The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-12-04

nized ''Old Hutch" the greatest specu-
lator in Chicago. Though reputed a
millionaire, and the owner of magnlfi-
cent home. he lives in a down town
block and cooks his own meals. As to
his wealth it is well to add that, while
popularity supposed to be very rich
man, the Chicago gossips say "Old
Hutch" has lost a great fortune in the
last five or six years, and that at the
pace he is going he will be likely to die
poor. Ten years ago he was supposed to
be worth eight or nine millions OF dol
lars.
The pen with which President Har-
rison signed the Mckinley tariff bill did
not bring good luck TO the family which
secured possession OF it. When the pres
ident affixed his signature tc the bill in
the presidential room at the Capitol, Con-
gresham Mason, of Chicago, asked for
the pen as present for his little boy
Lawrence, and the president gave it to
him. Two OF three days after the recent
election, in which Mr.. Mason was de-
feated in his district, little Lawrence
died OF diphtheria.
A story about this bright little boy,
whose death brought his father a thou
sand times more grief than the result Of
the election, is worth telling. One day
Mr.. Mason carried home bag of candy
and passed it out to his seven children
piece by piece till at last only three or
four caramels remained. When little
I I,o1I huh
by hand for more candy, Mr.. Mason, to
try the lads temper, remarked that the
bag was empty.
Il want some more candy" persisted
the boy.
But, Lawrence, tell you the bag is
empty. You certainly don't think your
papa would lie to YOU"
Something in the cOngressman's face
must have told the story to the keen
eyed little fellow, for he watched that
bag with eager interest. 1t was evident
that he doubted his fathers word, and
yet was afraid to say so. Finally way
out of the difficulty occurred to him,
when ne sidled up to his father and in
an insinuating tone remarked:
"Well, papa, s'pose you just give me
that empty bag"
Congressman Morrow, of California,
some time ago decided to retire from
public life, and conseque ntly did not
stand for reelection. One of his friends
asked him what he was going to do after
he had left congress, and Mr.. Morrow re-
piled:
Il am going to spend my time or
ganizing societies for the good of man.
kind. From politician l am going to
rise to the heights of philanthropy.
There is class of unfortunate people in
this country who have been neglected
by the workers in the fields of charity
and reformatory efforts. They are I'M
happy. miserable, groveling people, who
need just such relief as hope to be able
to afford them"
"And what will be the nature of your
new organization"
Its title will be, The Society for
AmeEoration of the Condition of the
Rich"
Isuppose this was Mr. Morrow's unique
way of saying that it was his intention to
leave congress and to go out into the
world as a practicing lawyer in quest of
fat fees from people whose money had
involved them in litigation and other
troubles.
A congressman who stood for re-elec-
ton and was defeated tells me the fol-
lowing story of human ingratitude:
Il owe my defeat to one man, mem
Der of my own party, and man on
whose friendship thought 1 had some
claim. A few years ago he was one of
the poorest men in my district. He had
served in desultory sort of way in the
army during the rebellion, and had
vague idea that he was entitled to PEN
sion. His case was not very good one,
and it strained my conscience a little to
take it up; but the man was so poor
finally decided to do so. He had seen so
little army service that he didn't even
know the number OF the regiment to
which he had been assigned, and had
never done anything more onerous than
camp duty anyway.
Il went to the capital of our state, |
and after long search found his name
on the adiutant generals rolls. Then /
came down to Washington and by a
good deal of hard pushing and pulling |
to get his case through the |
pension Office, had his name put upon |
the rolls and secured for him 81, 800 back |
pension money. This sum was the
foundation of his fortune. From that
moment his luck changed, and he is now
one of the wealthy men of my district. |
He turned against me on trivial mat
ter, of no consequence whatever, fought |
me bitterly and managed to defeat me by |
a few votes" WALTER WELLMAN.