The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1881-01-21
Tales of Ye OIdcn Time in Washington
City.

Sily.
Re pleased to take seats gentlemen
lam going to tell sbme true stories /
promise not to bore 5ou
Iemonoski came to this country MANY
wears AGO. and succeeded in obtaining a
clerkship in the Postofice Department.
According TO his account of himself he
had been n soldier under the great Ma
pbleon. Nothing pleased him better
than to meet witliss opportunity of re-
citing his military exploits. 1t is hardly
necessary to say tliat soma of them were
marvellous and always excited smile of
increduIity. At length fellow-clerk
said to him:
"Lemonoski, / have often heard You
fight over your old battles, now let me
give you my sad military experience. 1
was a soldier in the Black Hawk war In
the very first elf eufent saw three
stalWaft Inds1Il =. Si,s2f9 iii full speed
after my scalp. I was armed with an
ld-fashioned double -barrSled shotgun
l let her loose upon the two that were in
the lead, and killed them as dead as Jul
ius Caesar. The third came rushing
upon me with his bloody tonahawk
raised above his head, and what do you
suppose happened then?'
. You killed him, of course.
Not exactly" quietly replied the
Black Hawk warrior; che killed me.
a roar of laughter was raised among
the bystanders and poor Lemonosn S
yarns were knocked clear out of him.
Gen. jackson, about the year 1882,
gave Jimmie Maher the appointment OF
public gardener in Washington. Salary
81 800 a year and trimmings. The trim
4 -, Al,
larger sum. To keep the public grounds
III proper order were the duties to be
performed. Jimmie, when / made his
acquaintance, knew every body from
Henry Clay down to Ephraim Frost, the
hearted, liberal Irishman. He never
took a 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 "dimocratic"
principles. Some hungry Wings IN lS4l
wanted his place, and Jimmie, for a
while, was very uneasy. One morning
he met Gen. Harrison in the public
grounds, and taking off his hat, he thus
addressed him:
q presume this is Gineral Harrison,
Prizident of the United States.
continued: MY name is Maher. L am
pooblic gardner"
Well, Mr.. Maher, l like the appear
ance of these grounds; they look in much
better condition than they did when [
was Senator"
"Och, its me trade; was fotched up TO
it; but, may it plaze your Honor, it's
rumored about here that I'm TO be dis
missed.
" Dismissed for what?"
Because was a friend to Mr.. Van
Buren,"
No, Mr.. Maher, nobody is author
lied to say that you will be dismissed on
that account.
"A Thousand thanks to your Excel
lency. You see was acquainted with
Mr.. Vnn Buren,. He always treated me
like gentleman, and was for him; but
] have no doubt after we get little bet
ter acquainted shall be for you
Harrison smiled, and assured him that
he had no idea of turning him out.
Whereupon Jimmie broke down to the
place where he had some hands at work
and gave them a report of his interview.
He closed it with this grand exclamation:
"By Jove, boys, Prizident Harrison
Is a rale Gineral Jackson of a fellow"
About three weeks after the inaugura-
ton of Gen. Harrison a wcll-dressed
young man of some thirty summers
walked into one of the hotels of this city
with a fiddle on his arm and said:
" Gentlemen (all eyes were at once
turned upon him). [ have come here
like thousands of others to see what
could see ard get what / could get; but
I have been disappointed in everything.
got no Office, got out of money, and
got many miles to retrace; ] am too hon
est to steal, too proIud to beg, and
concluded to come in here to-day and
make "a little in an honest way
Suiting the action 10 the word, he be
gan to play the fiddle. This comical
scene afforded considerable amusement
to the persons there assembled. They
asked him how much money 1t would
take to carry him home. He said $40.
In less than ten minutes that amount was
raised for him. Sitting down and count
ing over his money, he found that they
had given him Sl3.
" BY Georgel" said he, "here's sur
plus OF 81. Come in, gentlemen, all of
You, and take something to drink. "
/ never saw nor heard of him after
ward I have regretted that L did not
learn his name and keep the hang of him.
The chances are that he has since filled
some high political position. - Washing
ton Letter.