Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1889-11-29
BANKS JOKING ABOUT DEATH,

BANKS JOKING ABOUT DEATH.
The Office of the Secretary Of the
Interior has on one OF Its walls q
centennial Chart, which contains
the names Of the then $40 Senators
and Representatives in the con
gress of that year-1S76. A few
days ago Gen. Banks, of Mass. and
Maj. Mckinley, of Ohio, were sit
ting together on a sofa when the
Old Genls eye fell upon the chart.
"Ah, Mckinley exclaimed the
veteran statesman, "what a kaIel-
doscope Of men, OF human ambi-
tions, of success and disappoint'
ment this is. Here are the names
of NY friends of thirteen years ago,
| believe that no more than 20 OF
the 275 senators aud representa-
tives of the centennial year are still
in congress-
So the veteran Banks and the
younger Mckinley sat down to
compare notes. Banks knew the
old congress aud Mckinley the new
one.
After summing up the entire
chart they announced the follow.
ing:
$50 you see, Mckinley" said
Mr.. Banks, on counting up the re-
suit Of has careful examination OF
the centennial chart, "my guess
was not far wrong. Less than 40
Of the 375 senator's and representa-.
tives whose names appear on this
chart are IN congress today. In a
dozen years death and the fierce
ness OF the struggle for political
honors have swept away nine men
out Of ten. Mckinley, where shall
you and be a dozen years hence ~
There is really no serious side to
this as would appear at first glance.
The percentage of motality among
active politicians Is shown to be 10
excess of the other "Estates." But
this reduction from 375 to less than
40, IN less than 10 years, included
all who had been sent back to
their constituents.
The old man was getting in his
subdued ticks Of humor when he
asked, mckinley where shall you
and be a dozen years hence r
he has now outlived his three
score and ten by three years; is
the oldest in years and service IN
this congress was Speaker OF the
House when we were boy; has
been governor OF Massachusetts,
and the civil records only know
what else. He was also a MAJ.
Genl. IN the late war.
Think Of the "sly old dog ask
ing: "McKlDley where shall you
and be dozen years hence n
There is a Banks kind Of humor
In this equal to the Old Generals
retort at Strasburg in 1862. Here
is Mckinley of middle age, con-
testing for the speskership which
Banks held when Mckinley was
rolling up snow men to speak to,
aud the witty old fellow classes
him along With himself, and com
placently fixes the limit to McKin-
legs career, and by implication he
should say that he will out live
Mckinley.
We shall give Mckinley one on
the Old General to put him even.
Ia 1862, when be was retreating
down the Valley, and Jackson was
trying to strike the Turnpike at
MiddIetown, the Old Genl. is rep
resented as sitting on curbstone
In Strasburg holding his horse and
observing his army pass. He was
also interested IN hls guns on
HupPs hill. His horse was finely
caparisoned and so was the Gene
raj. About the time the rear guard
passed an old Confed. girl, who
had been watching an opportunity
for single combat, jumped at the
General with extended eyes, and
upiifted hands, exclaiming, "Who
are you anyhow The General
quietly responded: "Madsm, THE
morning was Major General Ma
thauiel Banks OF the United States
Army, but Ill be hanged If know
"wh0 am now"
The official vote OF Virginia for
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