Cheyenne transporter. [volume] (Darlington, Indian Terr.) 1879-1886, 1885-01-15
A DROP TOO MUCH.
How Flask of whisky Changed the Destiny
OF fxxo Mou

ting aOOuU the NlClSS1tuucS OI pTcSlucIl-
tial elections, and the part played by
luck in every persons life. An Incl
dent as trivial as q shower of rain has
turned many victory into a Water
loo. A fool utters an alliterative sem
tence and the destiny of the nation is
perhaps changed, and history hangs
upon a silly phrase. Clevelands al
legged luck was particularly touched
upon, and while it was under discus
sion the host said ''By the way, 1
sometimes flatter myself that l made
Grant president.
The speaker was evidently serious,
and as he is an old and well-known
merchant in Chicago, there is hardly
any reason to doubt the singular story
that he told.
''The year the war broke out" he
said, II was drummer for the old
grocery house of Smith Il Williams, on
Lake street. l frequently visited
Mattoon, ILL.,, and the last time | did
so was during that eventful year. The
month forget, but know it was sum-
mer time, for | wore a duster, Il Curl
Gus garment then in vogue, having a
cape instead of sleeves and couple
of capacious pockets. | knew the firm
of Monroe Bros, at Mattoon, consist
ing of Frank, James and Bird Monroe.
Frank was the senior partner, and man
aged the business, but the others were
lively fellows. and | was accustomed
To 90 on shooting trips with them
whenever l visited the town. This
time | went to the store as usual, and
asked Frank where his brothers were.
If you want to see them, was the re-
ply, you must go out to the camp.
They have Joined the army.
''The camp of the regiment, whose
number forget, was on the outskirts
of the town. AS was about to start
some one in the grocery store said that
the boys would appreciate a little good
whisky. as they couldn't get anything
of that kind in camp. l walked over
to Griffin's bar and got two fiat quart
fias KS of his best liquor, putting one in
each pocket. Then off 1 went. !
made my way to the camp all right,
and soon ran across my two friends.
While we were chatting told them
what | had in my pockets, and asked
them where / should unload. Come
to the ColOnel's tent, said one of them
'he is an old officer and he would ap-
preciate a drop of something as well
as any one.
1--WE went to the Colonel's tent, and
| was introduced to a red-faccd, sturdy
looking man who struck me as typi-
cal soldier. He was man of irasc:ble
temper, as | afterward learned, but he
had done good service in the field,
having served with distinction in the
Mexican war. Well, we all sat down
and began drinking The time quickly
slipped away, and one quart flask was
empty. We began on the other |
soon felt that had taken enough, and
that the best thing l could do was to
get out OF camp and attend to my bust
ness. So l said good-by to the boys,
and left them.
That afternoon, | remember,
transacted all my business, and early
the next morning was on my way to
Chicago. On the train bought copies
OF the Chicago papers, and was sur
prised to see, figuring in black head
lines, the name of my Colonel. / read
beneath dispatch dated the night be.
fore from Mattoon, H., giving an ac-
count of serious trouble in the camp
that / had visited. 1t seems that the
Colonel became violently drunk, en-
gagged in an alteration with one of his
officers, and, drawing his sword, Sc
verely wounded the latter. Such an
occurrence, of course, made terrible
scandal, and the Colonel was peremp-
torily discharged from the army.
"At this time T. S. Grant had his
hands in his pockets waiting for a job.
He had high recommendations to the