The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1890-10-30
A Peep Into his Sketch Book-His
Memory.

One of the most interesting men who
have come into the United States Sen
ate in recent years is Nathan Fellows
Dixon of Westerly. r. L.. elected to fill
the nnexpired term of Jonathan Chace,
who resigned in April. 1889. 1t is a
matter of history that Daniel Webster
and other men of his time could repeat
word for word the Constitution of the
United States. and that it was no task
at all for them to rattle off the Decla-
ration of Independence from memory
without missing word. Senator
Dixon has not yet put his memory to
this test, but he has shown what a
wonderful one it is in another and,
peyhaps, more difficult manner. Some
time ago. after he had been a senator
but few months, he astonished his
colleagues one day by repeating en-
tirely from memory and without max
ing single error the roll call of the
Senate, consisting of eighty-four names.
arranged alphabetically. There were
many expressions of surprise al this
exhibition of his peculiar powers. but
Mr.. Dixon modestly protested that he
had performed no feat at all, and then
to prove it he almost paralyzed his
asionished hearers by repeating the
roll call backward, without once hest
tating or committing an error of any
kind.
Repeating the roll call in alphabet
cal order is not the only evidence of
Senator DiXon's wonderful memory
SO closely has he watched the proceed
ings in the Senate and so keen is his
sense of observation that he can at any
time call off. entirely from memory,
the list of pairs, stating accurately just
what senators are paired with each
other, and on what subjects. Senator
Casey has charge of the matter of
arranging pairs in the Senate, and re-
peatedly he finds it necessary to con-
suit with Senator Dixon. and always
receives information as to the status of
the pairs which enables him 10 arrange
everything satisfactorily for all parties.
AS told IN the n. Y. Sun lately. dur
| Zig almost the entire tariff debate
Senator Dixon kept his head studiously
buried in the report of the finance
committee. When it was accidentally
discovered in the Senate few days
ago. it was found to contain among
other things caricatures more or less
hattering Of several of the more pict-
uresque members of the Senate. In
many cases. however, his pictures were
in no sense caricatures. but presented
striking likenesses of the subjects.
For instance. on the margin of one of
the pages he had sketched most per-
feet outline of the clear-cut profile of
Senator Evarts of New York. The
sketch was such a clever one that the
portrait was recognized at a glance by
all ,who saw it. and Mr.. Dixon has
been kept busy explaining that he had
no motive in making the picture except
to occupy his mind. The book in which
he made his drawing is large volume
containing the various sections of the
tariff bill, and the reason why the
changes were proposed, arranged on
alternate pages for ready reference.
The margin of these pages is very
broad, and it was here that Mr.. Dixon
arranged his caricatures. and where he
drew on the page relating to works of
art and antiquity an almost life-sized
reproduction of the cherub-like face of
Senator Hoar. To give an interesting
and humorous turn to the picture the
artist purposely neglected to draw any
hair on the head of Mr.. Hoar. and the
effect was most ludicrous. The book
was shown about in the cloak rooms
for some time before MIR. Dixon discov-
cred his loss. AS soon as he obtained
possession of his improvised album he
locked it in his desk and refused to
show it to anybody. 1t must not be
supposed that Mr.. Dixon used his tariff
book only for the purposes of sketch
ing. 1t is fact that on the margin of
the pages he recorded every amend
ment made to the tariff bill from the
time it was first called up until it was
disposed of, together with the votes
upon them. His album furnishes .
complete illustrated record of the con-
sideration of the tariff bill in the Sonata