The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1884-12-31
Yoar lot rney with your album die
A II enotlpSs AZ vOur life

Yoar lot rnGy with your album die
| All sDotless As your life.
No more delicate and honsyed complI
ment was ever paid in graceful language By
French courtier. And how gratifying
must have been the following. which Is writ.
ten on the next page in fine schoolgirl
band, and signed simply 81. Clay:
II can not comply with the request which
you have made 10 inscri6e my name in your
album, without adding an expression OF the
satisfaction which Mrs. Clay and have de-
rived from your acquaintance, hope that
opportunities similar to that which has
| brought Us together in this city may be ever
enjoyed by ourselves and those who succeed
as. and a fervent wish that you, your family,
and your friende. may always e"joy happi-
ness and prosperity"
Theodore Freli~yhuysen of New Jersey,
the father of the present Secretary OF State,
chose ping leaf upon which to offer his
tribute Of esteem, and in q hand almost as
fine as that of Henry Clay, but sdorne
| with fiouTishes, wrote:
| No uDsvailing regrets for tho psst-aBd
For the future hope full OF Immortality.
| William H. Prescott, the istorian, in a
| Characteristic, undecjpbersble historians
| hand. under the date of April 5, 1916, paid q
compliment to the fair collector, and gladly
| his sentiment opposite to that OF the grest
eloquent, and fiery orator, Senator William
@. Preston of South Carolina.
"Most willingly" he wrote, do 1 COM
memorate a very happy day, for which sm
| indebted to the agreeable society of the fair
owner Of this little book"
On an estbetic yellow page, in dark brown
ink, there runs this inscription:
J. @. Calhoun, with his best wishes for the
health and happiness Of Mrs. Evans
Senate Chamber, 9th June, 1884.
At the top of pink page, whose edges
have faded into a dead buff hue through
age, there is name, written in violet ink,
that il is hardly likely any one would be
able to decipher. 1t reninds one OF the let
ter that Horsce Greeley once sent to Mark
Twain, and which was translated in fifteen
different languages. 1t is the name of Elihu
B. Washburne, who was Grants first Score
tsry of State. and sfterwsrd resigned aud
WAS Minister to France during the remainder
of the administration. Fortunately for
posterity Mr.. Wsshbufne wrote but his
name and his residence.
DunDg Charles Dickens stay in Washing
ton, on the occasion of his fret visit to the
United States, and before be had written his
unfortunate and i'll conceived American
Notes" he made the acquaintance OF Mrs.
Evans and the two thereafter remained on
the most friendly terms. The great novel
ist, in com plying with request to write In
the album exerted himself quite briefly, as
will be seen. This is all that there is on the
page:
Faithfully yours
CHARLES DICKENS,
Washington, Sixteenth March, 1924.
unique autograph IL that OF the re-
nOwned Indian scout, Dayy Crockett.
Crockett had just been elected to Congress,
and was busily applying himself to the task
OF learning to read and write. These were
accomplishments that 10 him had before
Scpunad mt zau1ar No araful
aud potent training OF Mrs. Crockett, who
was herself gifted with not inconsi6erRble
fund of knowledge, the valiant Dsvy soon
picked up" and served his constituents
with credit. When Mrs. Evans was intro
duced to him he was sitting on s lounge.
Without rising he bent his head in saluta-
ton, aud, with a long sweep of his srD,
said: "How are you, my good madam; |
am glad to see you"
He wrote literally as follows in the album:
WASHINGTON, 18th June, 1884.
Mrs Evens Of main REQUESTS The hunter
from the west to write his name in her Al
bum.
Her curiosity shsll be crattified By Sen.
timent wishing Der helth and hspines-4nd
8 Safe arivel at her residence with her fam
lily and friends. DAVID CROCKETT.
Daniel Webster preferred a plain white
page. His sentiment was couched in plain
prose, and bears evidence of having been
written hastily. 1t wss as follows:
Ny DEAR LADY.
/ lave only time to wish you good Jour
ney, and to express the hope that you may
meet all friends well. T'r truly
DAN'L WEBsTEE-
The great statesman was not satisfied with
the first letter OF meet" but after writing
it scratched it out and substituted one of
more pleasing and correct proportions.
Martin Van Buren,, under date OF Feb. II.
1895, wrote.
1t gives me pleasure to comply with Mrs.
Evsns' request by placing my name IN her
album.
Mr.. Van Buren, wsa then Vice-President
with Andrew Jackson, and was elected
President two years later
Gen. Winfield Scott visited Senator and
Mrs Evans at their home in Gardiner, Me-,
in March, 1850. and while there he contri-
buted TO the album and gave free rein to O
poetic fancy, that would seem to be not in
harmony with wsrlike spirit, in this lam
gusge:
Here, on the ban kof the beautiful Ken
nebec, in Gardiner, and under her hospitable
roof. I am requested to inscribe my name
on this tablet, which do rs ark of my
high respect and esteem for Mrs. Evans. L
have visited her country in haste, write in
haste, and leave il with admiration and
regret.
On blue page is written;
Very respectfully,
Your ob't serv't
WASHINGTON JRvISs,
Washington, April 20, 1872.
And underneath it:
entirely agree with Irving.