, 1889-08-29

rites OF Europe for the past three cen
turtles. Appended to almost every sig
nature is abrief biographical sketch.
| have reserved for final mention
cecds all others in historical interest. lt
Is u large folio containing portraits and
autograph letters of every president OF
the United States from Washington to
Harrison. Eight of the letters are per-
sonal ones from the various presidents
TO myself
The first letter is one of the most inter
csting. 1t was written by Washington
to Colonel Clement Biddle of Philadel-
ccmber s, 1790-.that is to say only six
days before Washington's death. IL
was the last letter he wrote. There Is
not the slightest indication of approach
ing dissolution In the firm handwriting;
the letters are carefully formed, the
words carefully chosen, and though he
spells cabin with two BIS his shrowdness
IN business dealing is illustrated IN the
stately announcement to Colonel 3iddle
that he has 1t In mind to send him "a
hundred or two barrels of flour to dis
pose of for me in the Philadelphia
market, ms it commands better price
than in Alexandria, and some barrels of
fish also--on commission" He also in
stricts his correspondent about tho pur-
chase of various Kinds of seeds
John Adams letter is addressed to
Commodore Bainbridge, and declines
an invitation to visit the latter on the
ground that "an octogenarian gentleman
and a septuagenariau lady (his wife) can
not be too cautious OF engaging In bold,
daring and hazardous enterprises with
out an object of public good" The
letters arc all of private and entertain
ing character. pierue's letter Is the
tonching one TO James T. Fields to which
! have already referred in connection
with the death of Hawthorne; tic Lin
coin letter IS the famous one of April .,
1862, containing instructions to General
Mcclellan, and concluding with the
undcrscored words, But you mtl-t act,
and General Grant is represented by the
noted letter he wrote me, June o, 1877,
from London. This is the letter four
teen pages in length, which telcgruphcd
to the London Times, 1t contains tho
lines, ut has always been my desire to
see all jealousy between England and
the United states abatcd, and all sores
healed up. Together they are more
powerful for the spread of commerce
and civilization than all others COM
bined, and can do more to remove cause
of wars, by creating mutual interests
that would he 40 much disturbed by
war, than all other nations"
AUTOGRAPH LETTERS
of Andrew johnson are very hard TO OBJ
tain-hardcr than the letters of any
other president. Letters written by his
secretary and merely signed by himself
are common enough, | have been en-
abled, however, TO secure quite a store
of lohnson's original manuscripts, in
Guiding the account bool; he kent while
tailor. This is full of droll expressions
The letter | have selected to represent
him in the volume of the presidents Is
an interesting communication to his
friend Major (utteward GencraD sam
Milligan, 1t IL i'll written and notable
for It's odd misspellng and its frank
political gossip. Ii breatheS Il fcvcrish
anxiety for the action of the Southern
leaders, and hopes "there is still intclli-
gence enough and Write in the country
sufficient to save it," "As you say" lie
writes, "they (meaning the Unreasonable
men'D have given me thunder in some
places"
Perhaps his nearest friend was the
Hon. Samuel j. Randall. who fairly
lived mt the White House during john
ston's stormy administration. Yet, as
illustrating the scurcity OF ,iUhnson's au-
tograph letters, even Mr.. Randall has
dressed TO Major Milligan which are full
of entertaining chat about politics.
But haven't talked enough about my
friends? For these books and manu-
scripts nre as much my friends as hu-
man beings, And had almost forgot
ten the clocks, | have a collection OF
nearly fifty in various places, and it has
been said that whole history Of clock
and Matchmaking might be written from
II study of them. The most important
clock in my possession is the one CON
structed by David Ritteuhouse, the
great astronomer, for rich citizen OF
colonial Philadelphia. 1t now stands in
my office. Barton, in his Lille Of Ritten-
house gives its interesting pedigree.
There is attached to it the meChan-
ism ofa musical clock, besides an uccu-
rate little planetarium, placed on its
face above the dial plate. II was made
for Joseph Potts, who paid S040 for it (:
in the spring of LIZA il was purchased by
Thomas Prior, who refused General Sir
William Howe's offer of 100 guineas for
il shortly before the evacuation of Phil
adelphiu in 1878, and another offer OF
the Spanish minister of $500, made with
II view OF presenting it to his sovereign.
After MIR. Prior's death, in 1901, it be-
came the property of Prof. Barton, the
biographcr of Rittcniousc, and from
him passed into the possession OF the
late james Swain, at the sale of whose
effects bought IL In October, 1870
But the mention of that office OF mine,
about which so much has been written,
must not tempt me into further talking.
Whatever it may be to others, it is hal
lowed for me by a thousand associations.
Look any way ! will, n familiar face con
fronts me, ON this side Jiishop Simpson,
OH that Dean Stanley and Dickens; over
there my old friends, Robert g. Win
throp and General Grant faces of men
and women-of Nilsson and Modiesku; F;
of Nine. Bernhardt-a portrait painted
by herself
This is a fitting place to stop. Just
one parting reflection. If asked what, as
the result of my experience, is the great
est pleasure in life, | should say doing
good to Others. Not II strikingly original
remark, perhaps; but seemingly the
most difficult thing in the world Is to be
prosperous and generous at the same
time. During the war I asked very
rich man TO contribute some money to Il
certain relief fund He shook his head.
"Childs, he said, 81 can't give you any
thing, | haye worked too hard for my
money" That j. just it. Being gem
erous grows on one just as heing mean
does. The disposition To give and be
kind to Others should be inculcated and
iostored in children. 1t seems 10 me
that is the way to improve the world and
make happy the people who are in it.
GEORGE W. CHILDs.
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Slaughter OF Snakes.
Wesley Gourlcy living in tho Cnur