The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1885-05-15
A YANKEE IN NEW YORK.
Anecdote of Gordon W. Burnham-Webster's
Treat at Burnham's Expense.

treat at Burnnam'S Expense.
When Gordon w. Burnham. the
venerable millionaire, died the other
lay, says writer in The New York
Times, the curtain fell on one of the
most interesting careers ever begun
in New England and wrought out in
New York. Obituaries in the news
papers have told how he rose from a
stable boy to be capitalist, and here
and there | have CHANGED upon state
ments representing the rich old gen
tleman as boastful of his humble orr
gin. Such stories are more entertain
ing than accurate. Chief among the
things that gave the millionaire pride
and self-satisfaction was his acquaint-
ance with Daniel Webster, whose
statue he erected as "a friends re-
membrance" in Central park.
l have heard that it was under ra-
Their peculiar circumstances that Mr..
Burnham and Mr.. Webster first met
1t was in country tavern. The Mas
sachusetts statesman was in the not
unusual condition, brimful of good
fellowship on an empty wallet. Mr..
Burnham, in more business-like
manner, left an order with the land
lord, and went to his room. An hour
latter a tremendous rafting and
banging on the wall in the next room
attracted his attention. Then the
sounds of stentorian voice rolled in.
The man in the next room was sum-
monirg his neighbor. Mr.. Burnham
responded, and the inmate of that
next room he found was Daniel Web
ster, with whom hitherto he had en-
joyed scarcely an acquaintance. 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,
II 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 Web
sterian tongue remained bright, though |
Mr.. Burnham would never confess |
that he spoke sharply to his host the
next morning because extras charged
IN his bill had never reached his own
room. Mr.. Webster had generously
RECALLED Mr.. Burnham at Mr.. Burn
lam's own eXpense-a decanter had
;trayed into the wrong room.
Mr.. Burnham was Yankee Of Yam
KEGS in driving a bargain. The close
If the war found him with hand
'ome Fifth avenue house on his hands.
Ills keen foresight told him that it was
| good time to sell such real estate
With prices away up. Gov. Gardiner,
If Massachusetts, knownothing fame
contracted to buy the place, and Mr..
3urnham had just announced his pur-
rose of. spending three or four years in
europe. when real estate prices show
ID signs of a marked decline. Gardi-
Ter wanted to be released from his
'argain, Mr.. Burnham, however, was
n no such accommodating mood.
there was every prospect of a lively
lash in court. Mr.. Burnham had
Ir. Gardeners signature to Bit of
aper, and smiled contontedly; but IN =
be game of yankee eat Yankee"
onors are often easier than they out 1
-ardly seem, and so one day Mr..
was sadly upset by the dis
overy brought to his notice by the |
xultant Gardiner, that there was a |
aw in the title to the property which s
'ould nullify the standing bargain.
he flaw consisted in the fact that {
ewel-post fronting the house and
,rming part of the structure infring- s
/ bare half foot over the dividing I
ne upon adjoining property. Mr.. /
urnham never forgave this "sharp 7
ractice," as he called the action
lat put $4,000 profits just six inches .
eyond his reach. |
Mr.. Burnham drew his check for
,und $4,000 one day, when some t
ody up in Waterbury, where much of
3 financial interest was conferred, sug- 4
,sted that st. Johns Episcopal church G
,eded a new organ. Just beneath
q caves of st. Johns lived one of /,
r. Burnhapl wicked enemies, where &
re-so the wicked enemy put it =
r. Durham carried his generosity a
step further, and st. Johns was I
uipped with a chime of bells whose h
usic fell little short of deafenIng a
ople for many blocks around. 1t "
IS a sort of literal bowling down to a
G doctrine of heaping Goals of fire e
Al. r. ~