Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1885-04-16
A YANKEE IN NEW YORK.
Aneedote of Gordon w. Burnham-
Webster's Treat at Burnham's Ex-


Aneodote of Gordon w. Burnham-
pense.
When Gordon w. Burnham, the
venerable millionaire, died the other
day, says a writer in The New York
Times, the curtain fell upon one of
the most interesting careers ever be
gun in England and wrought out in
New York. Obituaries in the news
papers have told how he rose from a
stable boy to be a capitalist, and hcr
and there | have CHANGED upon state
meats representing the rich old gen
tleman as boastful of his humble
origin. Such stories are more enter
tanning than accurate Chief among
the things that gave the millionaire
pride ana self~Sabsfsctiou was his ac-
quaintance with Daniel Webster,
whose statue he erected as "a friends
remembrance in Central Park.
1 have heard that it was under
rather peculiar circumstances that
Mr.. Burnham and Mr.. Webster first
met, 1t was in a country tavern.
The Massachusetts, statesman was in
the not unusual condit on, brimful
Of good fellowship on an empty wal
let Mr.. Durham, in more bust
ness like manner left an order with
the landlord, and went to his room.
An hour later a tremendous rafting
and banging on the wall in the next
room attracted his attention. Then
the sounds of a stentorian voice
rolled in. The man in the next room
was summoning his neighbor. Mr..
Burnham responded, aRd the inmate
of that next room he found was
Daniel Webster, with whom hitherto
he had scarcely enjoyed an aequain-
lance. Mr.. Webster wasn't any less
happy than he had been earlier in the
evening below stairs. A decanter,
not quite full, ornamented the table.
I'm lonelyW quoted Mr. Webster,
Il want company. Life is brief, and
let's be joyful while we may
Mr.. Burnham was agreeable, and |
imagine that to the end of his life the
memory of that eventful night and
the good stories that rolled from the
WebSterian tongue remained bright,
though Mr.. Burnham would never
confess hat he spoke sharply to his
host the next morning because extras
charged in his bill had never reached
his room. Mr.. Webster had gener.
ously regaled Mr.. Burnham az Mr..
Burnham's own eXpense-a deceanter
had strayed into the wrong room.
Mr. Burnham was a Yankee al
Yankees in driving a bargain. The
close of the war found him with q
handsome Fifth avenue house on his
hands. His keen foresight told him
that it was a good time to sell reaI
estate with prices away up. Gov
Gardiner, of Massachusetts, know
nothing fame, contracted to buy the
place, and Mr.. Burnham had Just an
nounced his purpose of spending three
or four years in Europe, when real
estate prices showed signs of a market
decline. Gardiner wanted TO be re-
leased from his bargain Mr.. Burn.
ham, however, was in no such accom-
modating mood. There was every
prospect of lively clash id court
Mr.. Burnham had Mr.. Gardiner
signature to bit of PAPER, and smile'
contentedly; but in the game o
Yankee eat Yankee" honors ar
often ecsier than they ouCwardly seem
and so one day Mr.. Burnham wa
sadly upset by the discovery, brough
to his notice by the exultant Gardiner
that there was flaw in the title to the
property which would nullify tn,
standing bargain. The flaw consisted
in the fact that a newel-pos
fronting the house and forming par
of the structure infnnged bare hal
foot over the dividing line upon adj
joining property. Mr.. Burnham neve
forgave this sharp practice, as hr
called the action that put $50, 600 prof
Just six inches beyond his reach.
Mr.. Burnham drew his check for
round $100 one day, when some
body up in WATERBURY,, where muci
of his financial interests was centered
suggested that st. Johns Episcopa
church needed a a new organ. JUS
beneath the caves Of st. johns LIVED
one of Mr.. Burnham's wicked enc
mics, wherefore the wicked enemy
put it-Mr. Burnham carried his gen
crosby a step further, and st. johns
was equipped with a chime of bell
whose music fell little short of deaf
ening people for mary blocks around
1t was a sort of literal bowling d0wr
to the doctrine of heapiug Goals of fire
on ''the other fellows head.