Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1885-03-28
BORROWED FROM SUMNER.
A story About viee.President Wilson
Told by Carpenter.

| iue iOlIO"luS dI.eCuOte, say tne Evan
Gelist, we have heard before, but are
glad 10 have it in an authentic from by
one who was present Mr.. Frank B.
ICarnenter. tire well-known artist, who
painted the picture of Lincoln SHINING
the Emancipation Proclamation" now
in the capitol at Washington, writes as
follows:
The night before Grant aud Wilson
were inaugurated was sitting with
Charles Summer in his library Q was
painting portrait Of him at the time),
when Vice President-elect Wilson came
in. He eat down, and after moment
said: Sumner, will you END me 500 !?
have not money enough tv carry me
over the inauguration Sumnersat down
at his desk and took out his check book,
and As hsshanded Wilson a check for
the amounf asked fof, he said: sWilson.
l have always 500 for a friend Will
son put the check in his pock etbook and
expressing mis- thanks went away.
Sumner turned to me and said: There
is something for your note book
1t is indeed something worthy of rec
ord to the honor of him whom it con-
cerns.- Here was man who was the
next day TO assume the second office in
the government Of the country, yet
whose means were so extremely modest
that he needed 500 for the necessary
expenses of Inauguration. And vet this
man hal had opportunities of boundless
wealth, for he had been in positions of
the highest trust and responsibility.
For eighteen years he had been mem
Der of ftnssenate of the United States,
and daring the whole term of the war
had been chairman of the committee on
military affairs. In this position he had
to do with measures which concerned the
RAISING of vast armies ami their equip
rnent for the field. which involved the
expenditure Of hundred of millions. At
that time the capital was, overpun by
men VINO were seeking profitable con-
tracts with the government. Had he
been willing to take an interest" with
them, he could easily have obtlined the
needed contract through his connection
with the war department., and out of the
profits realized might have put aside
millions for himself Yet, so infexible
was bis integrity, and SO well known.
that no contractor or speculator dared
approach him. He went into his mill
tary committee and into the war depart
ment with clean hands, and with mind
in which there was not thought but
for the good of his country. and he came
out Of tie war as poor as he entered it;
and SO, when he was raised by the voice
of his countrymen to the second place
in the government, he had not at COM
mand even the small sum needed for his
Inauguration.
This anecdote does not surprise us
for it accords with what we had learned
from Mr.. Wilson himself. On one oc-
casion, when in New York lit was while
he was vice-president) he called to see
''us, and sat for an hour Having such a
distinguished visitor. we used = the edi-'
torial privilege ofasking him questions,
to which ne replied. i,ct I'm A'boasti Nc
spirit, but with perfect Grankness and
simplicity. He told us that when he
was boy his parents were SO poer that
at 10 years of age he was put with O.
farmer to "serve out bis timer For
eleven years he worked on a farm, and
during that time he said 1--WE could not
believe it If we had not heard it from
his own lips) that the largest sum he
ever had 40 ooe time was 3 csnts, WIDEN
he was to walk .seyen. miles 70 attend a
general trailing /. ne bad, howevef q
months schooling each year. When
he was II be received for hisTe eleven
years Of laboy apair OF oxen, which he
sold for $S4, andiwith that hei began
life.
SWELL" we said, "Mr. Wilson, we hope
YOU are better of now" q
20 yes," he replied, 81 have my little
place at N ,tick, Mas !, which think is
worth $4,000, and l have about $500
besides" g.,.., ,r.,.r+ asa, 49,. g.. ~,
! This was all; and yet he had then pass
ed his three-score years, of which he
had given more than twenty to the SER
vice of his country,
He did not live to complete his term
in the vice pres deDcy. He died as
poor as ne had live6.i And yet such was
the respect for his character and his
services, that when the tidings came
that he was no more, flags were hung at
half.mast all over the land; and when
his body was carried through our cities
to be laid at last in the soil Of his native
state. the people uncovered their heads
at sight OF his bier; and thus he was
borne to his grave with every mark OF
honor that grateful'country could be
stow or its illustriOus dead. -I y.[
- But the morai Of this -story--teee mot
end. In our cQnversat on we asked Mr..
Wilson not mefely about himself, but
about spehio fmen as he had known
them for more than twenty years in
Washington. We had in mind the
charges of corruption which were so
freely circulated in party papers, from
which the TaderI woujSY have1iPfyrred
that plblic men who were goSesned
soleiv by patriotic motives were but Few.
To our surprise and qualification, he
taSlHeS g 7 e " Wat ~ pisefNzSa tssssS
senators and representatives naembe rs
of the cabinet, and heads of bureaus in
the different departments-the great