Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-03-19
PILLS COMMISSION.
AN INTERESTING INCIDENT IN GEN.
 sHERIpANs 6oYHooD.

Two Young Monkeys Who Were the
 Terror of the vIllaSe-An Envelope
 From the War Department-Army or
 Navy-Results.
 Many years ago, while down in Virginia and just about the time when Sheridan was making his famous raid through that country, friend of mine gave me the follow ing interesting accountof the generals boy hood days, and how he came to get his 'conl- mission" in the army; and it was in thi: wise: At that time Judge James Parker, t brother of New Jerseys eminent jurist Cortlandt Parker, lived in Somerset, O., and occupied a position on the bench, and was cue of the most influential men in that part of the state. His residence was located on a hill, and at the bottom of that hill lived Mrs Sheridan in humble circumstances, as may be inferred from the fact that she took in the washing of the Parker family; but, although humble in position, she was highly respected, and on the friendliest terms with her more opulent neighbor.
 TWO MISCHIEF MAKERS
 The judge had a son James, and Mrs. Sheri- dan had a son Phil, and these two boys lived on terms of closest intimacy, and while they were the pride, they were likewise the terror of the village, for two more mischievous young monkeys never existed, Phil par ex- cellence, for there was no deviltry concocted in the village for which he was not given the credit. The boys both attended the village school until reaching the age of 10 or l2 years, when James was packed off to board ing school and Phil was apprenticed to the local storekeeper.
 Some years rolled by, when on one morn ing, James being at home on vacation, the judge received an ominous looking envelope from the war department at Washington Of course, all the family assembled at the break fast table were anxious to know it's contents when on being opened it was found to be commission in the army of the United States for James Parker, Jr. All the family were awe struck and delighted save Jim, who positively and absolutely declined it, for the reason "that he always wanted to go in the navy, and wouldn't be a soldier anyhow" :" Persuasion was of no avail, so at last the judge said in desperation: "It will never do to return this to the department and decline it; now what shall be done with itf'
 THE JUDGES HIGH HAT.
 "Give it to Phil" said Jim, and this propo. sition met with great applause and was unanimously carried; so, after breakfast, the judge and Jim started down the hill to the grocery store, and just as they were enter ing the door they saw Phil disappearing down the cellar steps with a molasses jug iu one hand and half eaten apple in the other Phil saw Jim, but he didn't see the judge; the opportunity was not to be lost, so be let drive his apple core just in time to send the judges high hat flying out of the door into the muddy road. Now judges, and especially county judges, thirty years ago, were in vested with a certain amount of dignity m the eyes of the ordinary rustic, so that Phirs performance naturally did not meet with the cordial approval of the shopkeeper or of his customers, and Master Phil, after having been collared and cutfed, was brought into the judges presence to apologize, previous to being thrashed.
 As may be supposed, this was not being in troduced to one's benefactor under the most favorable auspices but as no one could resist PhiIs comical repentance, he was forgiven, and the subject of the 'commission" was broached, and Phils delight was even more comical than his repentance, for it was all his friend Jim could do to restrain him from standing on his head, which was his usual mode of manifesting pleasure. He, how ever, calned down sufficiently to make proper acknowledgements and to assure the judge that if the government approved be would try to do him and himself credit It is unnecessary to state that Phil has kept his promise, or to go further into his career that is now public property; but while today Phil is lieutenant general of the armies of the United States, "Jimn is an ex- commander of the United States navy, and having fought through the war and then re- signed is now prominent admiralty lawyer in New York.-Cor. New York Post.