New-York tribune., 1890-01-26
GOSSIP AT THE CAPITAL.
HOW PHILETUS SAWYER'S KINDNESS TEN
PORARILY MISCARRIED
STORIES ABOUT THE SHERMAN FAMILY -
SPEAKER REEDS DISAPPOlNIMiNI
SENATOR VEST KNOWS HIMSELF
WADE, OF MISSOURI.

Washington Jan. Ex-senator Philetus sawyers
kindness TO persons in distress is proverbia but c
charity he often shows is tempered Win dscfetoh
All that he wants to know is that the applicant Is
y,iuipc IN helm himself This much known Uncle
Phllc,u,', hand is stretched forth TO help him. Re
Gently the Senator had unique experience IN
his daily mail a letter from NORTH Daho'a-
begging letter The writer set forth now lle crops
had been destroyed by the drOVh, how the poor pco-
pe were having a hard time Of il this winter ana
how some of them were reluctantly forced 10 appear
10 outsiders for little aid The writer knew that
senator SAWYER had many calls OF this kind, yet he
felt sure that genuine OF distress, even in North
Dakota would not be misunderstood. The writer diu
not ask for money, but If senator sawyer could spare
him suit Of old clothes to last through the winter
he would lie deeply grateful
Uncle Phllctus read the letter over two or three
times. The handwriting was not Of the clcrky Kind
which professional beggars employ. 1t was hard
listed and bespoke Of toll. If he had looked
closely. he would have found some words mispellcd'
But the Senator wasn't thinking of those things Ihe
tone that Of honest man in distress, ana se-
tor SAWYER determined to do something to relieve
him. lie accordingly dictated an answer 10 MS
clerk which somewhat as follows;
Dear Sir: am serry that cannot comply with
your request for suit OF my old cl0thes' i uohs
snaY %sar many apSSmed long before they are worn out But
and have made il rule Of NV lie to help when
they are I'm need and it Is in my power Though
cannot forward you a suit OF old clothes. ! Incosc
and. hope. leave something besides. l glad TO
know that you propose 70 stay whore you are % hnu
S a6a bsd ~ ouT erop fs VTg Year Next Year think c
wheat crop is TO be good and those OF You VINO
hope TO hear Of your prosperity in the future, for
feel assured that If Will come In time l.nr Su1cero
friend. PlllLETIS SAWYER
The inclosnrc 10 which the senator referred was
check payable at one Of the Fargo banks.
In a few DAYS letter received by Senator
SAWYER which astonlhcd him not little. II re-
turned the check which had been ncloscd. Tho
letter was written on the stationery Of The Fargo
Argus and ran substantially follows:
Dear senator sawyer: / regret that you haven't
suit Of old clothes which you could spare ne. IL is a
hard winter up ms way and as you Know your
scncc money cannot compensate me- anu wv
leave 70 return The check which you 80 kindly sent
yards up here for ten years past ana "a httc mhl"t
like a drOuih doesn't worry me Iut -Aaut pat
too busy getting out the greatest paper ln tle
Northwest and booming ne eanlcn spot oi .od.
earth, which Is Fargo. North Dakota. and don't YOU
Also corner o, Advertisements funerals and marriage
notices. ! have directed oar force of mailing clerks
to send yOu sample copy II our boom edition. from
which YOU Will see that drouii, and blizzard, don't
ThanTrr VOL for the kindly sentiments contained
In your letter and for the ,uh,tanta token of good
will which is herewith returned rcwaip % ,Tiy Yonr''
Editor and proprietor Fargo Argus seven DAYS
ia the week.
?. S-Phctu-. how dd YOU happen 10 scnd thai
check 10 me- have just put four new stories on
" The Argus Buildne. which Is now higher than any
thing in Chicago. but some poor and deserving man
probably needs that reminder on your kindness morc
thin do, and hope De- Will get r. \. W. T..
senator Sawyer Immediately began 10 overhaul hls
CORES pondcncc. He knew somebody had written him
from North Dakota asking for a sut Of MS old clothes
but he knew also that II wasn't his oh friend ~
wards. Finally the letter found and The mystery
cleared mp. The writer had referred two thrcc
times to Editor Fdwaris man who knew him lnl
would Doe willing 10 you'h for h.s good 'ianct"r
Having this IN mind the senator had absent Tlndcdly
addressed his letter 20 Mr. Edwards .,n assured.
though that the check has gone back 10 Fargo and IS
ty THIS time in the hands Of the deserving individual
for whom II was intended.
This IS the most patcrnal and generous Govcrnmcn,
upon the face OF the earth. II carries e f.rbelraucc
TO point which forcibly recalls the maxim II the
Hebrew sage that he that sphrcth The -pollch
the child" Certainly Il IS not necessary % looE
" away down solth IN Dixic--whcrc. ~ Aberdeen
Miss. they hauled down the United state, nae 10 half
mast. drapcd thc public buildings lu molraing arl
hanged secretary PIUctOr IN crgy. all hDlu- ~ fe
late Jefferson Days-to ind ru' cNhu'"lucc u
devotion o. tho lost Cause which also implr- thc
most hagrnt disloyalty 20 tho linton. Nu,h feeling
was manifested here some time ago when D, became
known that a certain southern woman of Rebel
with mourning upon the occasion of the southern
leaders, death. bat 1 Informed TINT some h,'t
dozen employees IN the Treasury Department ARC
openly wearing crap upon their arms 10 eNr~,. ti..
sympathy for The lOs- Of the cx-Pr-Ilcat OF tlc Com
lcdcIacy. / have not heard however. that 'lc.e
sympathetic gentry have resigned au employment
which must De inc,prcs.bl, CALLING 10 t.ri tender
and susceptible hearts Tor thcy all. with accord
continue 10 draw their saarics with charming uu1niu,
lty. ! hear also Of young woman. employed IN one
Of the great Executive Departments and who hi,
other members OF her family 80 employed. whose
southern sympathlc, Of such decided char.
accr that when invited Ia take . hand in friendly
games of cards AZ the hotel where she boards. She
invariably declines for the rca,on-whioh she set,
forth with great carncstnc,s and vlvacity-tint She
could not consccntioasH play with the iyor counters
IN use there bcciu~c they are red white and blue the
cOors Of the American flag.
That rugged old ,rawart. Zacharah Chandler was
in the habit Of dealing with This species Of rrccon
cablo malcontcnts "-ccundum Hrtcm.7 When he
was scccrary of the Interior lie heard that a bitter
southern sympathllcr, who had a brother and sister
also employed IN the departments. in lscd upon wear
ing veil at her work. a, She was afraid some one
who knew her would recognize her "a worAing for the
Federal Government. which She was ashamed 10 d.
lie sent FOR her and told her that the street wa, the
proper place 10 wear wells. promptly dismissed her
and gave the vacancy TO the widow Of Union solder
a party Of Ohio men grouped In The Ebbltt
House lobby the other day and among the topics Of
friendly int rcoursc that came up was the famous
Hherm9n family Ohio men always speak proudly Of
this sturdy stock and enough good things we're tod AT
this meeting 10 make pocket sherman encyclopedia.
There were eleven children In the family. and of the
SONS three attained exceptional prominence. 30
largo is the family today that senator sherman can
count ninteen ncphcws and twenty nlcccs
one 81 the ohio men related how the old people
Of Mount Vernon ohio rcmcmbcr when Senator >h.r
man worked on a farm near that place. one old lady
especially described the gaunt lad who used daily 10
pass her door on his WAY IA the village school. She
describes him as almost SIX fcct tall wearing broad
brlmmcd, dllapdatcd straw hat. trousers which he
Lad long since outgrown and often. the Mount
Vernon Auntic' the strappng boy wa in Ms bare
feet. She a frlcnd 0l tho scnntnr'. mniler nnd