Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-06-01
SIR PETER AND THE COW.
How Sir John Mackenzie was Com
PEELED to Pay the Widow Her Due.


PEELED to Pay the Widow Her Due.
Indianapolis Journal.
While in Montreal 1 heard good story
of Sir Peter Mitchell, member of the
Parliament from New Brunswick, of
whom l spoke in a recent letter. He was
an opposition member during the lamenta-
BILE government of Sir John Mackenzie in
the last decade, and was constant and
most uncomfortable thorn in the side of
that unhappy Premier. Sir John was a
conspicuous railroad magnate, and just
before the opening Of Parliament one
winter Sir Peter called on him to induce
him to pay $40 for a widows COW that had
been run over by the cars. 81 don't
believe there's anything in it," exclaimed
the Premier, peremptOrily. "Ifs a
trumped up case, but I'll inquire and you
call tomorrow"
The gentleman from New Brunswick
was not used to being treated so cavalierly,
but he pocketed it and called in the
morning.
There's no Justice in it. We won't
pay for the cow" broke in Sir John.
"YOu won't; won't you" rejOined Sir
Peter, with manner quite as bouncing
as that of the leader Of the government.
"Have you been there or sent there and
investigated itr'
''No, l haven't, but l won't pay for the
COW. It's a mere trife, and she ought to
have kept off the track"
''Don't the law say you shall have a
fence?'
Il won't pay for the cow now; and
that's all the answer you'll get.'
You won't pay for the widows COW;
won't YOU, Sir John Mackenzie? l will
make you pay for it," exclaimed Sir
Peter, now thoroughly aroused.
"YOu will; you will! How will youw
growled the Premier
''Ill take it out of you during the ses-
sion, as sure as you are a living man.
The widows $40 isn't anything, isn't ltI
III take it out of yOuw
1t was an Irishman against Scotch
man, and both were angry. The sequel
proved that Sir Peter took it out of him
very thoroughly. He is rOund-headed
man, a hard worker, pugnaclous and
redOubtable foe, an unfOrglVing enemy,
bold and elegant in debate, no dilettante,
but a hard hitter, and some OF his
Onslaughts were furious. If he had not
great tact he had great force, and he
never forgot the COW. In the speeches he
made every day against the measures
and methods of the government, then
under serious suspicion, he told the story
of the COW and trotted her out with a
frequency that must have seemed ike
cruelty to animals.
Finally the last day of the session
dawned, and the consideration Of Mac
kenzie's expense budget was resumed.
1t provided the appropriations of the
coming year.
Sir Peter Mitchell took the floor and
launched into eulogy of the deceased
COW and the propriety OF making an
appropriation for the widow. He was
greeted with laughter and hooking
applause, and then his auditors waited
uneaslly for him to finish. He told the
story over again with establishment and
Celebrations. He cOntrasted the stingi-
ness of the wealthy ruler with the quiet
endurance of the penniless widow. He
began TO read. from the Bible the COM
mands to mercy, justice justice an, and
bers struggled out one by one to
dinner. Sir Peter bit a piece of biscuit,
drank a swallow of water, and continued
impressing upon the empty chairs about
the tender duties and graces Of humanity.
Members struggled in again. He quoted
the Song of the Shirt. They appealed to
him to draw his remarks to a close. He
retOld the story of the COW. Meantime,
Sir John Mackenzie was perSplrlng with
wrath and anxiety in the Premier's
apartment hard by. All his hopes were
bound up in the appropriation budget.
What if it should not come to vote I!
The honorable member from New Bruins
wick could not be stopped, for this was
the only bill in the Canadian Parliament
on which a member could speak as long
as he wished. There was no way of cut
ting short the debate. No motion was in
order while he was speaking, except the
motion to adjourn, and that would be
adjournment sine die.
The government members were i'll con-
sternation, as the orator delivered a
speech on the blessings of vaccination,
gave statistics on the cost of fences in the
United States, passed an elaborate
encOmium on the superiority for draft
purposes of Devon cattle, to which class
the deceased domestic friend of the
| bereaved widow belonged, and then
began to describe the religious cere-
monies in which the sacred cow Of Bur-
NAH takes part, when the bell rang for
vespers. a short time more and the
session would expire by law, and the
government had passed no appropriation
bill!
At this critical juncture one of the gov
| eminent members returned eXcitedly
| from the Premler's room, rushed to the
| orators desk, and exclaimed: SIN the
name of God, what ails you, Mitchell
| What do you want ?'-"still," said Sir
| Peter, finishing the sentence he had on
! his lips, ''nOt a cent has ever been paid
| for the widows cOww The member
| uttered a vehement exclamation about
| that animal, and added: ''Sir John Mac
| kenzie authorizes me to say that he will
pay for the COW, if you'll let this bill come
| to a vote"
Sir Peter sat down, rather tired, and
the widow got her pay. The government
organs declared that the Widows cow
| had cost $4,000. Her champion is still
| known in iCanada as Bismarck Mitchell,
on account of his bOldness and shrewd-
ness in outwitting a Cabinet and making
| himself long the adyiser-in-chief of a
vacillating Governor.