Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-09-25
HOW IT STRUCK FoLeER.
A Presidential Decision Which Reminded
the Secretary of a Story.

INV
A Presidential Decision Which Reminded
the Secretary of a Story.
Astory is told of Judge Folger which
is said to have happened at n of the
Cabinet meetings at the White House.
President Arthur, it appears, wanted a
certain thing done. l forget what it
was. 1t is not material, anyway. He
had laid out his plans, considered the
subject carefully, taken the advice of
competent persons, was sure that what
he was about to do was right and
simply wanted to submit the whole
matter to his Cabinet, so as to be able
to say, if possible, that he had their
support, When the Cabinet set down
in the little room adjoining the library
he presented the subject to them and
gave them his views. He spoke frankly
and forcibly throughout. He made it
appear that he had made up his mind
about the matter and vas going to act
accordingly, whether his Cabinet
agreed with him or not. AS he was
about to reach the close of his remarks
he went through the form Of asking
by saying:
Gentlemen, what is your opinion on
TIE s%ubiect?'
Nobody answered. Frelinghuysen
booked at Brewster, Lincoln frowned
inquiringly at Teller, Chandler wiped
his eyeglasses and Gresham stroked
his beard. Finally Folger, who had
been quietly rubbing his chin in a
corner of the room, returned to the
table.
THAT reminds me of a story" he
said. Everybody looked at him.
''That reminds me of a story" re-
peated Judge Folgcr. There was a
man in my town once, whom 1 knew
well, who had a collection Of pictures
OF which he was very proud. He vas
a man of culture and means. He had
travelled extensively in Europe. He con
sidered himselfa c%onnoisseur of pictures
and his collection. which it had taken
him years of toll and labor to bring to-
gether, was the special object of his
care and attention. He delighted in
showing it to his acquaintances; in
fact, on every possible occasion he in
vited their criticism of it. One day a
friend called whose opinion about the
collection he was particularly anxious
to know. He had heard that his friend
was considered an art critic of the first
order. After dinner, then, he led him
into the gallery. They passed from
picture to picture, the host explaining
the merit of each, the time and cir
cumstances under which it was bought
and so on. He considered this and
that picture very fine: in fact the whole
collection. But he invited his friend
to express openly and without reserve
his opinion. DO you know he said,
turning suddenly to his visitor, that
man Brown was here the other day,
and would you believe it, he had the
impudence, when I asked him what he
thought of my pictures, to tell me they
were mere daubs, not worth the can
vas they were painted on, and to use
similar expressions of appreciation. I
felt like kicking him down those %stairs,'
and hopping his excited brow, the
host once more asked his visitor, Now,
what do you think Of my co~}lectionP'"
mere Judge folgef stopped. Inc
members of the Cabinet sat quiet and
looked rather embarrassed for a few
moments. The President colored
slightly, but said nothing. Finally
Frelinghuysen smiled in a careful and
diplomatic manner; Brewster raised
his frill sleeve to brush the hat behind
which he vas %concealing a horrid grin;
Chambers eyes twinked with merri-
ment through his glasses; Gresham's
mouth twitched; Lincoln relaxed his
stern and forbidding features, and Tel
Ter ran his hand owe his laughing
~countenance. The President Joined
good naturally in the laugh at his own
expense and the meeting broke up
without further business having been
transacted. The subject which the
President had preached that day was
never after alluded to at a Cabinet
meeting.-N. Y. Tribune.