The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-12-08
Astory About Key.
Washington Correspondence

l'-'-'No"~--
Ihave another story about Judge Key,
the Postmaster-G General, who is not only
the best-natured man in the Cabinet, but
who does not hesitate to tell joke upon
himself. 1t was upon the surrender of
the Rebels that Lieutenant Colonel Key,
of Tennessee Rebel regiment, found
himself in North Carolina, very poor off
for clothes, surrounded by his wife and
six children, also poor in raiment, with
outa dollar of money that would buy a
rasher of bacon and pint of corn-meal.
He, had a few dollars of Confederate
money, but it was not worth the dirty
paper it was printed on. Judge Key says
the world has seemed dark to him before
now, and that that the silver lining of the
clouds that the poets sing about was not
even German silver. Indeed, he thinks
the lining was the blacklist part Of the
clouds. He knew not where to turn.
Nearly everybody about him was as poor
us he was, and the suffering through the
section of the State in which he found
himself was very great. He appealed to
his wife, a woman of stout heart, who
still blesses his existence, and she was
more hopeful He had nothing in the
world but a half-starved mule that had
been his war-horse for many months
This was before the days of the Com
mune, and he didn't know that mule
was good; besides he did not want to kill
his war-horse that had carried him
through so many deadly breaches. Before
Judge Key and his excellent family, how
ever, had reached that point were pray
ers take the place Of hunger, relief came.
An old resident of North Carolina heard
of Keys necessities and helped him out.
lie gave him seed to SOW, shanty to live
in, and some land to till, also small
supply of bacon and corn-meal. The
Judge then went to work. He beat his
sword into plowshare and he beat his
fiery charger into plow-horse. He
worked with his little family, and lived
scantily the whole summer long. There
was no fancy farming about it. 1t was
hard work and small nubbins. When the
corn was sold the Judge had $50 in de-
spised Yankee greenbacks. "Too fruit
full love his fruitless life outran," how
ever. He had 80 many children that he
could not pay their fare by the railroad.
His $50 would not reach. So be decided to
60 across the country with bis war-horse
and rigged-up cart. The tribulations
of that journey she Judge will never for
get His wife insisted on carrying the
money for fear it would be lost, and
finally she lost it, and there was wailing
in the camp. The beavy-hearted party
returned their steps, and heaven rewarded
them. The cotton purse, with its price
less contents, was found on the ground
where Mrs. Key had slept. Then there
was joy and thanksgiving. No doubt
they issued an extra ration Of corn-meal
to the children that night.
Judge Keys said that he had been init
mate with Andrew johnson, who was
then President. They had been close
friends in Tennessee, but he did not
know to what length Johnson's temper
would carry him. johnson proposed to
hang all the Rebels at that time. So Key,
while he was in North Carolina, be-
thought him to write to johnson and see
what would come it. The people were in
very unhappy, uncertain, and anxious
state of mind, and Key wrote all the cir
cumstances at length. He waited reply
with a good deal of apprehension. L
came in due course of mail-a very kind,
brotherlv letter, inclosing pardon
Judge Key had not asked for this, and he
was quite overwhelmed. He says he ha:
in his time rad some important and in.
teresting papers in his hands, but he
shall never Treasure q document as he
treasures that. What became of the
Judges mule I never heard. Probably
it closed its career as all children's stories
end-by living in peace, dying in grease,
and being buried in a hunk Of tallow.
Mrs. Key, who lost the money, is now the
popular wife Of the Postmaster-General,
as handsome and genial a matron as you
can find in weeks travel She is the
mother of nine children and is in the full
blush of middle-aged womanhood.
l A roxV,s VictOrv Over an Alligator