The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1886-01-07

| suppose that ] could write an entire
library Of personal "reminiscences rola-
tive to the eminent people with whom
have been thrown during busy life,
but hate to do 1t, because l always
regarded such things as sacred from
the vulgar eye. and l felt bound to re-
spect the confidence OF n prominent
man just rs much as would that OF
Que who was much less before the peo-
pie.
; remember we'll my first meeting
with General w. 4. Sherman. would
not mention it here if it were not for
the fact that the people seem 10 be
ycarning for personal "reminiscences of
great men. aud that is perfectly right.
too.
1t was since the war that / met Gen
eral Sherman, and il was on the line Of
the Union Pacific railway at one of
those Justly celebrated eating houses,
which | understand are now abandon
ell. The colored waiter had cut off strip
OF the omelettc with pair OF shears,
the scorched oatmeal had been passed
around. the little rubber door-mats
fried in butter and called pancakes
had been dealt around the table. and
the cashier at the other end of the hall
had just gone through the clothes OF
party from Vermont, who claimed a
rebate on the ground that the waiter
refused to bring him anything but his
bill. There was no sound in the din
ing room but the weak request of the
coffee for more air and stimulants. or
perhaps the cry OF pain when the but
ter, while practicing with the dumb
ellis, would hit a child on the head,
then all would. be still again.
General Sherman sat at one end or
the table, throwing life-preseryer to
fly in the milk-pitcher.
We had never met before, though for
years we had been Flooding along
life's rugged wayne in the war de-
partment, in the postoilice depart
ment. Unknown to each other we had
been holding up opposite corners OF
the great national fabric, il you will
allow me that expression.
remember, rs well rs though it
was but yesterday. how the conyersa-
ton began. General Sherman looked
sternly at me and said:
II wish you would overpower that
butter and send it up this way"
"All right" said /. ''if you will
please pass those molasses."
That was all that was said, but
shall never forget it, and probably he
never will. The conversation was
brief, but yet how full of food for
thought! How true, how earnest, how
natural! Nothing stilted or false about
it.
remember once, "a great while ago,
| was asked by a friend TO 60 with HIM
in the evening 10 the house of an ac-
quaintance, where they were going to
have 4 kind of musicale, 1T which
there was to be some noted pianist,
who had kindly consented to play q
few strains. did not get the name of
the professional, but l went, and
when the first piece was announced l
saw the light was very uncertain, SO
kindly volunteered to get lamp from
another room. held that big lamp,
weighing about twenty-nine pounds,
for hall an hour, while the pianist
would tinky tinky upon the right hand,
or bang. boomy to bang bang, down
on the bass, while he snorted and slug
ged that old concert grand piano and
almost knocked its teeth down its
throat, or gently dwadled with the
keys like pale moonbeam simmering
through the bleached rafters of de-
ceased horse, until ut last there was a
wild jangle, such as the accomplished
musician gives TO an instrument to
show the audience that he has dis
abled the piano, and will take slight
niermission while it is sent to the
junk shop.
With sigh of relief carefully put
down the twenty-nine pound lamp, and
my friend told ME that l had beeu
standing there like liberty enlighten-
Ing the world, and holding that heavy
lamp for Blind Tom.
had never seen him before, and
slipped out OF the room before he had