Methuen. " Is There disabled soldier
I'm Mcthuen 7" he asked. ooh, yes" said
Boswell, there is one-Mr. Coggswel.' "Get
sup petition for his appointment, then, and
forward it TO me-" said the General. 1t was
done go citizens of Methuen, it is said,
signed the petition and forwarded it, and Mr..
Coggswell stepped at once out OF the ranks OF
contented ctizens-a recruit to the large army
of dscontonted and expectant ones which MIR.
Butler does SO much to keep full.
With this petition Mr.. Butler tried in vain to
find the President. Before he succeeded Mr.. Sar-
gents name, which had been once withdrawn,
was again sent to the Senate, and, on Mon
day, his appointment WAS confirmed. Coggs-
we'll Is disappointed, Sargent serene, and Me-
thuen resumes the calm and even tenor OF its
way. Meantime Mr.. Butler his joy over the
passage of the Silver Bill somewhat damp
ened by his failure to redeem Methuen,
huIls abroad the vast cOnundrum: "Why
"was invited to recommend person TO fill
d" the vacancy in the Methuen Post Office I"
We cannot answer. But we dimly re member
a similar inquiry once hurled with great power
Il. the late John Phonix, who had asked a gen.
tleman In front of him at the theatre to
punch with his cane another person sit
ting two seats forward. PhGnix imagined
that tho person in front was an ac
qtaintance, but observing as the other turned
his head that he was mistaken, he paid no
attention to him, but looked intently at the
stage. The person who had done the punch
ing was embarrassed, and the person punched
was mad. At length the former turned with
very red face to PhGnix and said, "L00k
here, didn't you ask me to punch that
man 7" certainly" said Phoenix. "Wcll,
"what did you do 1t forf" quoth the other,
angrily. "Oh," said Phoenix with great cool
ness, 81 wanted to see if you'd do it." In
the absence of any other answer to Mr.. But
ler's conundrum, we venture to suggest that
possibly the President asked him to recon-
mend postmaster for Methuen for the same
reason that Phoenix asked the man in front to
punch the other man. At the present stage
of the Civil Service Reform, we can't for the
life of us conceive of any other reason.
4 ENOTTY OTTESTTON