Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-08-05

voted to the Union cause, or fought more
valiantly for the integrity OF the Republic.
He played . conspicuous part In any num-
Der of battles during the civil war, and was
wounded in nearly every engagement. The
latter fact was SO widely known among
the army officers that, Just after the battle
of Shiloh, if remember, where he CHANGED
to escape from his usual hurt, Grant met
him, and said laughingly, "How 10 it,
Sweeny, that You have not been hit There
must be some mistake This fight will
hardly count unless you can show another
wound"
The General was in the regular service
from his youth-he rose, think, from
the ranks-and his military record has
always been most creditable. His fault as
a soldier was that he was too brave, brave
to rashness. He has the ardent tempera-
ment of his race he is full of emotion,
swayed by his impulses, generous to de-
feet II he had but half a loaf of bread,
and were very hungry, he would share it
with his friend, or enemy even, and be
pretty sure to give him the larger portion.
Fond of lively company, and brinming
with good fellowship. he is capital right
hand neighbor at dinner; for he always has
fund of pleasant stories and remiEis
cences, and is as
wARM.HEARTED AS HE is BRAVE.
Sweeny is very domestic now, having a
quiet, comfortable home in the suburbs,
but is often seen in the busy haunts down
town with his armless sleeve-fit emblem
of dauntless soldier-and his ruddy, ra-
diant face, that grows more radiant at sight
of Californian of the old days. He is
not so young as he has been the ashes of
time have fallen on his hair but he is rs
erect in figure, his eye as bright his spirit
as young as when he led in the Southwest
the first forlorn hope against the rebel
breast-works, and was cooler in the face of
eminent danger than he would be In snow
storm in Central Park.
Stephen Masset, who calls himself an
Argonaut, and who used to be known on
the Pacific coast as "Jeems Pipes, OF
Pipesville, has turned up here again, after
an absence of some years. He was form
erly permanent guest at the st. Denis,
but since the Encouragement and enlarge.
ment of the hotel he appears to have dis
tributed himself through the town. Mas
set is character, and though his clustering
locks have grown gray and the lines have
deepened in his face, he has not changed
his disposition or his habits. He is as
ready as ever to lend himself as an enter.
Nainer to any festal company. He will
sing, recite, give limitations, and make him.
self miEcellaneously useful ard ornamental,
any afternoon or evening, without any con-
sideration. He deems himself sufficiently
remunerated for his efforts by the good
cheer and good society he encounters.
just what his calling is it would be hard
to say. He is wont to speak of himself as
a traveller, humorist, writer, diner out,
recitationist, man Of society and the world,
and dozen other things that / cannot re-
call. / doubt if anybody except himself
knows how he lives but he is always well
dressed and well fed, and rejoices in the
possession, as he will tell you any time, of
innumerable intimate friends among the
richest and most prominent people in the
land. You can hardly mention a noted
parsonage anywhere with whom Masset has
not been, and is yet, on the most familiar
terms.
He is the incarnation of good nature,
never taking offense at anything, and never
letting any man of distinction escape with.
out the honor of bis acquaintance. If he
would write veracious autobiography, it
would be intensely interesting it would
introduce the public to many curious
scenes and experiences of which it has
scarcely an intination. He was at the re.
cent annual reunion at Martinelli's, of the
Associated Pioneers of California. OF
course he was he never misses such an
occasion, or any occasion, indeed, where he
can make himself conspicuous, and add to
the entertainment by a bit Of self adver.
Using. All things considered, all his ante
cedents taken into account, Massett is very
remarkable, and in his way, though a
queer one, he is man of genius.
CHAUBERT.