The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1886-10-15
BEN WAS DISCONNECTED.
How George Sheridan Downed the Massa-
chusetts Statesman.

Talking of the Office of recorder of
deeds of this district reminds me of an
anecdote of Fred Douglass predeces-
sor, Gen. George A. Sheridan. George
unites the figure of Phil to the wit of
Richard 'Brinsley of that name, and is
one of the best stump-speakers this
country has ever had. Eloquent and
witty, he is at the same time logical and
forceful. During the campaign of 1880
he was billed to speak at Portland, the
capital city of Jay county, Indiana, near
the Ohio line. AS fortune would have
it Gen. Ben Butler had an appointment
at the same place on the same day at
the same hour. The stands from which
the orators were to speak were erected
upon opposite sides of the courthouse
square and within easy heaDing distance
of each other. This arrangement ne
cessariiy pitted the little-known Sheri-
dan against the noted Butler, and filled
the breasts of the formers committee
men with alarm, They went to him
and timidly suggested that he postpone
his speech until night, or else speak in
q hall. George, so far from being dis
mayed at the prospect of tilt with the
He decided to let matters stand as they
were.
At the appointed hour the two speak
ers mounted their respective rostrums
and began holding forth. Buffers
crowd was composed of thousands of
stalwart Hoosiers, with sprinkling of
Buckeyes, with their wives and sweet
hearts. Sheridan's crowd didn't num-
Der as many hundreds, hardly as many
tens as Buffers did thousands. Butler
began labored and logical speech
chiefly devoted to greenbacks and fig
ures. Sheridan started out with
string of funny stories, witty sayings,
jocular remarks, and eloquent outbursts
which made his crowd shrek with
laughter, yell with delight, and thunder
with applause. Buffers crowd was at
tracted not by his speech, but by the
demonstrations of delight from the other
side of the square. They began leaving.
first by ones and twos, next by tens and
fifties, then by hundreds, until finally
an extra shout of mirth took every body
over to Sheridan to enjoy the fun,
leaving Butler alone with his committee
and the president of the meeting. Ben
brought his speech to an abrupt conclu-
sion within fifteen minutes after begin
ming it. AS he drove past Sheridan a
grim smile lighted up the shadows OF
his countenance and he shook his fist
at George (whom he knew, us much as
to say: "rll get even with you yet, you
rascal; see if 1 don't"
"And I expect he WILL" said Sheri-
dan, as he finished telling me the story.
"You see," he continued explanatorily,
sit was mean kind of trick to play old
Ben. l knew that everybody in town
that day would want to sec Butler; that
even those who came to hear me would
first crafty their curiosity by going over
to see him. knew his voice WASN'T
strong, while mine was. l knew he
would make powerful, argumentative,
dry speech. So l pitched in. in as loud
and clear voice as could, and told
story after story. No crowd Except
one made up altogether of puritans)
could stand that. They couldn't help
leaving Butler and coming to me. As
soon expect crowd to leave circus
to go and hear missionary sermon as
expect crowd to stay and listen to o
financial speech when there's fellow
within hearing telling funny stories.
After l had routed Butler made my
regular speech, finances, tariff, and
all." and he laughed as he thought OF
Buffers discontinue that day.-WaslL
ington Hatchet.