Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-04-22
FOLLOW YOUR LEADER.
How a New Orleans Merchant Reformed a
Ne-u york CIuh

New York Club.
The late Thomas II. Smith, of New
York. whose enormous tea store in South
street, near Dover street, fifty years ago,
extended through to Water and was hum
dred feet ide and the wonder of the city
when it was built, besides being the great
est tea merchant.of his city, was very fond
of fun. He was President of a club
called the g Fire Club" 1t held its meet
ings in Franklin square, on the corner of
Dover street. Boys have mode Of amuse-
ment called "Follow your leader" This
was adopted by the club of which Smith
was President. Many men who are now
to the Fire Club Joseph Foulke. a
West Indies, and the Stages. There was
old Peter Stage, cashier of the City Bank,
and John and Benjamin Stagg. There was
old Matthias Bruen and many more whose
names were on the club list They gave
grand suppers and their entertainments
were very expensive. They would invite
guest to these suppers, explain the rules,
and if 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
occasion great cotton merchant from New
Orleans was guest. He agreed to all
the conditions 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 thirty men behind him down
Dover, past Water, past Front Into South
and thence on to the pier. One of Smiths
own ships lay at the dock. A lighter lay
inside of the main wharf. Follow your
leaderi" cried Smith, as he plunged from
the deck into the water. Some drew back
but others followed the leader, who sue
ceeded 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 his frozen clothes up Dover and
into the room of the club. Plunge, plunge,
plunge, one after another, and so on, until
all had accomplished the freezing and dan
gerous 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 left
him shivering He did not remain long
As he walked up from the dock he noticed
large store open on South street. 1t was
a shop of wholesale and retail ship stores.
81 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 a keg and then took it
away to the club-room. At the door were
standing Mr.. Lowe and Mr.. Town, two
members of the club The latter ex-
claimed ''Brave Southern stranger, you
have passed the ordeal safely. You are
now leader, and we are deputed to place
the club under your command, if you
choose to exert your sacred privilege.
Thanks, my friends, l shall do SO, but
l will not ask you to go out of the room
this cold night Let us drink, and as he
entered the cloak-room he sought a side
closet where he hung his cloak. There he
placed the keg, and then returned and took
seat at the long, solid mahogany table.
President Smith called the club to order
The stewards for the night opened dozen
of champagne amid shouts, calls and songs
of the most stirring character. ''Order I!
Come to order % 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 the leader for the bal
ance of the night or until failure in our
sacred rites. What says he %
The cotton merchant took from his busom
a bundle of tow and laid it on the table.
All eyes were fixed upon him. GO | accept
the command. | will lead now. Wait
until give the word, and then do as you
see me do.
By this time he had spun the tow into
string that would reach from the table to
the CRATE. He placed a tumbler on one
end of the tow to hold it on the table and
then passed the other to the pan under the
CRATE and made that fast with piece of
coal from the coal-scuttle. Not single
word was spoken. All felt that something
unusual was to occur. The cotton mer-
chant now went deliberately to the closet,
and returning 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 key. Not soul moved. Then
he took a very little of what appeared to
NC DldCh SeSllu III Ills manu-, hdikCl W tllC iiIC
and flung it in. The considerable explo-
sion which followed startled all. "Pow-
der, by Jupiter" exclaimed 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.. Presi-
dent-and members of the club, l wish you
to hear what have to say. You have tried
my pluck. / came from hot climate and
You have made me so through an icy or
deal. 1t is my time now, but will not be
so cruel. will give you a fiery ordeal to
90 through. If you stand it you will never
need any more wine, and if you do not the
fines will amount to a small fortune and
you will have enough to lastyour Cuba year.
Look at me" He walked to the fire, kicked
off the coal lump and placed the other end
of the tow line in the red-hot Goals Then
he walked back, and, as he brought his
fist down upon the table he said in tones of
thunder as he sat down: Keep your
seats and thus follow your leader" The
fire curled up in ftful spouts from the
burning tow. 1t burnt over the pan, and
the flames began to crawl along the car
pet. 1t had some eighteen feet to go.
Sixty and odd eyes watched the train.
One man rose from his seat, then another.
Finally one exclaimed "We shall all be
blown to old Nick !" and made for the
door, The panic increased. Down stairs
the club members plunged like flock of
sheep. Even old Smith, the President,
was among the first to bolt from the room.
Before the tow-line had burned as far as
the table all were gone but the cotton mer-
chaut. As soon as he saw that he was
alone he got up, placed his foot upon the
burning tow and quietly extinguished it.
Then he opened the window and emptied
the keg into the snew, and again resumed
his seat. He waited long time for the
return of the club members one by one
they did come back. There cotton sat un-
til Smith took his seat as President. "Now
call for fines, he said. and "a severe lecture
he gave them for their follies and cow