Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1888-09-07
A Southern Brigadier.
NJ. J. in Harrisburg Telegraph.

7. NJ. j. in Harrisburg Telegraph.
One of the biggest loafers | ever
saw was an cXme mber of Congress.
He is high official in the House of
Representatives now, 80 it really
doesn't matter what | say about him.
was al Atlantic City several years
ago, and nv attention was attracted
at the hotel to tall, fac looking man
who learned was an ex-member of
Congress from a Southern State who
reioiced in the title of General" f." for
be had eft in the wah, sah," as a
brigadier in the rebel army. He was
naughty, imperious son of-a-gun,
and he stalked about as if he owned
the earth and had pre.empted several
claims on the planets. His wife, a
mild-mannered, gentle lady. | learned
was by birth Phiiadelphian. She
was always q secondary consideration
to him, and | don't think ever saw
him notice her. Poor woman, she
bore his neglect meekly, and seemed
to take his ill-will as matter of
course. One morning about 9 O'Clock
when | was taking late nap, | was
awakened by cries Of Help! Muir
der Oh, for heavens sake, don't
kill me !" in the shrill voice of a wo-
man. The cries of distress came from
room on the same floor as mine.
Before | could dress and get out into
the hallway the cries had ceased, and
there was scufflling Of hurried feet
as if somebody was getting out of
harms way. inquired quietly dur
ing the day ss to the cause of the
cries, and learned that the Southern
Brigadier, sab, had been indulging in
the playful pastime of beating his
wife, and that when her father had
broken in the door he found the chiv-
alric loafer had her bent over trunk
with his claw abont her throat while
be was beating her eyes black with
his right fist. The old man was 60
ing to kill him, but friends interfered
and the "Gen'ral, sah," was hustled
off before he could be properly shot.
A year afterwards | met the lady at
the same hotel, where her father was
chiet clerk. She told me her story.
Her husband had been member of
Congress and before they were mar
ried had roomed at her boarding
house in Washington. When he fail
ed of reelection he did not leave
Washington but remained at her
house and prevailed on her to marry
him, which she very foolishly did.
Then he billeted his family of three
daughters (he was widower) on his
wife and lived life of ease. They
appropriated the best rooms, and
were SO disagreeable that the other
boarders left, and her revenue dwin-
died down to nil. His demands for
money were alway met cheerfully by
his wife, and he loafed and smoked
twenty-five cent cigars. and drank
brandy and had general good time.
When summer came the whole Ca
Doodle camped down in the Atlantic
City hotel, at which her father was
manager, and it didn't cost them a
cent. One day the old man limited
that they had worn out their well
come, and the loafer took this as an
insult and beat his wife terribly. 1t
was on this occasion that | heard her
cries for help The husband and wife
separated on that day forever The
wife went back to Washington, be-
gan life over again and is prosperous.
The husband loafed around Washing
ton until the Southern Brigadiers got
control of the House and they elected
him 20 a high and responsible posi-
tior. Well, SO it goes. The bad
citizen doesn't get his just deserts in
this world-but there is hereafter,
brethren, there is C hereafter, and
don't you let that important fact slip
your nimble memories