New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-12-13
MAHONE'S BOYHOOD DAYS.
GAMBLING WITH HIS FATHER-NOTES FROM
THE CAPITAL.

lFRoM THE REGULAE CORRESPONDENT or THE TRIBUNE'l
WASHINGTON, Dec 12.-William Malone,
the politician Ia figure the outlines of which have been
familiar to the country for several years. William
Malone, the man, is known to but small circle OF
intimate friends. In tho public mind his VIII be
associated always with the movement which sought to
rid Virginia of Bourbon rule. Among those who know
him best he will chiefly DO remembered for the qualities
which made him what he Il tOdayOne OF the few self
made men whom the South has produced, The history
of MahOne's early years shows plainly than any
subsequent period OF his does what sort OK stun
the man Is made Of. There have been many sef-made
men in this country, who In their youth overcame
difficulties and successfully contended against great
odds. need only poiut lives Of Lincoln and Gar
field But there are few, II indeed any, who ike
Malone called upon superior to the disrer
utable surroundings and the evil associations OF their
own home In thus respect. believe lie stands alone
among tue successful men OF his day.
HahOncs father tavern keeper at Jerusalem. In
southampton County, Virginia, when the future Senator
In the early TART OF the century he had come
from Ireland and for time had been engaged iu eddng
goods from town to He irascble man, too
fond OF the bottle fear and inveterate gambler
His wife died still young and left the boy entirely
the Of the rather The tavern the resort OF
drovers and cattlemon the West who found 1t
conveniently situated the turnpike connecting Ken
lucky and tbs southern part of ONO with eastern VIZ
gnia whore they sold their stock planters who raised
nothing but tobacco on their plantations In such
company young Malone up His father instead OF
teaching hun his grammar instructed hln IN the rudi-
mcnts Of Old slcdge." seven up" and backgammon.
lie found it be confessed apt scholar In
his sou. Bill" becnmc EXPERT in backgammon aud
not man IN the nelgnbOrhood who could beat
him at the game The elder Malone was rather proud
aud took his around with him to country fairs
and race courses where he would match him against
farmers pocket good deal Of money 10y exhibiting
1 roll, .,f n,v In Tho
exercised hs skill against the patrons OF The establish
rent and q need hardly he SAIL never without being
successful When during the long winter nights rather
aud LETT alone they played against each Other
but always for money, just 10 keep their hand in.
Whether with advancing age the old man lost his
cunning and no longer match FOR his SON. or his
fOudness for liquor got the better Of him. don't know
Al any rate hc found one d,y when tue after
ui .hrs steady play that he had lost everything ne
owned the world tavern his barn. his horses, the
good Will OF the place, everything, to his son Young
MahOuc generous however and gave hi, father an
opportunity To- retrieve his fortunes In fact tic old man
won back shortly every thing lac had lost aud for years.
50 the story goes father and continued to play cards
with VARYING the tavern passing from father TO
son and from son to ftthor the cards would favor
either the or t,e other.
Thrust have been when Ae WAS about years OF
axe in!t 10 change came over young Malone. The Aio
nee led At the TAVERN TN tac company OF his at.r sud Of
CAille urofeF~ hr-tu 10 ~ ~ nli'' 'i '''' '
different and ct It sail 70 Hi, credit fora wor;Dirr
field OF activity. The opportunity tor change was not
long in presenting itself 4 lucky turn OF the cards
found MN day possession OF th" tavern anu De
determined 90 keep e. Io did 80, and on tie following
day h. p.e 4cd his kuap-tck and started for Richmond on
foot A.. distance %, scycuty Ave miles. ~ proved the
turuu, put OF his he. r hal severed te CONNIE ton
winch boaul hu to tIc Old tavern forever Though he
ra,- returned 10 hl4 homo lftcc TINS be- dd not orset
li. father Ia tact u Was lucky tuu- tor iur latter
t,t ue h,l lost tho tavern his boy. The passion for
gambling hal become 20 strong in MIN lh'iihr tavern
probably VoIll not have remained ia A.7 possession
,,r, long What Young Manouc dd in Richmond Is well
known. How ho secured HIs appout % t"c Lr>Hi
ton Military In.titltr, how be Was graduated with
b.nor. how he bcramc the Assistant Engineer VI the
ylr.un Central Railroad what part he took ia tnr A.
how ne became president OF consolidated ln" OF road
extending into Tennessee. aud how dee l'd tue frd'-'
increment tn l--O all matters with winch in" I
pro,r are already familiar. II Ta- simply tlii pl,r oi
bus carly lilo whiru rs comparatively p"h aug 'l
wuicn MsHoar himself rarely Srr'h.' l' MI," ' mo-
than tain: else illustrates the mans CHARACTER tAh
Wished 90 -pcif about
senator E,aI;s toll good story the othr day in con
IT, dlspo-al Tor rrWarinE -t"I, wa" Ala N"r''''"
wrecked -ciin"n some I've %. ''N ' 7 "l' ~ %,
90 80 ow cUU that the Department coh'"''i ' was
Test 10 economic nilr lhrl therefore CONF yea
W4tuA New England watch Drn to -uppy .."'p -I''o
o' 7,S's "a,,n 81 .,,si by tar rrc.l.nf ot The
Iutyd states - Ter gallant services iu hiIht li'
rr.,, az me wrecked American 9ulp --." About the
u. ,bi Ic"nI,,t,,u wa, tInrn. a swedish captain
rescued u party OF seventeen American reALcl ANA
,nrn' Inv rT tirncI over To the consul. In due
coIr-c of time when A, gallant action became known
tue Department forwarded OF These WATCHES u" ln
through the customary channels lhr captain To "u"i
tic valuable token WAS t. bo prosecuted was 'nuirI
under tue law To- % cents day Tor cacu seaman l''r
during tho time no hat charge of them II" Pii ih h'
claim against the Government and asked Ia" u' Grtuh
Grafton. when he dd receive the tA'nh7 o tA S'
Government ln substantial tnrW ID" 'lld 1907 lac Ut
Instead OF wearing II a. II Wa rNpr''1 he "t 49,
lace hang II up IN snow "lhdo" lu '''''4'
II attached card bearing lrZnhl sonnet huL I" li'
Presented 70 Captain Sem" 10y th' Ii''H'n. "a t
United states Tor rradorhB all 10 seventeen St,'
wrecked American retWrn inns token &lN'N som, '.'
OF value which that great crIh'} p'''7 I' 'u,
lives siilurs." Tho watch attrt yea -"' ''t a."
attention and came tine notice OF the American Vim
lister who entered into correspondence hu"ul l "H t
state department II finally rr'u' III tle IS'l'" ."
gold watch. bat since That tmt hr E'tr'' ' . 'o
SIS watch experiment has not been altouilod "S""
Th, Il the season Tor cnnya,back duck. II generally
last, from Nogouher - 70 January -. Brt"trh '
te. tley are lr their prime aud lac who eats iNrih .h
shOdd blrsa his opportunity. Tue most 'ri'"I' P'
Tor cauvasbacks or tuc finest quality are liaNrc d'
80. Ind thc adi,lniuy towns, Many ~ the public
men here mako during the holidays the H''o ~ l"'''o
vrr dc (;r.ce thcif cunning groUad. Among thrm are
vartcr Miller and General Nctoo who generally shoot
together. BOth good shuiS ANA pt-'"'t'N l"l' ="
The snort Beck aud Blackburn. too, rarely lose an
oprortuuity Of ba2glug cuuSHshhck WhcH lU'J 'N' \
Judge these things tells me that lhrtc ."urlnS ~ .'
1f tne rer-Ons who canvarbacks select Whoh guy luz
the birds ia the market, tho largest ana no' roy
ca nud in the DC crs stock. They are apt -" 10 In
into another that OF picking out th' dtdNcI
real epicure OF course knows better he says lhr o."
fan llc-, for instance, who have been III t1G "o, w
eating them their native shores tnat border o %
vners OF Chesapeake Bay aud ITS rlDu'Htio'. WIZ
you that II you want III" thhN ~ van
where quality and not quantity l. rue o
must SELECT the young duck with brown n"'..'' 49,, III
There much difference Ia lHN"r n'LN'rn 'I' ,i
duck and young as there IL between "oo''''" "
All old pheasant