The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1890-07-25
PENNsYLvANIA's coMMoNER.

Contrasting Elements In the Character of
Grim Old Thsd Stevens.
Speaking of "Old Thad Stevens as
the great American was often
called. | heard a story told OF him the
last time i was in Washington which per
haps has never beer in print, writes Ben
{. Truman in the New York Times. The
old man was seated near a lack of cheap
"chips" one evening at a well known re-
sort for gentlemen of his kind near Four
n "A Half street on Pennsylvania
avenue, Washington, only a year or so
previous to his death, when some new ar
rival announced that old James WASH
ington lcolored) was dead. All present
betrayed evidences of great grief when
some one remarked to Mr.. Stevens: am
afraid, old man, that it won't be long
before you will follow Uncle jim"
"Oh, no." responded Thad; ''that's inn
possible" and then, pointing to the CELL
ing, Hes gone up. I'm going the other
way.n
Thad was very fond of faro and of
the midnight concomitants in the shape
OF terrapin and canvast ack, and also of
fine wines and brandies. There are few
eminently great public men anywhere
who are not addicted to all or some of the
vices, so-called. Go over the interminable
list of the dead and the living, and there
may be found exceptions contradictory
to this statement. This great Pennsylva-
MAN was u staunch friend of the poor,
black and white, and especially of the
former, because the blacks were the
under dog during his time of public
service, at least i'm his estima-
ton. He was grim and harsh and
severe in all his public acts. and at times
seemingly, II not really, savage and UNI
forgiving. Outside the house of repre-
spntntiyps- hpWavpr ha Unyn N Unpl .laal
OF time to enjoyments. He vas as fond
of faro as any man | have ever known,
and i'm his lifetime surrendered much
:'coin of the realm" to "thc man who ran
the game" He maintained the same de-
gree of humor and imperturbability, as !
remember, whether winner or loser, and
was ever redundant in mirthful express
sions, even when he continually put
down more than he took up. He talked
little or no politics outside of con-
grcss or on the stump; but he was
an extreme republican, yet not
ture now and then, for to my certain
knowledge he signed his name to more
than one appeal to Presidents Johnson
and Grant for pardons when il was neces-
sary for certain ex-leaders of the rebellion
to be relieved from a natural disfran-
chisement resulting from the "lost cause"
During the last months of his life he was
carried in a chair to his seat i'm the hous
| OF representatives by two stalwart men,
and while he had one leg in the grave, so
TO speak, he used to joke with his care
takers all the way, and the last time they
carried hun to and from the capitol he in
terrogated:
~ wonder il l shall nave two such fell
lows tn pack me roun when l get on the
other side 2"
! remember hearing John Hickman, the
quaker membe Of congress from Chester,
Pa, say To Colonel Forney n short time
before Stevens died:
~ saw MIR. Stevens last evening. He
will not live many days. Blu he is "A Sec
ond Mercutio. ! said to him that his APP
pearance was good, and he replied hat 1T
was not his appearance, but his disappear
ance, that troubled him.
He was a good deal like Horace Greeley
i'm n respect-he always had a coin or
two for a distressed person, even IL he or
she were "A tramp or the worse oil from
drink.