The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1885-01-10
"reminiscences Of an Old-Timer.

men who ever occupied the White
House" ," said the Old-Timer to-day,
"was President Pierce. He was
tall, stately man, with regular fea.
lures, high forehead, with q fine
suit of ehestnut-brOwn hair, a lit
tie silvered, but not pereeptibly
so at q casual glance. l can tell
you also that he was the most hos
pitable man we ever had in the
White House. He had a way of
making people feel at home the
moment they passed the door.
But he wasn't polite to . man he
didn't like-not much. On the
contrary, he could put on the
fercest scowl you ever saw, and
on more than one occasion he re-
fused to shake hands with men
who called on him for favors. He
treated a member of Congress
from Missouri so curtly one day
that the member left in a rage:
telling Pierce he would see him
later 1t was reported that a
wordy war afterward occurred be-
tween the President and the Con-
gressman, and that an actual fight
would have followed had not some
friendly bystanders interfered. l
do not remember the name Of the
Congressman, but people who
lived in Washington in 1854 will
easily recall the incident aud the
excitement there was over it.
Pierce had an eye very much like
Tom Benton. Benton was about
to fight a duel, forty years ago, in
Missouri, with a man named Chou
teau. He had q way of staring
with set eyes at man that was
painful TO behold. When the duel
ing party arrived on the grounds
Benton seated himself on II stump
end fixed his stony stare on his
antagonist. Chouteau acted like O
bird charmed by a snake. lie
took his position, but suddenly
dropped his weapon, declaring
that he could not face such pail
of diabolical eyes; it made him
feel as If he was reading his OWL
death.warrant. He insisted that
Mr.. Benton should not assume
that look, but Benton persisted il
| it. Chouteau concluded, however
to stand it as we'll as he could
and again took his position. Al
the word fire. Bcnton's pistol was
discharged and his antagonist fel
dead. lie did not have the nerve
to pull the trigger of his owl
weapon. Everybody said tha
Benton killed him with his deadl,
stare. Well, Pierce had tina
sort Of eyes, though he was no
the old bear that Benton was, ant
it was rare that he hated a maj
enough to look at him In that way
"Pierce was a very social man
In fact, he was one of the boys
and he could punish almost a
much brandy as Daniel Webster
though Jamaica rum was his favor
ite beverage. Why, do you know
that Pierce had to resign his seat il
the Senate in 1S42 OH account o
his connivial habits 7 Well, sir, IT.
a fact. The New Hampshire Legis
lature had threatened to ask hin
to resign. He used to drink run
out of a bottle In the cloak room
One day he weut to sleep in hi
chair and snored so loud that tn
president of the Senate had hin
aroused and called to order
Pierce jumped up and cried out
: Fire! Firev staring Wild.
. around. 'Wherei asked o Sens
. tor who sat beside him. 'Righ
here,' replied Pierce, patting hi
stomach, having suddenly realize
that he had been asleep an
dreamed that he was in a house o
fire. The readiness of Pierce
, answer raised a laugh, and he rt
retired to the cloak room to rect
perate.
"Why, Pierce's rum.drinkin
capacity was well know to Ne'
Hampshire, and especially at Cor
cord, where he lived. While b
was making the race for Presiden
r a great many stories of his drinl
r ing bouts were anoat in the paper
: 1t was related that he once wer
to attend court at Lacosa, the
= called Meredith's Bridge. Pierc
had q very important case ther,
but he went on a three day drunl
and the Judge had to adjourn th
: court and wait for him to sobe
up. Some Whig papers asserte
that he passed nearly all his tim
!. playing whist and poker and drinl
ing rum. BY the way, Pierce wa
n boss poker player, though he di
I not usually play for large amount
o There was good deal Of gossi
while he was President about th
white House poker game' TIL