The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1888-06-23

|lery of the house Of representatives during the
congressional session Of the day of the con-
Ivention the house burst forth in cheers. The
next morning every Democratic member had
a red bandanna handkerchief in his pocket
and red rose in his button hole sam Ran
dali spread a red bandanna handkerchief
Iacross his desk and the Democratic side of
the house grew enthusiastic over 1.-THE knight
of the red bandanna."
A watchword like this is Of much value In
n campaign. Governor Foster when he ran
for the governorship of Ohio was known as
'Calico Charlie and "Old Tippecanoe"
gave Harrison many vote. odd Zach
helped Taylor 10 the presidency, and the ia
miliar words Jim Blaine" and the "Plumed
Knight" have added to the Maine statesman
friends. Webster was all the better appre-
lciated from his title of BLACK Dan," and
Henry Clays friends rejoiced in calling him
Harry of the West" We know Tom Ben
ton better from his having been called "Old
Bullion" and "Old Hickory" was one of the
strongest elements of Jackson's success.
Speaking of the red bandanna, Thurman
has brought himself TO the front as the user
of this kind because he uses handkerchief
three times to the ordinary mans one He is
an inveterate snufer and he likes to titilate
his nose with the insinuatng powder. While
he was in the senate he patronized the sena-
torial snuff box, and Doorkeeper Bassett
furnished him fresh allowance Of Maccaboy
periodically. One of the best things ever
published about Thurman was an article by
Howard Carroll, OF The New York Times,
which was finally put in little book called
Twelve Americans" In this Carroll tells
how Thurman first learned to snuff, and
tell the story somewhat as he gives it.
Thurman was, you know, the son of a
Methodist preacher, and was born in Vir-
ginia He moved to Chillicothe O., when he
was about six years old, with his parents, and
his father engaged in wool carding His
mother taught school, and it is from her, l
doubt not, that Thurman gets the most of
his greatness. She was half sister of the
Hon. William Allen, better known as Fog
horn Allen" Allen G.. Thurman studied
with her, and he became, it is said, so good
in mathematics that his schoolmates called
him Right Angled Triangle Thurman"
1t was while he was a boy here that a
Frenchman named Gregoire came to Chilli
Gothic. He was man of remarkable culture,
and had been educated as a Catholic priest
but had never taken the orders. While
studying for the priesthood he had fallen in
love with beautiful girl, VINO had not, how
ever, the social rank that he had, and had
married her. His friends had not recognized
his wife ms he thought they should, and as he
was man of considerable means he decided
TO buy an estate in America and bring his
! bride to the land where all men are equal.
He did buy S20,0 600 worth of land in Virginia,
but his wife died before he sailed, having
given birth TO daughter. When his
daughter was few years old financial re-
verses drove him TO look up his American
land. He br ought his daughter to the United
States and found he had been swindled. His
thousands of acres were of swamp and noun
tain, and were worth nothing. He had to
teach for a living, and when he came to
! Chillicothe he brought his little daughter
with him This daughter W about Allen
G. Thurman's age, and he got Mrs Thurman
to take care of her on condition that he would
teach young Allen. And here Genes in the
J red bandanna.
The old krenchman was an lnveterate
snutfer, and Allen learned from him TO snuff
as well as to talk French. The habit chung
to him. be got to using the red bandanna
IDHlluhtCtllltl WIFI lDty we're tle tllltIJy
| in use, and lie stuck to them.
! The days Of snufiing are, however, fast
passing away. When Allen G. Thurman was
a boy nearly every one Of the old women o!
the country snuffed Dolly Madison, the
most beautiful woman of her time, tickled
many statesman'S soul by giving him
pinch out Of her own snuff box. She used
two handkerchlefs, and she said to Henry
Clay one day, after the two had taken
friendly pinch together, IL use this" shaB-
ing a red bandanna handkerchief, for
rough work. and with that she brushed
it across her nose, land this" lift
ing M a little piece Of lace about d
foot square, this is my poiiSher," and
with that she daint.ly went over her
nose again. Clay was very fond Of snuff
He would stop in the middle of speech and
20 up TO tue vice presidents desk, which
during his time always contained a box OF
snuff. He would take pinch, snuff it up
his nose and then walk baCk and continue
his speech. 1t is related that he stopped dur
ing argument before the supreme court and
asked the chief justice for pinch Of snuff.
Webster Suu.fed. and among the shutters IN
the senate today are Hampton, Of South
Carolina. George, Of Mississippi and Beck,
of Kentucky.
Mr. Carroll describes Allen G.. Humans
first visit to Washington. lie was young
lawyer at the time and took the trip for
health. lie came in a stage coach to Fred
erick City, Nd, and thence by rail his
uncle, Bill Allen, was senator here at
tine time, and young Thurman was intro
duced to all the great lights Of the capital
He met John G. Calhoun, and Calhoun do
lighted Thurman. He advised him 10 resd
closely the history Of the Greek republic,
and enchanted him with his flow of LAM
griage and cordiality of manner. Calhoun
was very popular with young men and had
more personal magnetism than is generally
credited to him.
Thurman made good United States sena-
tor, and usually filled the galleries when he
talked. His strongest friend in the senate
was Republican-George F. Edmunds, Of
Vermont Edmunds and Thurman walked
together, talked together and drank together.
They were paired with each other, when one
was absent, on all political questions, and the
sly winks which used to pass from one TO the
other, indicating their desire for a seance in
the committee room, where they kept on tap