The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-08-13
Hancock and Tilden.
First Authentic Account Of Their Great
Interview.
Burlington Hawkeye.


"You see, Mr.. Tilden," remarked the Gen.
| eral, confidentially, I'VE are going to make a
lively campaign of this. We will take the
| offensive from the start, and we must whoop
her up
"Oh, yes'' said the old man, in an impress
sive whisper, "that's all right; it is hooped up
| now.'
And he smiled at the General as one who
should encourage another to proceed, but in a
different direction. The General echoed the
smile family, but hopefully, and hitched his
chair little nearer.
"You see," he went on, with kindling en-
thusiasm, "I am not much of politician, and
have everything to learn in the management
of these things but know we must get ahead
Of them at the start. You see?"
"Oh yes, yes" the old man replied, in a
whisper more intense than before. "Oh yes,
that's all right. We've got head already
It's headed up, too, he, he! Hoped up and
headed up; you re right; yes, you're all right ("
And he smiled again, smile that he seemed
to think was full of comfort for his listener.
The General looked at him earnestly and lit
tie shadow of anxiety crept over his answer
ing smile.
''You understand, Mr.. Tilden," he said,
presently, "that need your advice and friend
ly council
The old man bowed again. The General
looked up more hopefully and went on:
'You see what am trying to get at
"Yes, yes,' chuckled the old man, eagerly;
II know; that's what they're all trying to get
at; yes, yes; they're all trying to get at it, Oh
yes"
And in the pleasant mood which seemed to
have come upon him he made as though he
would have prodded the General in the ribs
with his bony forefnger, but suddenly drew
back. The General looked worried, but re-
turned to the charge with patient good ma
ture
81 don't want to make any bunglng work at
the start" he said, "because-' a
mo, no; no, no." interrupted the old man,
earnestly; ''no bungling this time; you're
right there; it's all right, never was bunged
up tighter; bung starter as big as maui
wouldn't start it.; oh yes. you're right there;
no bungling this time"
And the General fairly started, 70, as he
listened, he thought he heard the old man
whisper, under his breath, as a sort of appen-
dix, "Not darned bungle." He set his teeth
hard, and looked in the old mans half-closed
| eyes.
"Mr. Tilden," he said, 81 will be frank and
| open with you"
"Opeu?" said the old man, with an interro-
| gatlon point in his face. "Oh, no, no. Hooped
up. Didn't you say hoop her up, and didn't
N-n-o-t-t open Oh no!'' he added with
grave and earnest delibesstion.
| And then he looked at the General as though
he didn't exactly understand him. The cold
perspiration stood out on the Generals brow in
beaded drops.
"Mr. Tilden,'' he said, earnestly, 'listen to
me. You cannot, you must not, misappre-
hend me. Do not stop me; hear me through.
You cannot delay or avert the inevitable you
| cannot stave Off"
No" the old man said with startling
| promptness and discouraging energy. "No,
that's SO. You're right there again. Not a
| stave off. Tight as drum" And he re-
| drum; tight as drum. Not hoop loose or a
| stave off,
| The General turned uneasily in his chair,
and barely repressed groan. As it was, he
| sighed, and with an appealing glance into the
| old mans eyes, he said:
| This increases my fears and doubles my re-
| sponsibilities. This adds
What adze?" asked the old man quickly,
and with suspicious glance at the Generals
side pocket, as though he feared concealed
| weapon or mechanical instrument. 'What
| adZe?" he repeated in apparent alarm.
| The General rose in despair, abstractedly
rubbing his hat the wrong way. AS he stood
near the door he said:
| Il will leave you now. I will call again,
| and may not trust that on another occasion
you will listen to me more intelligently and
enter more zealously into my plans? May
| not hope on
mol" the old man said with mild emphasis
"you may open nothing here not even a
| watermelon; not postal card have nc
time. have a client who is
He was suddenly silent, for he was alone
Down the darkening street he saw the magnif
| cent outlines of superb fignre, clad in the
| splendid uniform Of the senior Major General
of the United States Army. The superb fig
ure was thrashing the air with its splendid
| arms, and now and then wildly kicking a tree
box with its magnificent legs. The flickering
street lamps shone on handsome face con-
vulsed with a variety of emotions, among
which flat-footed wrath was prominent. The
old man could not hear distinctly the remarks
that fell from the finely chiselled lips, but now
| and then the breeze of the summer night watt
| ed back faint echoes of reservation profanity
and foot-hill obiurgations and West Point ex
pletives
The old man checked sigh and turned it
| into smile.
He leaned forward to gaze at the disappear
ing tableau, and listened for further remarks.
But solitude relgned in the street, and only
silence Knocked his listening ears with voice
| less quiet,