The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1888-02-18
BAD MEMORY FOR NAMES AND
FACES.

tor Sherman has had to contend against
in public life is his inability to remem-
Der the names and faces of people. He
can recall every figure in a table of
statistics year after he has read it, and
in reading has very retentive memory,
but for names and faces he has none.
The lack of this faculty has made him
some bitter enemies during his long
for it is one fault politician
will not forgive. know the only rea-
son on earth that causes Ex-Congress-
man Calkins of Indiana to hate Sher-
man is the latter's failure to recall his
name on an occasion that was quite
embarrassing to both of them. Calkins
was in Congress then, before the Re-
publican Convention of 1880, and was
a warm Sherman man the early part of
the campaign. He was not only
hearty supporter of the then Secretary
of the Treasury as a candidate for the
Presidency, but was active in urging his
friends to support him. Sherman might
have had some delegates from Ipdiana
if what 1 am about to tell had not hap
pened.
One evening, there being a lot of
Indiana politicians in Washington, Cal,
kins invited them to go with him to
call on Sherman. They demurred on
the ground that they did not know
him, but Calkins said that need not
make the slightest difference, that
Sherman and he were intimate friends
md were together almost constantly.
In fact, scarcely day or an evening
passed that either Sherman did come
to see him or he 60 to see Sherman.
They were almost inseparable, and
both he and Sherman would feel very
badly if they did not call, even for just
moment. So they consented, and
Calkins led them up to Sherman S
house on X street. The Secretary re-
ceived them cordially, and shook hands
all around. Then Mrs. Sherman came
III, and instead of saying, "Geutlemen,
my wife," as most politicians would
have done under the circumstances, he
attempted to introduce them to her
severally, and presented poor Calkins
as Mr.. Canaday of North Carolina.
Calkins nearly fell to pieces when it
became necessary to tell his "intimate
friend" and ''inseparable companion -
that he was not Mr.. Canaday, from
North Carolina, but Congressman
from Indiana. The Indiana delega-
ton were, of course, amused, and
neither Mr.. Sherman's apology nor
Calkin's protest had the slightest effect
upon them. They nearly worried the
life out of Calkins before they left town
and when they went home of course
told the story all over the district.
There was no excuse for the blunder,
except a defective memory. Both Cal
kins and Canaday are tall, slender men,
with sandy moustaches, but there the
likeness ends. Canaday was engaged
in Mr.. Sherman's interest and few days
passed that he did not take people up
to introduce them to mis- candidate
In speaking of the incident afterward
MIR. Sherman expressed the deepest re-
gret, but that couldn't heal poor Cal
kins' wound.
81 can tell worse story than that or
Sherman" said well-known politician
to me the other night. 81 was down
in Maine with him several years ago
making political speeches, and in trav-
cling from one place to another we had
to change cars at Brunswick, where we
had couple of hours to walt. We re,
membered that it was the seat of Bow
doin College and we concluded tc
drive up and look at the buildings
After we had strolled about the campus
and through the historic halls in which
Longfellow and SO many other famous
men spent their college days, we came
to door upon which little tin sign
was tackled, bearing the words, 'The
President l suggested to MIR. Sherman
that it would be the polite thing tc
leave our cards, and in dong SO l rap
ped. TO our surprise some one crleC
Come In, and opening the door We
found ourselves in the presence o.
Joshua L. Chamberlain, whom we sup
posed was away on his vacation. He
recognized Mr.. Sherman and myself al
once, and after little chat invited u:
to his house, where we were introduced
to his wife and gwen some luncheon
General Chamberlain then accompanied
us to the station, for our train Wa:
about due. To my utter astonishment
and mortiication-for | supposed, o
course, that Sherman knew Governor
Chamberlain-he remarked as he sale
good-b bye that he had greatly enjoyed
his visit and would like to know the
president of Bowdoin College. Gov
Chamberlain blushed and, taking a care
from his pocket-book, handed it tc
Mr.. Sherman without a word. The
latter, when he glanced at the paste
board, recognized the Dlunder he hac
made, but it was too late. After the
train started he told me that he felt like
kicking himself, but was constantly in.
volving himself in similar embarrass
ment and was getting used to it.
"I know prominent man." said {
well-known Judge, who was also {
member of the group, "who often for
got his own name. l went with hin
once to make call; and the people
were not in. Neither of US happened
to have cards about US, so he said tt