The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1880-03-31
FOLLOW YOUR LEADER.
How New Orleans Merchant Reformed a
New York Club.
Nam Yorlr World


How New Orleans Merchant Reformed
New York Club.
New York World
The late Thomas H. Smith, of New York,
Whose enormous tea store in South street.
near Dover street so years ago. extended
through to Water, and was 100 feet
wide, and the wonder of the city when il
was built besides being the greatest tea
merchant of his day, was very fond of fun.
He was the president of club called the
"ffre Club" 1t held ITS meetings in Frank
lin square, on the corner of Dover street.
Boys have mode of amusement called
follow your leader" This was adopted
by the club OF which Smith was president
Many men who are now aged and respected
men, or dead, belonged to the Fire club
Joseph Foulke. trader at Curacao, Dutch
isla d in the West Indies. and the Stages.
There was old Peter Stage cashier of the
City bank, and John and Benjamin Stage
There was old Matthias Bruen and many
more whose names were on the club list.
They gave grand suppers, and their enter
tainments were very expensive. They would
invite guest TO these suppers, explain the
rules, and il he refused to join or could not
carry out the idea, the fine was one dozen of
champagne. These fines were occasioned by
refusal to follow the leader. On one occa
sion great cotton merchant from New Or
leans was guest. He agreed to all the con-
ditions. 1t was late in the evening, in the
dead of the winter. The Ice in the East river
was floating up and down with every change of
tide. Follow your leader" shouted Smith,
and out OF the warm, luxurious club rooms
poured the members of the club. Out of the
square and around the corner into Dover
street. Follow your leader" and on
! rushed Smith with 80 men behind him down
Dover, past Water, past Front, into South,
and thence onto the pier. One of Smiths
own ships lay on the dock. A lighter lay
inside OF the main wharf. "Follow your
leader" cried Smith, as he plunged from the
dock into the water. Some drew back, but
others followed the leader, who succeeded
in getting out of the ice-water on to the
lighter. and from thence to the dock, and
shouting Follow your leader" he led off
in bis frozen clothes up Dover and into the
room of the club. Plunge, plunge, plunge
| one after another, and so on, until all had
successfully accomplished the freezing and
dangerous feat. The Southern cotton mer-
chant was last. Some of the regular club
members remained until they saw him
reach the dock safely, and there they let
him shivering. He did not remain long.
As he walked up from the dock he noticed
a large store open on South street. 1t was a
shop of wholesale and retail ship stores
II have met with an accident. Give me a
| glass of cognac hot, with sugar and water"
1t was done. and he drank it, do you keep
gunpowder?" he asked. Receiving an
affirmative reply, he bought and paid for
half keg and then took il away to the club
room. At the door were standing Mr. Lowe
and Mr.. Town, two members of the club.
The latter exclaimed, Brave Southern
stranger. you have passed the ordeal safely.
You are now leader, and we are deputed to
place the club under your command il you
choose to exert your sacred privilege"
Thanks, my friends, shall do So but
will not ask you to go out of the room this
c)ld night. Let US drink, and as he entered
the cloak room he sought side closet where
b hung his cloak. There he placed the key
and then returned and took q seat at the
long, solid mahogany table. President
| Smith called the club 10 order. The stewards
| for the night opened dozen of champagne
amid shouts, calls and songs of the most
stirring character Order! Come to orderl"
exclaimed President Smith. When order
was partially restored, he said: Members
of the club, our guest has passed the icy
ordeal; he has now the right of becoming
leader for the balance of the night or until
failure in our sacred rites. What says hep
The cotton merchant took from his bosom
g. bundle of tow, and laid it on the table.
| All eyes were fixed upon him. 81 accept
the command. | will lead now. Wait
until give the word, and then do you
see me do.'
By this time he had spun the tow into q
string that would reach from the table to
the CRATE. He placed tumbler on one end
of the tow to hold ii on the table, and then
passed the other to the pan under the CRATE,
and made that fast with a piece of coal from
| the coal scuttle. Not a single word was
spoken. Ali felt that something unusual
was to occur. The cotton merchant now
went deliberately to the closet, and return
ing with the keg took his seat. Then he
| went to work and removed the hoops until
he could take out the head of the little keg.
Not soul moved. Then he took a very lit
tie of what appeared to be black sand in his
hand, walked to the fire and flung it in.
| The considerable explosion which followed
startled all. Powder, by Jupiterw ex-
claimed Smith. The cotton merchant took
| the end of the tow-line from the glass and
pushed it down deep into the powder In the
keg and then he reseated himself. Now
| Mr.. President and members of the club,
wish you to hear what have to say. You
have tried my pluck. l come from hot
climate, and you have made me 60 through
| an icy ordeal. 1t is my time now, but will
not be 80 cruel will give you fiery
ordeal TO go through II you stand it you
will never need any more WINE, aud II you
do not the fines will amount to a small for
tune, and you will have enough to last your
club year. Look at me-" He walked to
the fire, kicked off the coal lump and placed
the other end of the tow-lne in the red-hot
Goals. Then he walked back. and, as he
brought his list down upon the table, he
said in tones of thunder he sat down:
Keep your seats and thus follow your
leader" The fire curled up in ftful spouts
from the burning tow. It burnt over the
pan, and the flames began to crawl along the
carpet. 1t had some Is feet 10 go Sixty
and odd eyes watched the train. One man
arose from his seat. then another. Finally
one exclaimed: I'VE shall all be blown to
old Nickw and made for the door The
panic increased. Down stairs the club MEM
oers plunged like flock of sheep, Even old
Smith, the president. was among the first to
bolt from the room Before the tow-llne had
burnt as tar as the table all were gone but
the cotton merchant AS soon as he saw
that he was alone he got up. placed his foot
upon the burning tow, and quietly extin
guished it, Then he opened the window
and emptied the keg into the snow, and
again resumed his seat he waited a long
time for the return of the club members
One by one they did com back. There cot
ton sat until Smith took his seat as president.
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