Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-03-23
LITTLE ALECK.o
Phenomenal Traits and Habits OF the
Late Governor OF Georgia.

The St. Louis Dispatch saya: "The death
of Gov. Stephens, of GsoIgis, following
| closely on the heels of his old antagonist
Senator Hill, leaves Georgia remark IDLY
free OF men OF note. Tae new senator
| Colquitt, lie not a stesm7n of any marked
| traits, and Mr.. BIrrow, whose short term
has just expired, made a reputation for
| highly embroidered fusii,n. So far as her
delegation in Congress is concerned, the
able,t man now from Georgia is Mr.. Ham
mond, aud it need surprise no one if he
| looms up into prominence.
Mr.. Stephens was grotefque but pitiable
| picture OF human anatomy, weighing about
| ninety pOunds, and, weak in every depart
ment but in his brain, be was forever battling
The managing editors. He had The most re-
mark able lnnk ia AAE2aIi.s The Ivei5 40 OF
death, and is probably one of The few men
in the world who had the pleasure Of cor
recting and revising his own obituary. About
eight years ago he was very low in Wash
ington, and about 3 o'clock in the morning
the Republican was informed that the great
commoner WAS dead. Out came the big
obituary which had been lying on the stone,
and il was placed in the forms. The coun-
try edition had been ruo of, and most OF the
city edition, when the narrowing news came
about o'clock that it was a false report,
anu ludt MI Ol5bueus WAS DctlcT. III u lew
weeks he was all right again, and sent a
c,refully corrected copy OF his life 10 the
Republican with his compliments.
Mr.. Stephens was a astronomical mys.
terry. He could pack away an unreasonable
amount of food. OF course, he never went
to the dining hall of the National Hotel,
where he had made his Washington home
for over thirty year,, and when his "frugsl
msap was sent up it was enough to stagger
the stoutest heart. Tires or four kinds of
meat, all the vegetables, entrees snd desserts,
and coffee and wine. But the old gentleman
went through This outlay like a cyclone, and
came up to the attack regularly three times
day, on schedule time. He would gener-
ally wind up the evening hour over game
of whist with his old cronies, aud he was a
bad man to fool with in this branch of in.
dustry.
Another phenomenal trait Was bis M emory
OF names and faces. He probably knew
every man, woman and dog in Georgia from
their birth up, and was familiar with every
incident of their lives. The writer recalls
one evening when young man from Georgia
was ushered into the room of Mr.. Stephens.
No csrd had come in advance, so that the
old gentleman could not possibly have been
forewarned and forssrmed. The visitor en-
tered modestly, saying he was from Georgia,
and merely wanted to cali and pay hi, re-
spects. Mr.. Stephens held ont his bony
hand, scrutinized his caller closely for several
minutes, and then, calling him by name,
said he was delighted to see him. The
young man wss amazed, and said that his
only introduction TO Mr.. Stephens had been
twelve years before, and was only casual
meeting. Without replying to this the old
man went on kindly enough 10 inquire about
his family, and appeared thoroughly &C.
qusintsd with his surroundings. This was
perhaps the only m an left in public life with
such mysterious gift of memory. Some
feats quite as astonishing are related of the
Maine statesman.