The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1884-07-26

than John C. The latter's memory is
fresh in Kentucky, though his grave,
near Henry Clay's, is not marked yet
even by such modest monument as
crowns Clay's. There are, of course,
many more men who remember Breckin-
ridges last days than can remember
Clay's. Breckinridge's life ended sad
ly. He was vanquished, utterely van
quished by the war. He did not care
very much about living after the sur
render of Lee. He was poor and mel
ancholy. He said he would never speak
in public again. He never did. The
people of Kentucky thought everything
of him. He was received with all the
honors wherever he went, but he never
opened his mouth in public from the
end of the war to the end of his life.
Clay is remembered as more serene in
his latter days-as great man of great
ways in all his days-while he was still
young lawyer, later in local politics,
at last in national politics. His won-
derful memory for names and faces is
always spoken of in connection with his
wonderful tact. During one of his
triumphal progresses down the Ohio
river, when he was at the heigth of his
fame, he was to stop at certain town
for an hour or two to enable the people
to shake hands with him. For days be-
fore he arrived Griggsby, well-to-do
citizen, had talked about his having
known Mr.. Clay at a time when the
latter boarded Lexington Hotel, in
which Griggsby was barkeeper. Griggs-
by did not tell the people that one
night, when Clay had played ca;ds in
the hotel till he had lost his money and
his luck, he had borrowed $50 from
Griggsby at the latter's suggestion,
which had straightway followed his own
money into his opponents pockets.
He had promised Griggsby ne would
repay him when he got some money.
But it was a long time before he got
some, and then Griggsby was no longer
in Lexington, and SO he forgot Griggs-
by's loan. Griggsby was glad he didn't
remember. 1t was his proudest men,
ory that he had onceloaned Mr.. Henry
Clay $50. And now Mr.. Clay was
coming to town, and Griggsby felt sure
he would be recognized. The town
was on pins and needles of excitement
all day. The town band made it fairly
dance with uneasiness. Mr.. Clay boat
was announced forty times before it ar
rived. Any number of small boys
tumbled into the water looking for it.
The refreshments got cold the crowd
got tired, and the Reception Commit
tee forgot its little speech of welcome.
At last Mr.. Clay arrived. He was at
his zenith point. He always looked as
great as he was. He looked a very
demi-god to the people of that little
town. They got him to the hall.
They read the speech of welcome to
him from the original manuscript.
Then they formed line and the big
fish presented the minnows. At last
came Griggsby's turn.zETrepahli- sss
man might have forgotten him, he ad-
vapced, while all the townfolks watched
with eagerness the much-talked of meet
ing. He did not have to be presented.
"Why, Mr.. Griggsby," said Clay, as
he came forward, 81 am very glad to
see you again. Mr.. Grlggsby, word
with you," and he led him out of the
open monthed throng for aquiet chat in
the ecorner. Then Griggsby left, flushed
with triumph. He did not tell the
people of the town what had passed in
the weighty conference. But by and
by it leaked out that after asking about
his health and his property Clay had
insisted, in spite of Griggsby's vigorous
protest, in making a memorandum to
return that loan. And return it he did.