Morning journal and courier., 1889-07-02
POPULAR UNCLE JKlsRY.a
some New Gossip About Harrison Interesting Secretary of AgrIcuItur

Some New Gossip About Harrison's Interesting Secretary of Agriculture. Washington Letter to Philadelphia Press.l Uncle Jerry Rusk has taken the Casey House, so called, at 1880 Massachusetts avenue, the one which Secretary Bob Lin- coin used to occupy, and before long his re- cease to add to the attractions of the Ebbitt House. Uncle Jerry is really the most delic- ious character in Washington. The en- ployees of the Agricultural Department, the Cabinet officers, the loungers about the ho- tels, the seekers after. place under the Gov
 ernment-they all not only admire and re- spect him, they love him. It is becau SC he
 is thorough Democrat. They like him bet ter because he took no credit to himself for shooting the Anarchists, but merely said: 'I see my duty and done it." They think the more of him because he is by far the handiest man with the scythe in this whole | town, and is not ashamed to ride horse at | such 8 swell affair as Gen. Agnus is noted | for giving. if that seems the natural thing to ! do. Everybody calls Uncle Jerry a | thoroughbred. There isn't single fril to | him and not an atom of deceit Of what ! other man in this resort of great little men ! and little men, can so much be saids
 There are two attitudes which Uncle Jerry ! falls into as easily as pool ball does into ! the side pocket, and which 1t Is always a | to utmost the descriptive faculty. The ! first finds the Secretary of Agriculture sit | ting in the ordinary hotel armchair on the pavement in front of the Ebbitt House | reading-room windows.
 The chair is tipped so far back that it is ! in danger of dumping its valuable contents | still further back. Uncle Jerry cocks his legs up upon the topmost round in front. ! His trousers would be baggy at the knees a dozen times worse Ethan they are if they were not baggy at the knees as badly as ! they can be already. With his thumbs caught in the armholes of his waistcoat and | his white high tile on the back of his head, | or else swinging in his left hand to give his ! right chance to play carelsssly through \ ole Jerry tells stories, and good ones, as the I most careless listener may see, because he | laughs at them himself And let others tell
 stories, and these he laughs at more heartily. ! Any body can approach him and talk to him
 and be treated like lord of creation. His | eyes are always twinkle, his face alwaye ! red with vigor and blood and satisfaction
 and his white beard fairly brissles, so to speak, with the aggressiveness of his good nature.
 The other attitude-though this one ia
 sometimes varied, as when the Secretary Jugs his chair around to the other sidewalk and sits under the naples of Newspaper Rows-discloses Uncle Jerry perched upon
 the granite sides of the west entrance to the
 Ebbitt Sometimes it is the steps them-
 selves that hold him up, but that Is usually
 not high enough. It is also not comfortable
 enough because it is more comfortable
 Here, too, he has his companions, who find
 it hard to appear at ease on the hard seat.
 Bat Uncle Jerry doubles one of his legs up
 and rests upon his opposite hand and tips
 his hat back in the same careless way and
 strokes the same silver whiskers, and tells
 the same grist of good stories and listens te
 the same grist When he is tired-whieh is
 not till it is very late-he drops into the
 other attitude in front of the hotel with the
 same facility of the pool ball, or else he sayt
 good night to his companions-and every
 body feels ike ea companion to Uncle Jerry
 and lets the willing elevator boy take him ur
 to bed,