The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1885-01-01
a DROP 700 nUoH.
How n Flask OF Whiaky ChAaGsd q
Destiny OF Two As1.

Destiny OF Two HsD.
At 6 private house on the West Side,
the other night, some men were chatting
about the vlcissitudes Of presidential
elections, and the part played by luck
In every persons life. An incident e
trivial as shower Of rain has turned
many q victory into g Waterloo. A fool
utters an allIteretive sentence and the
destiny of the nation IL perhspa
changed, and history hangs upon sillY
phrase. Cleyeland's alleged luck was
particularly touched upon, and while tt
was under discussion, the host said:
"By the'way, sometimes hattsr NY
self that made Grant president"
The speaker was evidently serious,
and as ne is an old we'll known merchant
in Chicago, there is hardly any reason
to doubt the singular story that he told.
"The year that the war broke out, he
SAID, 81 was q drummer for the old gro
Gerry house of Smith s. Williams, On
Lake street. frequently visited Nat
toon, ILL.,, and the last time did % WA
during that eventful year, The month
! forget, but / know IL was summer
time, for | wore q buster, q curious gar
ment then In vogue, having q cape In
stead of sleeves, and Q couple Of capA-
cious pockets. knew the arm OF Moa-
roe Bros, at NATION, consisting OF
Frank, James and Bird Monroe. Frank
was the senior partner and managed the
business, but the others were lively fel.
lows, and / was accustomed to go on
shooting trips VITA them Whenever !
visited the town. This time Went'tO
the town IS usual, and asked Frank
where his brothers were. If you want
to see them,' was the reply, 'you must
go out TO the camp. They have Joined
the army
"The camp of the regiment, Whose
lumber forgot, was on the outskirts OF
the town. AS. was about to start, some
one in the grocery store said that the
boys would appreciate little good
whisky, as they couldn't get anything Of
than sort in camp. walked over to
Gfifhn's car and got two fiat quart TASKS
of his best liquor, putting one IN each
pocket. Then off ! went. ! made my
way 10 the camp all right, and soon rAa
across my two friends. While We were
chatting 1 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 ofncsr,
and he appreciates drop of something
as well as any one.'
ave went to the colonel's tent, and
was introduced to q red-fAced, sturdy
looking man, who struck me IS typical
soldier He was q man OF lrascible tenn
per, as afterwards 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
I had taken enough and that the best
thing could do was TO get out OF camp
and attend to my business. So said
goodbye to the boys and left them.
That afternoon, remember, trans
acted 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 surprised to see, figuring
| in black head lines, the name Of my
| colonel. l read beneath q dispatch dated
| the night before from Nation, Illinois,
| giving an account of serious trouble In
the camp that had visited. It seems
! that the colonel became violently drunk,
| engaged in an alteration with one OF
| his officers, and, drawing his sword, Sc
| verely wounded the latter. Such an
| occurrence, of course. made q terrible
scandal, and the colonel was peremptoT-
/ lily discharged from the army.
"At this time Z. 8. Grant had his
| hands IN his pockets waiting for Q Job.
He had high recommendations to the
governor, anu was prOmIseQ INC uEst
/ VacRcy that would occur. The colonel's
discharge made q vacancy for him and
from that day he followed fortune from
one victory 10 another, until he entered
the White House. as president OF the
l nation.
81 met the Monroe boys afterWard In
| Kentucky during the war. rememba
one of them said to me then, That
/ whisky of yours decided the course OF
/ this war; So il did aud perhaps the
destiny OF the Republic"
"Where are the Monroe boys now ~
asked one of the party who had listened
to this story.
"TheY came back from the war and
settled in Charleston, Ill, where they
| were when last heard from them"
"And what became OF the colonel ="
After his discharge nc died from
chagrin. He was an experienced and
able soldier. Who knows that but for
the incident l have described, his
name might have figured in the
history of the rebellion among the dis
tinguished generals of the north? And
who knows, too, that but for the same
incident Grant might have remained in
comparative obscurityf
True" said member of the party,
| getting at the plth of the story more
| quickly "your bottle OF whisky sent ons
man TO the White House and the other
| to drunkard's grave"