Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1890-04-19

rss emo purcnase ana sundivis,0n OF tire
beautiful grounds, nearly fifty acres in
extent, which overlook the city and Cap
itol.
ut will seem almost like sacrileRe to
me to break up the old home," said Mrs.
Chase; "a bookful of memories cling
around II. Only today, as was riding
toward the Capitol, my eye turned in
stinctively toward the window Of the
senate wing in which my father used to
hang piece OF red curtain at In the
afternoon II more than two guests were
coming out with him to dinner. You
see, we could accommodate one or two
guests without extra preparation, but II
four or Ave were expected we had to in
crease the quantities. More often than
not the red curtain hung in the window"
A dark bearded man, with the stopped
shoulders Of student or a worker, comes
along, arm In arm with substantial,
bright eyed, handsome friend. We NAV
we'll say these men are friends. Tho first
is Public Printer Palmer, q sterling fell
low, who not only has control of the
greatest printing Office In the world, but
who has behind him record which any
man might be proud Of.
When his friend whom we see with
him. First Assistant Postmaster General
Clarkson, went into Des Moines from the
farm to become q newspaper man, his
first employment was given him by Palm
er. Afterward Clarkson bought PALM
er's paper, and Palmer, against the ad-
vice of many of his friends, bought Tho
Chicago Inter-O Ocean, then a rathole for
swallowing up money, and in 1t sunk
e240, 600 In few years. Later ON Palm
er's sterling honesty showed the stuff II
was made Of. As postmaster Of Chicago
he lived almost parsimoniously, on q
mere clerks income, and devoted the re-
niainder Of his salary to paying old debts.
Each month, I am told, q certain part OF
his salary as public printer is set aside
for the wiping out OF old newspaper liza
bilities. Not every man one meets in the
rotunda is honest enough TO mako such
sacrifices for dead horse.
Clarkson drags his friend up to look at
the paintings in tho rotunda. The chief
headsman Of the postofflco department
has passion for pictures. His hand.
some home here is filed with rare works
Of art. It Is said he has the second
finest Corot In America, tho postmaster
general having the third finest. Clark
son narrowly escaped possessing the
finest Corot this country can boast Of.
While In New York helping manage the
national campaign OF 1880 he wandered
into Goupil's picture store ON Broad
way. Apainting attracted his attention,
reused his admiration. He yearned to
possess It, as he yearns to possess every
beautiful picture which he sees. He
asked the price. II was u, ,440.
Clarkson was not then as rich q man a.
he Is now, and 81 ,440 was large sum OF
money for him TO invest In picture.
But he pulled out his check book and was
about to make tho purchase when q friend
who knew his weakness for paintings
tugged at his sleeve and begged him to
ut least think about the matter over night
before buying. "You may be making
mistake" said the friend, ''and, at any
rate, the picture will be here tomorrow.
Sleep on 1t, Clarkson." Thus nationally
appealed to, the art lover put his check
book back in his pocket.
Next day he called to buy the picture,
and II was marked "sold." Mr.. Clark.
son did not sco the painting again till the
year 1884, when Mr.. Jay Gould asked
him TO dine and to take look through
his picture gallery. In tho Gould gal
lery Clarkson saw tho picture he had
had check written for four years before.
"And may ask how long you have
had this Corot, Mr.. Gould?' he asked.
"Only q few months"
"And II you have no objections should
hke b, know what you paid for itY'
"6ixteen thousand dollars"
In this way ono half hour passes. Dos-
ems of other famous men come and go,
and more gossip Is talked than one letter
can hold. Great is the rotundai
WALTER WELLMAN.