Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-08-15
TILDEN AND BlGEL0W.
THE AGED PAIR ALWAYS FULL
OF GOOD NATURE.


ment Never Resented-P resident Ar
thurs Experience at Polling Place
Gramercy Park AS 1t Is-The peanut
Club and Some OF Its Pleasantrie@'
NEW YORK, Aug. IA doubt II the
late Samuel j. Tilden ever had more
congenial companion than john Blgeio"'
once a ''chum" of Grants and sfterward
Minister to France. Mr.. Tilden and Mr.
Bigelow were neighbors IN Gramercy
park. / saw them together nearly every
clear day for many years, as lived wlth'
jnafew doors OF Mr.. Bigelow's and passed
the great Tilden house every day. The
two old men would spend hours IN the
sunshine watching the new house go up
or strolling with their hands clasped be-
hind them along the railing Of the little
park. Their heads were bent forward
and they walked with ever recurring
smiles and amused eyes. 1t was this that
impressed me more than anything else,
the perennial good nature and cheerful
ness of the pair. Though MIR. TlIden's
health was delicate, he was never peeylsh
or illnatured' and ne and Mr.. BlgeloW
were gurgling and grinnIng continually
Ter men rushed by with knitted orows
and surly faces. They knew every
child in the vicinity and 1t was not
unusual to see group of toddllng young
sters around the kindly old men. Mr..
Tilden returned the half timid bows OF
strangers who recognized the great Demo-
cratic leader with kindly mods and never
seemed TO hear the remarks OF strangers
who were rude. For even Mr.. Illden,
xyho ruoS ,1orcnpaIly tho la at man the
world TO be ION parade" was at times
the object Of the irrepressible guylng OF
the New York tough. l remember one
day six or seven years ago, coming up
town while Wall street was having tu-
multuous time. Various well-known
business houses were going under amid
the ''slumps" and ''furries" of the mar
ket every ten minutes, and the deuce was
to pay generally. | stopped to tell the
news to Mr.. Tilden just as burly truck
driver pulled up his horse, and after
staring hard at the Ex-Governor, rem arked
10 a companion in a voice that could be
heard block:
'sPipe his nobs, Jimmie? It's our ole
friend Sammy dom tn rash act wild de
servint maids"
what" said the other Fourth warder
with an air OF acute Incredibly, "whoy
fur huyin's sakep' Then he shook his
AEdQ anu hGO WIN bhC AhOob
lugubrious intOnation, "Dis here exerol-
ton Of Juvenile deprav, Samuel, has
broke my good keind heart. Hereafter l
shakes yer. Dere is no appeal what
sumdever an l cuts yer off wild shil-
linz"
At this the two draymen drove off on
wagRiDg their heads TemOrsetully and at
fecting to wipe tears from their groggy
eyes. l glanced hurriedly at Mr.. Tilden.
His face did not Detray the least con-
seriousness oftheIpresence OF the two men,
and be chatted for few moments in the
humorous vein that seemed always TO
characterize his lighter talk.
The toughs OF the town have small re-
spect for eminent men. While Gen. Ar
thur was President he came on to New
York and registered at the polling place
nearest his residence. 1t was a small
cigar store near Twenty-eIghth street on
Third Avenue, a neighbOrhood OF average
respe liability. | CHANGED to pass il on
election day on my way to- the elevated
road, when | saw the tall and imposing
Ggure of Gen. Arthur swing around the
corner and | stopped to see a President
of the United States cast his ballot. He
was alone. clad in the most fashionable
attire, erect, composed, dignitied and
handsome. There was group of half
grown boys, hulking roughs and siattern-
~ women around the door, and as the
President walked through them one or
two OF the small boys gave feeble cheer
and half dozen OF the men raised their
hats. The President lifted his hat cour-
te0usly and stepped into the little shop.
Here he answered the usual questions
about his name. nativity, residence and
so on i'm a deep-toned voice. voted, bowed
to the clerks and inspectors and began to
make his way out.
sit seems ter me-" a flabby looking
woman with a baby at her breast re-
marked shrlly as the President brushed
by her. las low lis legs is givIn' somewhat
ter bowin'. Jermimerr"
"Yis, nam, perhaps they does; but his
whIskers," said the woman addressed
with an expression OF engaging candOr,
''hIs whiskers is waat l calls puttectly
elegint."
Upon this one OF the half-grown boys
said confidently to the President:
''Say, Cnet, yuv got mash! Y are,
fur dead cold fac. She's stuck on dem
sideboards. Give Ter one fur a philippe
nor, won't you!"
There was a roar OF laughter, which
1id not subside until the ChIet Magis-
trate had disappeared around the corner.
HIS demeanor was as composed, sedate
and polite under IL all as though sur
rounded by his own family.
Mr.. Tilden did not often receive any,
thing but respectful treatment, though.
from the people who passed through
Gramercy Park. A remarkable degree OF
confusion seems to exist out of New York
concerning this little place, which Mr.
Tilden's name has made familiar to al
America. Gramercy Park is not distinc
lively fashionable. 1t lies in an oui-of
the-way part OF the town because the two
great arteries of travel, Broadway ant
Third avenue, pass by without touchiDs
IL. One must 90 down Twentieth OF
Twenty-first street for a block or two
from Broadway. There will be- found
little enclosure about 800 feet one way b,
300 another. There is "A fountain IN tn,
middle. surrounded by flowers, turf and ,
high iron fence. Keys are furnished tC
the owners of the residences that face thii
little spark" on four sides. These peopl,
may unlock the gates and wander in Ora
merry Park if they choose. All the rest o
the world remains outside.
1t is a quiet spot, neither up nor dow
town. Mr.. Bigelow's residence is an or
binary brown stone house. Nearly Oh
posite him IL the spacious, but not i'm
posing dwelling OF Cyrus W. Field. BE
side it is the town house Of David Dudie,
Field, and within dozen yards the plaiI
Old-fsshioned residence OF ex-Mayor ed
ward Cooper, whose father, good ole
Peter Cooper, lived hard by. The ear
tiages that frequent Gramercy Park ar,
roomy, substantial and old time vehicles
with fat and gray-haired cOacbmen ant