Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1885-01-29
Anecdotes OF Charles Sumner.

Edmund Alton, former page in the
Senate tells his experiences in that
capacity in serial published in St.
Nicholas, entitled among the Law
Makers" In the February number he
tells the following stories characteristic
of the great scholar and statesman:
Charles Sumner was one of America
greatest statesmen, and found him to
be one of the kindest men in the world.
He was an ideal American gentleman.
was always polite to every one, and
never heard him utter cross or hasty
word. He had AN extensive cores
pondence and received letters from all
parts of the globe. At one time, while
| was a page, had mania for gather
ing stamps, and as those on many of
his letters were very rare, | asked the
Senator if he would kindly put the
envelopes in his desk, so that / could
get them, instead of tearing and throw
ing them upon the floor. He said he
would save them for me with pleasure,
and, sure enough. the next day he
came to the Senate with a large collar
box in his hand He put this in the
drawer of his desk, and whenever he
opened an envelope with foreign
stamp attached, he would tear off the
stamp and deposit it in the box. Sew
eral weeks afterward he called me to
him and handed me the box, filled with
the choicest and most curious collec-
ton, saying: Now, if you will empty
the box, | will fill it again for you
And he was true to his word. | have
met hundreds of eminent men in my
life; none, however, more prominent or
with more cares to burden or distract
their thoughts than this grand senator
from Massachusetts,; yet | think few of
them would, under similar circum-
stances, have gone to so much trouble
merely to humor tho within af a boy.
From this time he took quite an interest
in me, and had ain especial fondness for
catching me by the ears. Often have [
attempted to pass the Senator, while he
was walking to and fro on the floor of
the Senate, only to have both my ears
seized ,ood-naturedly, and to be asked
some Kindly question. | shall always
remember one of these adventures for
it l0dS an adventures! He had sent me
on an errand. Having returned, re-
ported to him the answer, and received
his deep-voiced thanks, | started to
move away, but he had caught me, ii
continued his slow march i in 'front.'
Indian file. As he was IA tall man and
] very small boy in comparison, | had
to walk on tipt0e to ease the pain, and
even then it seemed rs if my ear would
come off my head. The worst of it was
that he at once became so lost in
thought that he forgot he had hold of
me, and mechanically paced up and
down, with his long strides, while
danced n mild war-dance, for some
minutes, lit seemed to me hours, to
the intense amusement of all who OBJ
served it, The more | struggled, the
more did | increase the agony, but | at
last managed to wriggle away from his
grasp. The sudden ''emptiness" of his
hand caused him to realize the state of
affairs, and he begged my pardon so
energetically, and the spectators smiled
SO audibly, that the proceedings of the
Senate were interrupted and Mr.. Colfax
actually bad to tap with his gavel to
restore ORDER
But it was, after all, an honor to be
noticed, even in that fashion, by so
distinguished a man as Senator Sumner.
He had the widest reputation of any OF
the senators, and the first question most
visitors to the Senate would ask was:
(Which is Charles Sumner?''