The Washington critic., 1888-03-08
TOPICS OF The DAY.
Mr.. MCShane'S Experience as a
Captive Among the Indians.
THE PRESIDENTS AUTOGRAPH
Something About the Pets of the
Presidential Household.

Says a Washington special to the
Pittsburg Press: A lady went to the
White House recently to obtain the
Presidents autograph. Handing Mr..
Pruden, the executive clerk, a bright,
clean sheet of tinted note paper with
he monogram upon IL, she requested
that gentleman to ask Mr. Cleveland
10 inscribe his name thereon. Mr.
Puden, always obliging, went to the
Presidents private office to secure the
favor for the lady. Returning in
few moments he said: "The President
sends his compliments, and says that
if you will bring your autograph
album he will be glad to write his
name in il, but he never puts his sig
nature upon blank sheet of paper"
The lady was rather taken aback,
but, thanking Mr.. Pruden for his
album. The book being triile dingy
in appearance, and also quite full Of
autographs, she determined to pur-
chase new one and have the Presi-
dents signature to start IT," Pro-
ceeding to Ballantyne's book store, on
Seventh street, she bought new and
handsome album, and repaired to the
White House, arriving there within
twenty minutes from the time she
had left. Mr.. Pruden smiling, took
the book and repaired to the Presi-
dent to obtain his autograph for the
persevering lady. Returning, he
gave the book to the lady, who, thank
ing him, left for her home. Upon ar
irving there she opened the album to
gaze on the valued inscription and
found the following:
Woman's name-hers but to give away
mans, his all; II should not 90 astray.
GROVER CLEVELAND.
#*#
Says Carpenter in the New York
World: President Cleveland is ayerse
TO the kissing of babies and he avoids
it whenever he possibly can at his
MONDAY receptions. Now and then
he has to succumb, however, and he
would, perhaps, add to his popularity
with his Cabinet if he would do as
Andrew Jackson did-delegate the
kissing to them. Jackson, ON one of
his tours, was handed q dirty-faced
baby by very proud mother. Sec
retary of War Eaton was standing
beside him at the time. Jackson held
the baby up and said: "Here is Il
beautiful specimen of young American
childhood. Note the brightness of
that eye, the strength of these limbs
and the sweetness of these lips ~
Here he pushed the baby into the
face Of General Eaton and said,
without word of warning: "Kiss
him, Eaton p and, of course, Eaton
had TO do so. My authority for this
story is Judge A. II. Boteler, now
of the Attorney Generals office, who
was with Jackson at the time and
witnessed the incident.
W.
1t is remarked by the Washington
correspondent of the New York
Tribune that Congressman McShane
of Nebraska probably shares the opin-
ion of most Western men that the
only good Indian is dead Indian.
He was telling group of his friends
the other day of his experience among
the Indians. Several years ago,
while looking after his cattle on the
plains of Wyoming, some hostile
Indians captured the future Congress-
man and ran off goodly portion of
his cattle. Being their prisoner they
compelled him to cook for them, and
TO add, as it. were, insult to injury,
they made him slaughter his own cat
tie for their benefit. "Well," SAID Mr..
McShane to his friends, "you will
scarcely believe me, but it is fact
that instead of putting me to the tor
ture and killing me by inches, as is
their custom, they moved off one fine
morning and left me and my cattle
behind, contemplating Western
sunrise on an empty stomach. 1t
didn't take me long, assure you, TO
make tracks for civilization. But
what puzzles me to the present day is
why they didn't kill me-" Prob
ably they were afraid of your red
hair" mildly yentured Cannon of
Illinois. Maybe they considered
you sacred character on that ac-
count" remarked some one else. "Oh,
neither is the true reason" here
broke in Laird, McShanes colleague.
In my opinion, the Indians moved
off because they were disgusted with
McShane's cooking. In the gen.
eral laughter which followed, Mr.,
McShane joined as heartily as the rest.
II wouldn't be a bit surprised said
he, 'if that was the reason why they
left me behind. Three days of my
cooking was probably all they could
stand"
NV
1t is said (by Fred Mussey of the
Cincinnati Commercial Gazette that
since'Mrs. Cleveland s return from the
South she has been spending most of
her time at Red Top, while her hus-
band remains at the White House, and
that she very sadly misses the COM
panionship of her mother, who sud-
denly departed for Europe few days
ago. Meanwhile the fawn which was
presented to Mrs. Cleveland in Flor
ida has arrived and been decorated
with blue ribbon about its neck and
a bell, Mrs. Cleveland's private
menagerie now consists of the French
poodle, Hector, who has turned out to
he q great reprobate and wan
ders all over town at all sorts
of hours Of the night, disturb
ing the choice canine circles
Of society of Washington; big Ber-
nard dog, five canares, four cats, the
fawn, the Jersey heifer, Oracle, pre-
sented by George w. Childs; dozen
white mice, two peacocks, two guinea
pigs, two alligators, large assortment
of blooded fowls, and the tender
recollection of the dead monkey,
which was Mrs. Cleveland's chief
source of consolation and enjoyment
while it lived, and whose untimely
taking of by severe cold was n great
blow TO the charming lady of the
White House.
The Hatficlds Rcmandcd.
In the United States District Court at
Louisville, KY, Saturday, Judge Barr re-