National Republican., 1888-02-05
WASHINGTON GOSSIP,
HOW MIR. LAMAR REHEARSED HIS
FAMOUS CALHOUN GRAFTON.
Two Absent Minded Statesmen Early Dis
appointments of Mr.. Niias-A Senatorial
Contest Developing.

Contest Developing.
Washington Correspondence Globe. Democrat.
Mr.. Justice Lamar's intimatcs are wonder
ing whom he will get to talk his decisions
over with. 1t has always been Mr. Lamar's
custom to rchearsc his speeches to somebody
in whose judgment he has confidence, and |
get private criticism previous to the delivery |
in public. The last time hc had occasion to
do this was just before his address ut the un |
yelling of the Calhoun monument last sum |
mcr. He called at the room of Il Southern |
Senator who never makes n speech himself, |
but is Il fine critic.
:" want you to take II walk with me,
Matt" the then Secretary said.
The senator guessed what was wanted, and
taking his hat, went with him. Mr. Lamar
put his left hand upon his friends arm, lcay
| ing his right free for gcsticulaion, and they |
| started out Fourteenth street The Secretary |
commenced without further delay, and the
Senator listened and suggested from time To
time us the well-roundcd sentences were
turned out. Both became cngroSscd in the
subject and walked along with their heads
down, needless of time or distance. OCca-
sionaly they got into an argument over
some point in the speech.
For two or three hours the pair walked ON
in this way, until at last Lamar reached the
pcroration
Perfect! perfect! Don't change II word of
it." exclaimed the Senator, as the Secretary
come to stop at the end of the last SEN
tence. They continued in silence II few mo-
mcnts, and then the inspiration of the occa-
SION began to die away. suddenly Mr.. Lamar
stopped and looked around like man who
had just awakened.
Where are we?' he asked
'Blest if | know replied the Senator,
after he had studied the surroundings in vain
for something familiar.
: MIR. Lamarisa horseback rider, and pretty
well acquainted with the suburbs of Wash
ingtOn. After some thought he managed to
discover that he had walked his friend ont to
Pierccs mill, about five miles north of Wash
ington, and at least that distance from the
Fourtcecnth-street car terminus The two
looked ut each other in diSmay. They had
started about O'Clock in the afternoon. Now
the sun was just sinking.
And I've dinner engagement at ScCrc
tary Whitneys for tonight groaned Mr..
Lamar.
They turned their faces toward the city and
started back in silence. A mile had scarcely
been covered until the Senator mOppcd his
face with his handkerchief and said he would
have to rest The Secretary, too confessed
his wcarincSs. While they sat by the road
side expressing their wondcrmcnt how they
could have walked so far without discovering
what they were doing, they heard wheels.
The vehicle came in sight II was the mar
ket wagon of Il gardener, piled high with
truck.
Mr. Lamar looked at the Senator and the
Senator looked at Mr. Lamar.
Its this or no dinner at Whitney's, said
the Secretary. Strike him for Il lift, Matt v
The Senator did the negotiating, and i'll II
few moments the distinguished pair were sit
ting on Il bag of potatoes making good time
b, toward the suburbs They got down as soon
e as the street car line was reached, and rode
q into the city in Il more becoming way.
$ But as Mr.. Lamar returned his acknowl-
: edgmcnts to the trucker, he said to him in
his impressive manner; My friend, If can
5 ever do anything for you call on me at the
1 Interior Department. and gave him his card
: Perhaps this latest story of Mr., Lamar's
= absent -mindc,lncsS would never have gotten
, out but for the giving of the card. Several
weeks after the ride from Picrcc'S mill Il gar
= dener was wandering around in the corridors
q of the Interior Department, asking where he
: could find this man. at the same time show
q ing Mr.. Lamar card, He was directed to the
!, Sccrctary'S office, and the colorcd doorkreper
Q held long consultation with himself before
@ he decided what was best to be done At
# length, with the recollection of the many cc-
n ccntrciics of the Secretary in mind, he con
l. cludcd to admit the gardener,
Mr.. Lamar looked his visitor over from
q head to foot, and then asked what he could
It do for him. The gardener grinned, and said
IS he guessed the gentleman did't remember
= him. Mr.. Lamar said no, he certainly
: couldn't place him. Then the gardener asked
% if the gentleman had forgotten riding in
q from Picrce's mill on the bag of potatoes,
@ whercat Mr., Lamar jumped up and shool;
; hands uS warmly aS if he had just discovered
If II lOng-lOst brother.
,t The gardener explained his mission, lie
: had found the market dull and was stuck
!, sooner than haul his truck home he had
~ come to see if the gentleman couldn't buy
Is two sacks of potatoes, Mr. Lamar said h,
n certainly would, and thcrcupun he pulled
" out the money. paid for the potatoes, and
i gave the gardener the address of his HOUSE
y and asked him to deliver them. So The story
q got out. Now that the Secretary has become
q MIR, Justice Lamar, his friends are wonder
ii ing what funny situation his ahScnt-mindcd-
5, ness will lead him into next,
y MIR. Villas POLITICAL RIVAL.
y Joe Slaughter, of Wisconsin, is one ofthosC
" politicians with long memories, whose remi'
8 niSccnCcs go back to the period before tn,
y war, lie rcCOllccts all about the Nilascs from
y the time Madison was Il small town, Mr.
Slaughter thinks the late Postmaster General
and present Secretary of the Interior is an
able man, and he says his talents would hay,
been recognized long ago but for an unior
n tunatc situation in the Villas family. tn,
y elder Villas moved from Vermont to Madison
~ away back in the ioricS. lie had som,
money, and ut once took good position IN
III the community and was called Judge. Il
#, wasn't long before Madison recognized III,
l. claims of the Judge and made him mayor
y Then he was sent To the lower branch of til,
ii Legislature several terms, and finally to tn,
t. State Senate. Meantime the present Secre
L. tary was growing up and attracting attention
H. first as Il dcbatcr then as Il young lawyer
* lie had inherited taste for politics. bu
cs there seemed to be no chance for him rs Ions
le us the old man was running for one OlliC
D. after another The war broke out and younJ
IN Villas promptly enlisted, and served with dis
at tinction. In the first political convention Il
rk Madison after the war the soldier elemen