The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-12-22
A FEW CHRISTMAS YARNS
MEMBERS OF CONGRESS FALL
INTO "REMINISCENCES.
Tom Reed Relates an Incident of His
School Days-Mr. Mills Of Texas Tells
Of a Days Sport With His Gun-Ben
Butterworth's Kicking Match-Billy
Mason's Hard Luck

school Day6-Mr. Mills or Texas Tells
of a Days Sport With His Gun-Ben
Butterworth's Kicking Match-Billy
Mason's Hard Luck.
Copyright. 1897
WASHINGTON, Dec. 1s.-Scratch a mem
Der Of congress about this time Of year and
you are apt TO find some kind Of reminis-
cence appropriate to the season. Despite the
fact that Cashier Silcott got to Canada
with S75, 900 Of the Christmas money be-
longing to the hard-worked and genial
American congressman, there is lots Of
Christmas cheer and goodwill to men
among the members of the Fifty-frst con-
gress this December. The Christmas yarns
that congressman sometimes spin about this
time of the year vary widely and radi-
caIy. Here are some of them: There is no
man on the floor of congress
less likely to tell sto ries than
Thomas B. Reed, longtime leader of
the republican side of the House, and now
speaker Tall, portly and dignifed, with
brightly sentimental side TO his nature that
Is seldom shown, Mr. Reed tells about
Christmas many years ago when he was a
student at Bowdoin college, Maine. He
was the son of a Maine farmer, and poor.
His entire personality bespoke intelligence,
and we were together in College, although
not in the same class His name was jim
Everybody called him Jim, and although
we knew his other name, it never occurred
to us to use it, and the same rule holds good
now. Jim did great deal Of work, besides
study. when he was at college. He had to do
so that he might pay his way, as his father
was Door. Well, he got along well until
this last year, when the hard study and
harder work began to tell on his health.
1t seems that along in November his rather
thin clothes got thinner, as did his physical
frame. Now the boys liked Jim and
wanted to help him, but he made conf
dant of no one, although pleasant to all
Something was evidently worrying his
heart out, and we did our best to learn
what it was, but could not. Just about
five days before Christmas one Of the
boys who lived near Jim discovered that
contrary to his usual custom, Jim was
not going to the old farm to eat his
Christmas dinner. Whether thu boys
guessed it, or how they found it out, no one
knew; but it came to be believed that Jim
wouldn't go home because he had no money
TO pay his fare. The woods were too full of
snow to walk, even if his strength would
have allowed him. Another reason &C
cepted was that Jim was shabbier than
usual, and although his face would light up
when talking or reciting a lesson, the
tired, drawn look was in his eyes when
ever he was silent. Well, it was decided
that Jim should go home, and go nicely
dressed too, with a little money in his
pocket. Two DAYS before Christmas the
II after was settled. Most of the boys were
going home that night, and when the dark
ness came detachment with bundle of
new clothes and an envelope containing
some money stole around to Jim's little
room, and peeping through the window wv
him with his head resting in his arms, his
open book before him, his eyes fixed on va
cancy and big tears rolling down his cheeks.
After moments hesitation the bundle and
envelope were deposited at the door and the
crowd withdrew, save one, who, going some
distance off, threw stone at the door and
fled. That night the boys left, and, as we
heard on our return, Jim went home the
next morning"
That famous tariff smasher, Roger o.
Mills, IS one of the ''show men, of the
House. That is, every man and every other
woman who visits the House of Representa-
tives for the first time asks the guide or es-
cort to show them "Mr. Mills of Texas
No jollity is so jolly as that of Mr.. Mills. and
no man on the floor could greet one with
moro kind courtesy thau ''Aiills of Texas.n
As rule, when Mr.. Mills talks it is to the
point 1t is generally believed that Mr..
Mills dreams tariff matters, and the
nature of his Christmas "reminiscences
could not be guessed in a dczon
guesses. Here it is, as told by
Mr.. Mills on the floor Of the House. con-
gress having adjourned, and the Texas
member having settled himself back in his
chair and looking refectively at the back
of the chair occupied by the Hon. John G.
Carlisle, Just in front: "The happiest
Christmas | think l ever spent was one
winter long time ago, down in Texas,
when | killed twenty-eight partridges
during the day. o yes, it was long time
after married, but that's got nothing to do
with the partridge shooting. You sea it
happened this way had a new gun that
up to that time had fallen little short
Of my expectations Whether l had
been using a little too much am
munition in loading or not | don't know.
but anyhow | changed the load Just a
day or two before, a man living not far
from my place down in Texas had bagged
nineteen cartridges, and | began to think
that would have to do some good shoot
ing or give up the gun. Well, as | said, [
changed the load, and this Christmas
morning the weather was just tip-top for
partridges, and one of the men sad there
was lot of them over in some fields not
far off, SO | started for Them Almost the
first thing | saw was the fellow who had
killed nineteen couple of days be-
fore, and with his gun on his shoulder
he was making tracks for the same hunting
ground toward which [ was hurrving.
When saw him just made up my mind
that would get more birds then he did if
| had to stay on the ground week. Hardly
had | reached the determination than
whirr! went big covey from a bunch of
woods a little TO my right Although the
range wasa little long, | banged away i'd
missed everything. The birds went over
toward the other fellow. as they seemed to
do always, and bang bang he dropped one
with every barrel was mad.
We followed the drove, and
missed right and left again, while my friend
and rival dropped two more BY that time
we had neared the fields and the work was
not. In less than half an hour the other
fellow had ten birds and had but one. But
that one, killed by the last shot, seemed to
settle the whole business. After that it did
not seem as though | could miss a shot.
Bird after bird dropped to my gun, and as
L grew confident my rival grew discon.
certed and nervous He missed some of the
easiest shots, his gun began to behave
badly, and altogether he was broken up.
When the darkness settled down SO thickly
we couldn't see the birds we compared bags.
He had eighteen birds aud around me Law
twenty-eight fat partridges. 1t was hard