The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-02-01
Glte Gntetliesllter.
oGlo'' Nos. 40 and "a Fourteenth Street.
a GRAND OLD MAN,

Something About PriVats DRl1SlI's Father
Anecdotes ana temInlnCoucsu.
F'oW an Occasional Correspondent,
WASHINGTON Cry, Jan. 3O.-Mr. Rober
Dalzell, the pstrisrchal father Of Priyat.
Dalzell, Ia spending the winter on street
n, W. with his son'!n-law, John Brown
the scenic artist.
Born in Belfast in 1902, educated al
Glasgow, Scotland, smigrating to America
in 1882, residing in Pittsburgh till 1917
removing thence TO Ohio where he re
sided till 1865, when he returned to Penn
sylvania and has ever since summered
spending the winters in Washington, he
has had rare opportunities for observing
men Of marked historic power, and events
Of abiding Interest, An hours Conyersa
ton with the venerable octogenarian yes
terday on the floor Of the Senate, after al,
lournment, convinced your correspondent
that the good old fellow has allowed none
o. these golden opportunities for obserya,
ton to pass unimproved, He has never
sought or held any office except Elder in
the Old Church Of Scotland and school
director in Pennsylvania.
lie has enjoyed an acquaintance with
most OF the men who maue the history OF
the century in America and Europe, Per.
sonally intimate with every President
since Gen; Jackson, first All ardent WhiI,
then y Free Soiler, afterwards Abolitlonist
and Republican, Presbyterian in re.
liglon, independently his ability TO earn
his daily bread without "bsndiug thesup-
pie hinges OF the knee that thrift might
follow iawning," ] doubt If a better spsCi-
men exists TO- day OF that venerated tyne
Of the gentleman OF the old school that
threatens early extinction in the mad
race for office and the greedy yesrning for
gold. Once President Lincoln, who dearly
loved the frank Old man, then above
sixty, Naked him in Ohasos presence il in
his winter walks about the Capitol lie
saw any Office that he would like 10 have.
"Yes, sir" bluntly responded the bluff
old chap, zone, Sir, only one.h
And what may that be?" inquired the
martyr President, with = merry twinkle Of
the eye, and look that plainly showed
that with his keen insight into human
nature, and his wonderful forecast and
diVinallon OF the hidden thoughts of men,
he foreknew the frank and fearless answer
he would get.
"Well, Dir, since you insist-it is the
chair that Your ExcollenCy now digniiies
and honors, but | would not ask you to
resign 1t to me until the devils down
there" pointing South with his cane, ''are
driven South till they are all buried
together in the Gull, as tho Army Of
Pnaraoh was"
ThshearIylaugh which followed showed
me Presidents appreciation Of the Joke
better than III he had commissioned his
cid admirer Brigadier aud adorned him
with the Btar that all around him then
were seeking. Think what Compagu
such prolonged life takes in. The grand
old gentleman saw Wellington's men
leave for the NapoleoniC wars, and was
scAoolbOy OF twelve when ne saw the old
hero OF Waterloo return crowned with
victory. He saw Cleveland inaugurated,
aud standing in the same spot iilty.one
yeIis before he witnessed the second ia.
augurRtion OF jackson. lie was young
man far beyond his teens when the first
river steamer rolled up the Mersey and
the Clyde; was past thirty, yea forty,
when Morse sent his trial dispatch up
from Baltimore to Washington. IIo had
passed the meridian Of life aud was nearly
forty when the first locomotive drew u
train from Camden to Amboy, and was
twenty.six when Lafayette last came to
America.
But enough oflhls. 1t would I'll col.
umns. Hale and hearty, daily seen on the
avenue, rain or shine, and alwayss con-
spiCuous figure, with his stout body and
long, white LOCKE, in the gallery when
Congress Is in session. In all my inter.
views with the venerated fathers Of our
lrish.AmeliCan ancestors, have never
met man before for whom have q pro.
founder admiration, NOT only for his age,
which all men reverence anyhow, but Tor
the freshness and beauty Of his thoughts,
the plainness Of his dCticn, the simplicity
and heartiness OF his manners, as unaGeCt-
ed as a child yet preserved grand and
symmetrical in mind and soul, as II he
was advancing to his grave with firm
and peerless mind, at whose approach
Death himseltseems terrified for once and
reCedes as II in despair Of ever claiming
him for his own. ALEXIS.
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