The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1889-06-28
CLAY AND "JOHNNY."
\ PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH THE
GREAT STATESMAN.
\ Long Ride in Virginia Which Made Clay
Remember a Country Boy After
Many Years-A Favor Re
ciprocated.
baltimore Herald.1

baltimore Herald.l
"Did know Henry Clay4" repeated Mr..
John II. Holmes, of the firm Of Holmes q
Sons, in his office the other day. Mr.. Holmes
face lit up with an amiable smile as he con
tinued:
Indeed did, and never met stranger
to whom felt so drawn as did to him:
when first / became acquainted with him.
That was a good many years ago" Mr..
Holmes added, running his fingers through
his white hair. at was away back IN 1883
This is how it happened:
''In those days l was a boy of 10 years and
lived with my mother in Frederick county.
Va, about eight miles from Winchester and
about a mile from the stage road that ran
from Washington across the mountains. One
day the stage met with an accident coming
coming down tie hill, near our place, and
was upset. hurried 10 the scene and learned
that man had been killed As wanted to
see what a dead man looked like, APP
preached tall, bony man who was seated
by the roadside writing a letter on his knee,
to ask where the dead man was. He directed
me pleasantly, and when I had seen all
wanted returned and asked him If he
wouldn't come up to my mothers house fsr
dinner"
q would like to do so very much, sonny"
ne replied, "but I can hardly walk.
That's all right responded; I'll go get
our barouche'
He objected that it would be too much
trouble, but finally consented. So I got the
vehicle and took him up to the house, while
the other passengers walked. While at din
ner my mother and / discovered that the
genial gentleman was Henry Clay. We also
discovered that he was very anxious to get
to Winchester at once, in order to take tbs
stage there for his home in Kentucky. Ny
mother suggested that drive him over. Hs
-, ed
me better. When we We're ready to start
took the reins, but Mr. Clay said to me:
" See here, Johnny, suppose you sit back
with me and let my colored man, Charles,
drive
"'An right SIR said I, and back went.
1t was delightful ride to me. Twill never
forget it. Mr.. Clay completely captivated
ME. He talked to me about school, about
horses, about farming, about shooting, in
fact, about everything that would interest
boy of my age, bringing himself down to my
level.
Now, Johnny, I want you to slip this
into your pocket Mr.. Clay said when we
reached Winchester. He handed me SO. ]
told him that my mother would never con-
sent to my taking that. 1t would reflect
upon Virginia hospitality.
{" I don't want to pay you, Of course he
urged 1 only want you to take this as
present.
81 demurred again, and not until while
driving home looked on the back seat did
know Mr.. Clay had quietly put the money
there.
1.-THE next time saw Mr.. Clay" Mr..
Holmes went on to say, twas in 1912, at
layton, Ohio. He had just addressed a
mass-meeting and the people were pressing
forward to shake his hand. I was a
stranger, but thought I, too, would go up
Il 10 I told
Iolmes He stopped to think and said that
le once dined at the house Of a Widow
Holmes in Virginia almost ten years before,
md remembered that she had little son
4amed Johnny. He often thought about
Sheir kindness, he said, and wanted TO know
if l was any relation. When told him that
was Johnny he seized both my hands and
shook them with all his might, inviting ma
to MS hotel that night.
N saw Mr.. Clay again four years later, IN
Cumberland, Md, in 1916. He paid a visit
there few weeks after / came to live there.
A reception committee of all tn big guns in
town waited at the railroad station for his
irrivaL / managed to get in among the
,rowd, near the edge of the platform. When
t 9 train stopped Mr.. Clay stepped of about
!. dozen feet from where was standing. The
reception committee was advancing hat in
hand, to greet the great statesman, when
suddenly he caught sight of me, and, paying
little or no attention to the advancing COM
mittee, pushed over to me, extending his
hand and exclaiming:
why, John, is that you? What on earth
are you doing here"
"The crowd Immediately turned its after
ton to me, and after Mr.. Clay had &C
knowledged the committees courtesy, h
took my arm and walked down to the hot
with me. It was remarkable how polit
every body in town became to be after this
little episode.
"My last meeting with Mr.. Clay was g
1s49." Mr. Holmes added: II was tryir-s
to get a mail agency and had been fat
fully promised the influence Of a congres
man who had been on the most intIma 9
terms with all my family since his boz
hood. I discovered, however, from As.
sistant Postmaster General Dundass, that
my supposed friend was really working in
another mans interest taxed him with 10
and told him that, in spite of him, would
have the Office. So visited Henry Clay and
found him sick in bed He asked me what
the trouble was, and I told him wanted
him to help me out, said. Ii was the f1rss
time had asked him favor"
"Give me that portfolio" he said.
II did so and he wrote a few lines to tbs
postmaster geneI al I took the letter to the
latter. In two days had my commission.
1t only goes to prove that Mr.. Clay never
forgot kindness done him AZ got moFs
than even with me az least