The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-04-18
ALEXANDER III. STEPHENS.
Few Anecdotes Told In the City of ii
Nativity.

| A Few Anecdotes Told in the City OF His
Nativity.
Governor Stephens had an especial fond
ness for young folks, says the Atlanta Con-
stitution, and he was particularly kind to
reporters who dealt fairly with HIM. One
thing that he always insisted on was that he
alone should supply the news of the Execu-
tive office. Soon after he went into Office
the Constitutions young man noticed things
remarkably dry about the Executive Office,
and after few queries learned that the
| Governor mad ordered that no news be given
TO the press. That light the Constirution's
young man was in the office at the Mansion.
The young man was feeling a little blue be-
| cause an ina portant source of news had been
taken away, and in a voice that showed his
anxiety, remarked:
Governor, believe you have instructed
the Secretaries and clerks in your Office to
tell me nothing?'
81 have" was the reply. my first order is
that no person connected with the Office shall
mention anything that is said or done
there"
But, Governor" asked the reporter, show
am to get my department news?'
Turning around to the young man, the
face of the Governor lighted up with q smile
as he answered almost in a shout:
Come to me; I'm boss"
He was as good as his word. After supper
the reporters would drop around and the
Governor always kept them we'll up with
the news. Sometimes he would throw in a
good story for their amusement ss Z o'clock
was his leisure hour. One night three of
the boys" were there. They were scattered
around the room, one young fellow leaned
on the mantlepiece, another rocked in an
easy chair, and a third sat over by the Secre-
tarys desk. The Governor told them the
news of the day, and as they fingered he be-
gan to talk of the times that were before the
reporters knew of this land and cline Said
Mr.. Stephens:
II shall never forget my first trip away
from home, nor the I'm prassion il made on
me. was quite young man, and some
business fell into my hands that carried me
North. had never been as far as Washing
ton before, and of course / wanted to see
what there was to be seen. | went into the
Senate gallery and took my seat. 1 could
easily pick out the prominent men by the |
pictures that had seen of them. Pretty |
soon question came up and the President
OF the Senate announced that Mr.. Webster |
was entitled TO the floor. OF course was
very much gratifed that was to hear him |
He arose and began speaking in an ordinary |
conversational way. L think he took his |
snuff occasionally. He never made gesture /
from the time he opened until he closed. |
thought it was all sound doctrine, but was |
convinced that knew dozen College boys |
who could have beaten him speaking. The |
next morning picked up paper. There |
was his speech, headed. Mr.. Websters Great |
Speech on the Finances 'Psbaw, 1 thought, |
they don't call that great speech, do they
saw another paper. There it was again |
headed Mr.. Webster's great speech on the
finances. went to Baltimore. There they |
had Mr.. Webster's great speech on the finan-
ces. reached Philadelphia and everybody |
was talking about Mr.. Webster's great speech
on the finances. got to New York. There |
everybody was in a ferment over Mr.. Web
ster's great speech on the finances. 1t was
the same way in Boston. So concluded
that it must indeed be great speech. 1t put
me to thinking, and 1 made up my mind
that it was not the way man said anything,
but what he said, that made him an
orator."
1t was with such stories as the above that
The Governor entertained the reporters
when they had a moment to spare.