Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1886-12-25
"REMINISCENCES OF PUBLIC MEN.
BY BEN: PERLEY PooRE:

Mr.. Webster used to tell a story at
the expense of Peter Little, who had
in early life repaired clocks and
watches, but who had for some years
represented Maryland district in the
House. One day he had the temerity
to move to amend a resolution by John
Randolph, on the subject of military
claims. Mr.. Randolph rose up after
the amendment had been offered, and.
drawing his watch from his fob, asked
the Honorable Peter what o'clock it
was. He told him. Sir" replied the
orator, "you can mend my watch, but
not my motions. You understand tic
tics sir, but not tactics
Grace Greenwood, in describing the
electoral commission, and those who
witnessed its proceedings, spoke Of
three Indiana boys, George W. Julian,
looking somewhat careworn, Ambrose
E: Burnside. mild likeness Of Kaiser
William, and Oliver 2. Morton, with g
pale, pugnacioiis face The three re-
minded her Of very entertaining &C.
count given her by an old friend of the
trio, who knew them we'll when they all
lived in the town of Centerville, Ind,
and were young, Julian, Morton, and
Burnside, good friends and jolly COM
rades, much given to frolics and prac-
tiya al Jokes:
The first, he was lawyer,
The second, he was halter
The third, he was a ! tile tai-lcr-
Three rCugish chaps together
They were clever and ambitious, and
may have cherished wild hopes of ris-
ing to modest military honor in the
State militia, or of being elected to the
Legislature, but hardly OF ever being
called to lead a grand army, or to be-
come the makers of national law and
history.
Each returning spring after Mr..
Webster began to descend the hill of
life he would seek recreation at Piney
Point, on the lower Potomac. Taking
three or four friends with him, almost
invariably young men, and q liberal
supply of what he called small stores, +"
he would leave behind the cares of the
Senate or the State Department and go
down to Piney Point to enjoy the salt
air and the fishing. One day, on his
return from an unsuccessful effort to
capture "sheep's head" he remarked,
in reply to a question, that she had
only secured one sleeps head, and
that was his own" "Were such sleeps
head as yours to be caught here" re-
marked the proprietor of the Pavilion,
IL would be angling or drawing the
seine all day" Kept within doors one
day by pelting rainstorm, MIR. Web
ster INDUCED in "reminiscences of his
life, and narrated, W tn evident gratifi-
cation, his recollections of the laying OF
the corner stone of the Bunker Hill
Monument in June, 1925. There was a
long procession, which had moved from
the State House in Boston, each divi-
sion of which had its allotted position
on the hill around tho platform from
which the Grafton was delivered. The
most interesting of these divisions was
one composed of Revolutionary
soldiers, headed by Gen. Lafayette,
riding in open barouches. Each had
some time-worn badge, some relic OF
the Revolution, which he wore on his
person or displayed from the carriage.
By one was borne tattered color, by
another dilapidated drum; here was
seen a cooked hat, with its gilt mount
ings furnished with age; there KNAPP
sack or cartouch box, moth-eaten and
crumbling to pieces; some were dressed
in their anc ent regimentals, and some
clad only in homespun garments, SINH
lar to those they wore on the day OF
the battle. On their arrival on Bunker
Hill the veterans left their carriages,
and were escorted by the marshals to
reserved seats directly in front of the
platform. AS Mr.. Webster proceeded
in his Grafton he addressed these Revo
lutionary heroes, saying: Venerable
men you have come down to us from a
former generation. You are now where
you stood fifty years ago this very hour,
with your brethren and your neigh.
bors, shoulder to shoulder, in the strife
for your country -"
"Ye-e-sl ye-e-s!" said one of tn am,
a hoary-headed old man in his second
childhood, who rose and began to mar
rate his personal rem niscences. 81
remember all about it. 1t was this
hour fifty years ago. 1 was fighting
here; stood as it might be there,
pointing with his staff to spot some
rods off,
Il had paused" said Mr.. Webster
ION being thus unexpectedly inter.
rupted, and finding that the old man
was disposed to be garrulous -sug