St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-08-01
MRS. Lucy HAYES.
A Time when She Administered
Whisky to "a Newspaper Man.


Whisky to "a Newspaper Man.
Newspaper men have many peculiar ex-
periences. Less than ten Years ago Ruth
erford B. Hayes was president of these
United States, and the strict temperance
principles of his charming wife. the mis-
tress Of the White house, were the talk Of
iceland. The leading teetotal organiza-
ton of Washington took its name from her.
and yet saw her once upon a time, too.
not only give a strong drink to man, but
press it to his lips with her own fair hands.
1t happened in this way. The fall after
Mr.. Hayes had been inaugurated president
he made tour through portion of the
West and South. accompanied by his cabi-
net. Accompanying the ''eXpeditlon," as
the swing around the Southern circle was
called by the boys, were representatives of
the principal papers of the country Among
them was young fellow, then hardly more
| than STRIPPING, who was sent by the
Louisville Courier-J0urnal. He was an
intense Democrat and has since represented
his party more than once in the legislature
of Kentucky. About thirty miles east OF
Chattanooga is the pretty little town OF
Cleveland, Tenn, and at its ''kyar shed"
as railway stations are called in Southland,
a large number of people had assembled to
see the president and hear what he had to
say. He spoke from the recessed platform
of his car. which was the last of the train,
and among those who were almost at his
side were the young man l spoke OF and
myself. Mrs. HAYES had an easy chair on
the platform. AS the train moved off the
young Kentucky correspondent leaned over
the side of the railing, observing the crowd.
While thus engaged the train passed by a
water tank, which was being repaired. One
of the workmen, in his excitement, acci-
dentallY dropped heavy piece Of wood,
and in falling one end of iG struck the young
man on the breast. He is a frail, delicate
young man even now but then he was even
more so. The shock caused him to faint
away. and he would have fallen had L not
caught him in my arms.
Mrs. Hayes saw the accident and instantly
rose from her chair. Garry him to my
bed" said she. The car used by the presi-
dent was one belonging to the president OF
the Louisville II Nashville railroad, and il
had a large Stateroom about its middle in
which was a full bed. AS stretched ie
inanimate form of my friend at full length
on it, Mrs. Hayes, who had followed ME,
said: Get me some whisky at once; l
know that it is on the train" She was
right. Very few of those that were travel
ing with her shared her extreme views on
the liquor question, and there were fully
thirty bottles of as good Bourbon as wa:
ever distilled in the vaiseS of the cabinet
ministers and correspondents at the time
l flew to my own bag in the next car
and moment later l handed her my
private bottle. Pouring a little into {
half-giasS of water, she raised the head O.
the unconscious man with her arm anC
poured little of the inspiriting mixtur,
into his mouth, saying as she did so, Il d.
not approve of the use of whisky as bev
erage, but there are times when it is an eX
cellent medicine, and this is one of them.
}, She was right. In few moments tn
young man began to revive. Then h
opened his eyes. She bathed his temple
with the wliskey and water. and present.
was able to say that he was not sereusl
hurt, though he had been badly shocked
Mrs. Hayes insisted on his lying on the be-
for couple of hours, and during that tim
she nurSed him with as much tenderness
and solicitude as though he was her ow
son. When we learned how slight was hi
injury, and saw the care he was gettin
from the first lady of the land. we gre,
Jealous and wished the accident had befalle
J one of us and not him. During the after
noon she questioned him about his life an
aims, and gave him much valuable and kindl
advice. sE4Ws
The amenitiessof American politics, Ut
fortunately. hardly exist even in name. an
) Lucy Hayes came in for an undue share o
rdicule for her peculiar views Oh the TEN
perance question during her husbands teri
S Of office, but | know of one man who neve
) failed to resent the slightest imputatiOn G
! her motives. and he is E. l.. Madden, he
3 hurt charge of the day | chronicle. He ha
been in active life ever since, and has ha
S many an adventure by flood and field. an
yet l may venture to say there are but fey
of them he remembers with such pleasaI
! emotions as this one.