The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1893-01-05
How He Sacrificed Himself.

Two well-kuown men, who were formerly
clerks to Senate committees, were in con-
versation in the Senate restaurant recently
and narrated some interesting experiences.
One Of them, who is now past his Goth year,
said when / was clerk to the Senate Com
mittee an Military Affairs and Senator Spencer
was Chairman, / came out Of Wizards Hotel
one night near midnight and met a distin-
guished Senator from Connecticut. / never
contracted the drinking habit, as all my friends
knew, and consequently was as sober as a Judge
but the Senator was much under the influence
of strong potations, that it was almost impossi-
hle for him to navigate. knew that it would
be useless for ME to offer to show him the way
home, for he would resent it as an insult Con-
sequenily / meaDdered around the pavement
pretended to be unsteady on my legs and
told him confdentially that / needed some
one to show me the way home. / begged
him to assist mo and say nothing about it
to Senator Spencer. The old man said in
very condescendiDg manner that ought to be
ashamed of myself, but If would reform he
would take charge of me and be my friend.
He took my arm, and while 1 continued my
pretended inebriation we wandered along the
street until we came to his residence, and there
l babe him good might, although he insisted
upon accompanying me home. told him that
l only lived around the corner and could get
home alone. The next morning, greatly to
my SURPRISE Senator Spencer accused me of
having been in a bes0tted condition the night
before. ! was on such terms with him that
easily explained the matter 80 that no preju-
dice was attached to myself. But the old Sena-
tor whom took home, and who still lives in
Connecticut, sincerely believed then, and be-
leves until this day, that l was very drunk
that night, and that he took me home."
"That reminds me of an experience of my
own" said the other ex.oficial, but / was not
innocent upon the day in question. The Sena-
tor for whom I had worked for many years
loaned me for a few days to Senator Cockrell,
of Missouri. in order to help him get off great
deal of work which was seriously pressing upon
his time. Being as you well know, a very good
clerk and rapid peDman at that time, / sue
ceeded in very few days in dispatching the
business which so engrossed the time and atten-
ton of the Missouri Senator. A week later was
on spree and met Senator Cockrel on Penn.
sylvania avenue, about the middle Of the av-
enue. Cock roll only weighs about half as much
as do and / could easily throw him over my
shoulder and carry him 10 Ballyhack and back.
Seizing him by the lapel of his coat whirled
the Senator around on the pavement, assured
him that was delighted to see him, urged him
to come in and take drink with me, slapped
him on the shoulder and assured him that he
was jolly good fellow oven If he was Senator.
The old man smiled, realized the situation, and
finally got away from me. i started down the
street after him, ovcrtOOkr3him and insisted
upon showing him hos l could dance the can
can. l danced all around him on the pave
ment keeping most of the time in front of
him and impeding his progress until a police
man, who looked as tallas telegraph pole,
stopped my antics and carried me to the sta
ton house. The Senator, who was Chairman
of the committee which employed me, being out
of town, induced the station keeper to tele-
phone Senator Cockrcll,i who responded over
the telephone that he would send $40 collateral
for me and was released!p