Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-04-09
ALEXANDER HAMILTON STEPHENS
I Fe,c anecdotes Told in The City of Eis
Nativity.


I Fe,C anecdotes Told IN the City of EiS
Nativity.
Gov. Stephens had an especial fondness
for young folks, says the Atlanta Constit,t-
ton, and he was particularly kind to re-
porters who dealt fairly with him. One
thing that he always insisted on was that
ne alone should supply the news of the
executive Office. Soon after he went into
Office, the CONSTRUCTORS young man noticed
things remarkably dry about the executive
Office, and after few queries learned that
the governor had ordered that no news be
given TO the press. That night the Con-
stitutioT's young man was in the Office at
the mansion. The young man was feeling
little blue, because an important source
of news had been taken away, and in a
voice that showed his anxiety, remarked:
Governor, 1 believe you have instructed
the secretaries and clerks in the executive
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 1 to get my department news?''
Turning around to the young man, the
face of the governor lighted up with a
smile as he answered, almost in shout:
''Come to me; I'm boss"
He was as good as his word. After sup
per the reporters would drop around and
the governor always kept them well up
with the news. Sometimes he would throw
in good story for their amusement, as
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 mantelpiece,
another rocked in an easy chair, and a
third sat over by the secretary's desk. The
governor told them the news Of the day,
and as they fingered he began to talk of
times that were before the reporters knew
of this land and cline. Said Mr.. Ste
phens:
II shall never forget my first trip away
from home, nor the impression it made on
me. was quite young man, and some
business fell into my hands that carried
me North. had never been as far as
| Washington before, and of course 1 want
ed to see what was there to be seen.
went into the senate gallery and took my
seat. 1 could easily pick out the promi-
nent men by the pictures that l 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
I was to hear him. He arose and began
speaking in an ordinary conversational
way. l think he took his snuff occasion
ally. He never made a gesture from the
time he opened until he closed. 1 thought
it was all sound doctrine, but I was con-
WINGED that knew dozen college boys
who could have beaten him speaking. The
next morning 1 picked up
a paper. There was his speech,
headed: Mr.. Webster's Great Speech on
the Finances Pshaw, 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 fnan-
ces. I went to Baltimore. There they
had Mr. Webster's great speech on the fl
nances. Preached Philadelphia and every
body was talking about Mr.. Webster's
great speech on the finances. I got to
New York. There everything was in fer.
ment over Mr.. Webster's great speech on
the finances. 1t was the same way in Bos,
ton. So concluded that it must indeed
be great speech. 1t put me to thinking
and L made up my mind that it was moi
the way a 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.