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

waved his red bandanna from the press gal
lIery Of the house of representatives during the
congressional session of the day of the con-
venton the house burst forth in cheers The
next morning every Democratic member had
a red bandanna handkerchief in his pocket
and a red rose in his button hole. Sam Ran
dali spread red bandapna handkerchief
across his desk and the Democratic side of
the house grew enthusiastic over 1.-The knight
of the red bandanna."
A wstchword 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 a vote. "Old Zach"
helped Taylor to the presidency, and the ia
miliar words Jim Blaine" and the "Plumed
Knight" have added to the Maine statesinan's
friends Webster was all the better appre-
ciated from his title of BLACK Dam" and
Henry Clay's 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 insnuatng powder. While
he was in the senate he patronzed 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 a little book called
l"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
Methodist preacher and was born in Vir-
ginia. He moved to Chillicothe, O., when he
was about six years DID, 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 a 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 Catholic priest,
DuU Dtlu never TAKEN lHe bGueTS. w HlIe
studying for the priesthood he had fallen in
love with a beautiful girl, VINO had not, how
ever the social rank that he had, and had
married her His friends had not recognized
his wife as he thought they should and as he
was a 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 $50, 600 worth of land in Virginia,
4 l.. l..l L. al
given birth TO a 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 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 comes in the
! red bandanna
| The Old Frenchman was an inveterate
snutfer, and Allen learned from him to snuff
as well as to talk French. The habit chung
to him. he got to using the red bandanna
handkerchief when they were the ones chiefly
| III use, ana lie stuck to them
| The days Of snuffing are however, fast
passing away. When Allen G. Thurman was
a boy nearly every one Of the old women ot
the country snuifed. Dolly Madison, the
most beautiful woman of her time, tickled
many statesman's soul by giving him a
pinch out Of her own snuff box She used
two handkerchlefs, and she said to Henry
Clay one day, after the two had taken n
friendly pinch together, IL use this shaS-
ing a red bandanna handkerchief, "for
rough work" and with that she brushed
it across her nose, land this" lift
ing up little piece Of lace about IA
foot square, this is my poiisher," and
with that she daiur.ly went over her
nose again. Clay was very fond Of snuff,
He would stop in the middle of a speech and
go up 20 the 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 aud continue
his speech. 1t is related that he stopped dur
ing argument before the supreme court and
asked the chief justice for a pinch Of snuff
Webster snu.fcd and among the Snutiers IN
the senate today are Hampton, of South
Carolina. George, of Mississippi, and Beck.
of Kentucky.
Mr. Carroll describes Allen G. Thurman's
first visit to Washington. He was a 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 a senator here at
tine time, and young Thurman was intro
duced 10 all tue great lights Of the capital
He met John c. Calhoun, and Calhoun do
lighted Thurman. He advised him 10 read |
closely the history Of the Greek republic,
and enchanted him with his flow Of Ian
guage and cordialty 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 filed the galleries when he |
talked. His strongest friend in the senate |
was a Republican-George F. Edmunds, Of
Vermont Ednunds 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 |
q very fine bottle of old Bourbon, have Be-