The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1878-03-13

come the attacking party. Soon at
ter ward, the Little Giant was bewail
ing the fate CT the nation, and p!etar
ing the sad condition we would be il
If the Free Sellers succeeded, having
worked himself up into q passion
When be was at the highest pitch
Mr.. Wade rose in his seat, and said
with Understandable coolness:
WELL. WHAT ARE YoU GOING TO DC
ABOUT IT?n
Douglas for q moment was sur
prised and dumbfounded, and then
attempted to proceed ; but the pitt
was knocked cut of his argument. and
the Senators all smiled at his earnest
ness. Douglas sat down in disgust
Mr.. Douglas afterwards said: That
interrogatory of Wade's was the
most effective speech | ever heard in
the Senate. Coniound the man, il
was SO ridiculous, and put so comic.
ally, l knew not what answer to
make him, and became ridiculous my.
self in not being able to tell what
was going TO do about it,
WHY DON'T YoU RUN AWAY.
1t used to he customary for slaves
in Washington to beg money from
Northern Congressman 20 buy their
freedom. A poor but smart-looking
boy accosted Mr.. Wade while be
was in conversation with q promiscu-
Gus company of Northern and South
ern Senators, and began to beg for
money to buy bis freedom. 81 new
er give money to buy slaves said
Mr.. Wade; when. seeing the pleasant
locks of the Southern men, be turned
to the boy and asked: why the
devil don't you run away 7" The
/ Southerners stared at one another,
and the darkey started of with a
new idea ia his head, when Mr.. Wade
called him back, and, handing him a
$40 bill, said Here is $40 to pay
your expenses. Now, ran away out
Of slavery, my boy, the first chance
you get"
WADE AND TOoMBs.
Wade one day replied to Toombs,
Of Georgia, and to all appearance
used language which would compel
Toombs to challenge him. Several
friends went to Wade and begged
him to desist, but the old man grew
more and more violent, until Toombs
indicated his intention Of calling
Wade to account for the language be
was using, when Wade quietly sat
down, seemingly having accomplish
ed his object.
The Southern men looked at each
other in surprise, aud it was manifest
to all that Wade had deliberately
sought a quarrel with Toombs. That
night a friend Of the Southern Sena-
tor called on Mr.. Wade to know if be
would retract the offensive words he
had used.
"No, | won't take back a word,p
was Wade's emphatic reply.
Then" said the friend of Mr..
Toombs, 'it will be necessary for
Senator Toombs to challenge you to
mortal combat"
THAT is just what | want. and we
might have got to the point without
all this palaver," said Wade.
"You surely cannot be 10 earnest,
Mr.. Wade" said the Southerner.
why, Of course | am. You see,
sir, we Northern men do not like 10
fight. Now, | am opposed to the
code, and 80 are nv constituents; but
you fello ys have broken Summers
head, and We must spunk up a little,
or you will break all our heads. The
shortest way to end the matter is to
kill off a few of you, and | have pick
ed upon old Toomhs as NY man he
will have to challenge me. Then, 1
will take nv old rife and - me if
| don't bring him down at the first
crack
When Toombs beard what Wade
said be replied 81 can't challenge
him if do he will kill me-"
1t appears that Toombs aud Wade
had been out together shooting with
a rife several times, and, while
Toombs could shoot well with a pis-
tol, he was q poor rife-shot. Wade
was an old hunter, and at 0 distance
of 100 yards could hit a dollar almost
every shot.
Mr.. Wade afterward said to the
writer. "1f old Toombs had cbal-
lenged me that time, as / expected
be would, | would have made him
put a patch on his coat. the size of a
dollar, over bis heart, and the old
fellow would have got demoralized
when be saw me drawing a bead on
it, and missed me, while - me if |
wouldn't have cut the patch !"
Not only did Toombs refuse to
challenge Wade, but no Southern
member could ever be induced to
send him a challenge, no matter what
be might say.
GUAsE's OLD FRoCK.
During the impeachment trial of
President Johnson q very amusing
occurrence happened one day be-
tween Mr.. Wade and Mr.. Chase, who
presided at the trial. The session
was 10 open at II o'clock m, and it
was within twenty minutes Of that
time, and the Chief Justice had not
made his appearance in the Vice
Presidents room. The hangs Of the
clock erept slowly but surely nearer
the figure l2, when suddenly the door
was thrown open and ia sialked the
Chief Justice. He walked Lurriedly
TO the wardrobe, but his robe Of off.
was not upon its accustomed peg,
nor on any peg. What was to be
Pages were summoned; this,
that, and the other room, desk, and
drawer were examined, but no robe
was discovered. In the midst Of this
excitement the grim, honest old hero,
Ben Wade, made his appearance,
with q nod sud a gruat to the fiurried
occupants of the room. He walked
to the hat-rack, and, after deposlting
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