The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1880-12-29
CAPITAL ANECDOTES.
Tales of We OIden Time in Washington
City.
Washington letter.


Washington letter.
Variety is the spice Of life"
Be pleased to take seats, gentlemen, am
going to tell some true stories. | promise
not to bore you.
Lemonoski came to this country many
years ago, and succeeded in obtaining a
clerkship in the Postotfice Department.
According to his account of himself he had
been a soldier under the great Napoleon.
Nothing pleased him better than TO meet
with an opportunity of reciting his military
exploits. 1t is hardly necessary to say that
some of them were marvellous and always
excited smile of incredulitv. At length a
fellow-clerk said TO him: "Lemonoski,
have often heard you fight over your old
battles; now lett give you my sad military
experience. ] was q soldier in the Black
Hawk War. In the very first engagement l
saw three stalwart Indians coming in full
speed after my scalp. / was armed with
an old-fashioned double-barreled shotgun
L let her loose upon the two that were in the
lead, and killed them as dead as Julius
Caesar The third came rushing upon me
with mis- bloody tomahawk raised above his
head, and what do you suppose happpned
thenT you kill d him, of course" "Not
exactly" quietly replied the Black Hawk
warrior; che killed me-" n roar of laughter
was raised among the bystanders, and poor
Lemonoski's yarns were knocked clear out
of him.
General Jackson, about the year 1882,
gave Jimmie Maher the appointment of
public gardener in Washington. Salary
81, 500 and trimmings. The trimmings, per-
haps, amounted to a much larger sum- To
keep the public grounds in proper order
were the duties to be performed. Jimmie,
when | made his acquaintance, knew every
DIV To t,lr
Frost the colored hack-driver. He was
warm hearted, liberal Irishman. He never
took drink, save when he was thirsty and
then he invited all the bystanders to Join
him. He prided himself on his adherence
to what he called "Dimcoratic" principles.
Some hungry Wings in 1871 wanted his
place, and Jimmie, for little while, was
very uneasy. One morning he met General
Harrison, in the public grounds and taking
off his hat, he thus addressed him: 81 pre-
sumo this is Gineral Harrison, Prudent of
the United States" Receiving an affirma-
tive answer, he continued: my name is
Maher; am pooblic gardener" well, Mr..
Maher, | like the appearance of these
grounds; they look in much better con-
dition than they did when l was Senator"
"Och, its me trade; was fetched up to it;
but, may it place your honor it's rumored
about here that I'm to be dismissed" "Dis-
missed for what?' Because was friend
to Mr.. Van Buren," "No, Mr.. Maher,
dismissed on that account" "A thousand
thanks to your excellency. You see was
acquainted with Mr.. Van Buren,. He always
treated me like a gentleman, and I was for
him; have no doubt after we get little
better acquainted / shall be for you" Har-
rison smiled, and have assured him that he
had no idea OF turning him out. Where
upon Jimmie broke down to the place where
he had some hands at work and gave them
this grand exclamation: "By jove, boys,
Prudent Harrison is q rale Gineral Jack
son of fellow"
About three weeks after the Inauguration
OF General Harrison q well-dressed young
man of some thirty summers walked into
one of the hotels of this city with fiddle
on his arm and said: Gentlemen (all eyes
were at once turned upon him., Ihave come
here, like thousands of others. to see what l
could see and get what l could get; but /
have been disappointed in everything l
have got no office, got out of money, and got
many miles to retrace. / am too honest to
come in here to-day and make little in an
honest way" Suiting the action to the
word, he began to play the fiddle. This
comical scene afforded amusement to the
persons there assembled. They asked him
how much money it would take to carry
him home. He said $40. In less than ten
minutes that amount was raised for him
Sitting down and counting over his money,
he found that they had given him S43. "By
George" said he, ihere's surplus of So
Come in, gentlemen, all of you, and take
something to drink" never saw nor heard
of him afterward. | have regretted that
did not learn his name and keep the hang
of him. The chances are that he has since
filled some high political position.