The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1881-04-06
MISCELLANY.
. 1919 4 YAcANoY. oR I WIZ

During the late administration OF Grant
there CHANGED to be young man In one OF the
departments who, like SO many Others then
and now, had entered on that horrible deciiv-
ity which begins with the gilded tippline
saloon and ends-who shall say where? He
was a capable clerk. and his sprees and short.
comings were condoned for the sake OF the
memory of his honored father, Senator.
But the road was sure and In time, with q
discharge in his pocket and a drunkard'i
record behind him, step by step he passed th'
down grade of dissipation, until wife, children
and friends cut loose, and the quondam gen.
tleman slept in the parks and lived on charity
He was abandoned by al-all gave the angel
of mercy lowering near, though unseen a
temperance reform movement claimed him as
trophy, and he began the upward struggle.
Wife and children came back, but who be-
reves in "reformed drunkard2" 1t was a
struggle for years to find bread for the little
ones, but he fought bravely, and, disappoint-
ing those who looked for his failure, he held
on, and even saved others from going over the
precipice President Grant, who had known
his father, heard of his struggle and sent for
him. Congratulating him on his reform, he
said
81 want to help you, what can do?''
81 want work" was be reply.
-.-- Yu,r r,>all 49, ~ s~S~ oss,.,,a y.sA
prefer ~ ao-in new scenes or old =
The vonng man said: " Send me, sir,
where left blackened record II may en-
I AID
would be more nseful in my former position. T"
The President wrote u note To the secretary
of that department aud handed il tothe yonng
man, who left. but ere long returned with an
anxious fce.
The secretary sent ,ut word that my APP
piicaticu wo,iId 20 90 file.
The President, with an irouclad expletive,
said You cant put yonr wife aud chill
dreu on sile, can you?" Writing another
note and handing il 10 him, be said 8 Give
this in person aud bring me 40 answer -
Armed With This uissive be confronted the
awful presence beyond the baize doors and
met an impatient refusal.
"What shall tell the Presdent?' he
calmly Inquired
THAT there are no vacancies"
When this was delivered at the White
House the impcrturbable Grant, biting the
end Of cigar, seized red ink pen and wrote
across the face of his former note Make
vacancy, or will E" Take that and bring
his suswer!'
Yet again did the young man return uDsuc-
cessful. The President obtained temporary
employment for his friend. taking him in
person to another department, and awaited
the Cabinet meeting the following day Here
the President seemed as quietly mperturbable
as Sphinx. As the members left, the Presi-
dent followed Secretary - to the door
and said by the way Mr.. Secretary who
would you recommend for your SUCCESSOR"
The astonished gentleman replied, and pass
ing into another department, wrote hasty
resignation and sent it in. He was relieved
of his portfolio the following day.
The young mau made excellent use of the
faith shown IN him by this wonderful Judge
of character, and rose to position of eminent
usefulness and responsibility, which he occu-
pies today in one of the largest cities of our
land. So did the friendless stranger win his
place aud the honorable secretary lose his,
because the warrior chief had traced his course
in lurid characters, not with sword tip, but
with pen, "NIake a vacancy, or will !" and
now, as Of yore, to say was to do. aud the
man who would fight it out on this line"
etc, undeviatingly kept his word National
Republican.