The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-01-01
VERY TOUCHING.
A Chicago Coneressman's Simplicity and Its
Effect on Secretary Manning.

Effect Secretary Manning.
Chicago Mail.
from his labors of the somewhat emphatic and
persistent Mr. Lawler. Chicago Congressman,
reminds me of an incident in which both stand
out to advantage. When Mr.. Manning was
Secretary of the Treasury and during his first
serious sickness, the Chicago Congressman be-
came very solicitous about the ecretarys health,
and for awhile he sent to Mr. Manning bas-
ket of flowers every day. Mr. Manning sent for
Iawler, and said: LAWYER, / have been touched
by your kindness have heard of you before,
and think once when you called L may have
treated you little rudely, I want to apologize
for that, because have been touched by this
attention. Now you have never asked for any
thing, and know you poor man. and now
Iwant to know what basprompted this?' The Chi
cago member replied that he knew the sick man
was fond of flowers. and that Mrs. Manning
liked them, and he simply sent them over to
cheer the sick. II have been there myself"
said the Congressman in his peculiar manner
Mr. Manning sent for Mrs. Manning and made
her acquainted with Law1er. Mrs Manning
said their dinner hour at hand and asked
the Congressman to remain. No" said Law
Ter, Il cant do 1t; much obliged to you-both
of you, but promised Mary I'd be home to din
ner with her, and have never broken my word
to my wife since we've been married. Mary
does her own work. and / wouldn't disappoint
her"
The simplicity of the mans candor caused a
pretty scene The gentleman who saw it and
who tells me this story says: II never saw
anything on the stage as pretty as that. The
little Congressman was standing in the presence
of the leader of Washington society, for Mrs.
Manning was. at that time. peerless, and she.
was always stately, and at the same time, yield
ing when the occasion called for it. Mr. Mann
ing fresh from his victories. He had sur
prised the country by his quick PERCEPTION of
the business interets of the people. AS the
little Congressman had spoken, there came a
silence Mrs. Manning bowed low to him just
as a queenly woman will when she is surprised
by great truth. Then she offered her hand,
and the invalid in his chair, touched at the
mark, placed his hand over his eyes for a NOM
ent, and then called Lawler over and said: God
bless you and Mary" am aware that there is
a limit to this sort of story and point at
which curiosity should stop. But there is
other little thing connected with the incident
which, though it intrudes upon lthe domesticity
of his family, is pretty enough to be made public.
Mrs Manning went to the door with Lawler as
he, passed out and asked him to
call with his wife. The Congressman
informed Mrs. Manning that Mary was not a
society woman that is understood in Wash
ington, and that they preferred to remain at
home, where they could dress plainly" How
ever, one night there genuine odfashion-
ed night of it at the Manning mansion. in which
the Secretary of the Treasury and the Chicago
Congressman told stories and smoked in the IL
brary, while Mrs. Manning, with her tatting EN-
tertained Mary Lawler in delightful way, de-
void of frills. in the back parlor. There are not
many such evenings in Washington but Dan
Manning loved just that sort of an evening. and
his wife knew how to help him out with it.