Mexico weekly ledger., 1882-08-17
Long .Iohn's Story,


Wentworth, of Chicago, describes how
Congress: ,.,..-l
Mr.. Webster won my lasting gratitude
by his assistance in the passage OF the
had passed the House and been referred
to the Committee on Commerce, q ma
jority of whom were Of the ''strict con-
struction" school, believing that Con-
gress could improve a natural harbor,
but not make one. went before the
committee to defend the appropriation
for harbor at Little Fort, now called
Waukegan. 1 found I had no friends
there but Senator Reverdy johnson, Of
Maryland. The committee recommend
ed that the appropriation be struck out.
Senator John A. Dix, of New York, led
the opposition. He had been a grad
uate of West Point, was a good engi-
neer, had brought the map Of survey
into the Senate, and was having great
influence against it. Twas seated in the
lobby directly behind Col. Thomas H.
Benton, and Webster was upon his usual
walk. He gave me a nod Of recogni-
ton and passed on. Gen. Dix kept up
his fire and felt it. Our Senators, Sid
ney Breese and James Semple, were
| both from the southern part of the State
and had no personal knowledge of the
merits of the case. The Indiana Sena-
tors were similarly situated. Wiscon-
! sin had no Senators. As Webster was
travelling to and fro past me the thought
occurred TO me that. as he was "a lib
eral constructionist," he was Just the
man to rectify all the damage that Gen.
Dix was doing. But it was small mat
! ter for SO great man. Besides, knew
that his colleague, Senator John Davis,
was taking the side of Senator Dix.
Every time Webster passed me re-
solved that the next time he came l
would speak to him. But my courage
would forsake me when reflected that
he was Wing and l was Democrat.
| wanted some excuse to speak to him.
He had known my father. He was q
son of New Hampshire and graduate
of the same college with myself. But
my heart failed me; and yet it was all
the time signing, webster, Webster,
do but speak to me-" At length came
his voice, in deep, sepulchral tone:
''Wentworth, what is Dix making all
this ado about?" Promptly the answer
came: "Mr. Webster, since your trip
around the lakes from Chicago in 1887
we have had but few appropriations for
old harbors, and none for new ones.
This place is halfway between Chicago
and Milwaukee and we want harbor
of refuge there" II see the point, I
see the point" says Webster, and at
once went to his seat upon the Senate
floor
When Gen. Dix had concluded, Mr..
Webster observed that he could add
nothing to the conclusive argument of
the Senator from New York in favor Of
the appropriation. He thought he had
satisfied all the Senators that there was
no harbor at the place, and so the House
must have thought when it made the
appropriation to construct one there.
Upon what did the Senator from New
York found his doctrine that, when
God created the world, or even Lake
Michigan, he left nothing for man to
do? The curse pronounced upon our
first parents for their transgression was
in entire conflict with any such doc
trine. He did not believe that the Con-
stitution of the United States was such
a narrowly contracted instrument that
it would not permit the construction of
q harbor where the necessities of COM
merce required. He then foreshadowed
the growth of the West, its abundant
products, its gigantic commerce, its
numerous people. He started steamer
for Chicago laden to the guards with
freight and passengers. He then de-
scribed storm in a manner that no
man but Webster could describe. His
flight of eloquence equaled his best at
Bunker Hill or Plymouth Rock. You
could hear the dashing waves, the
whistling winds, the creaking timbers
and the shrieking passengers, and, as
he sent the vessel to the bottom, with
all on board, he exclaimed: what
but merciful Providence saved me
from such catastrophe when passed
over Lake Michigan in 1887" At such
fore all the more welcome surprise. I
read your familiar name amongst the
list of arrivals published in the papers.
but did not know whetherit were real
ly my old friend or not"
The bright color bathes Daisy's face
at the unaffected pleasure in his tones,
and she answers frankly and simply, as
she places her small gloved hand in his:
II, too, am very glad to meet you. !"
Then, turning to her father, who by
this time has recognized to his infinite
wonderment in the celebrated orator
the young man he met five years ago in
the country, she says: Papa, this is
Mr.. Haughton-you surely remember
him."
After that every evening that Mr..
Haughton's engagements allow him to
call his own finds him at Daisy's side,
and after a little everything is explained,
and she learns how it was that he had
allowed her, though loving her passion
ately, to go out of his life without a
/ word or question, and how he, whom
, her father had looked upon as a detri-
mental, was in reality heir to large
, fortune, and even then engaged in the
scientific pursuits which aftcrward made
his name noted. His health for the time
, having suffered from over application
to study, he had come to his uncle's-
his mother brother s-to recruit, know.
: ing the benefit fresh air and outdoor ex'
ercise does both to the brain and body.
! A month goes by, and one afternoon
: Mr.. Nelson concludes an all-importan'
conversation by saying:
r II hope, Mr. Haughton, that.now you
= are to be my son-in-law, you will let by
> cones be bygones. and bear Inc no NAL
, ice for the past | thought was act
3 ing fer the best. My daughter was my
all, and considered you not desira
, bic match for her. trust you will par
don me for my frankness when assure
O you how proudly aud gladly now re
q sign her to you. When l intimatcd t.
/ you that there was another suitor in tn
< case did deceive you in the word
: Only in the letter-for there was one
r rich, and with fine prospects, who TO
e some time had looked upon Daisy witt
q the same feelings as yourself; thoug
v the truth was, and / knew it, she re
garded him with utter indifference"
Steven took the old gentleman's prof
fered hand. .....
II can certainly condone the past.
: he answered, ''in view of the joyeu
q future which you have opened befor
me in giving ME the right to WOO fu
9 my own your dear daughter"
v And SO, not long after. the merr
bells ring ont, and the sun, streamin
r through the stained. glass church-wiu
dows, falls like radiant benedictio
d upon the bowed heads Of Steven Haugl
ton and his newly made bride,
le And their prospect is of the happies
p for the love that could keep tru.
though lost to sight" for five Ion
W Years. will surely mover falter throug
the varied experiences Of the wedde
existence whose fairy portals they al
SO hopefully and trI,stingly entering.