Omaha daily bee., 1893-11-12
HOW STATESMEN RECREATE
Some of the Diversions with Which Eminent
Men While Away the Time.
RIDING, WALKING, FISHING AND BILLIARDS
Insomnia the Universal Complaint, Brought
About by Overwork and Worry-E1-
President Harrison's Long
Pedestrian Tours.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 9.-[Correspondence OF
THE BEE. The great American brain is boil
ing today as it mas seldom boiled before. FL
nancial troubles and business worries are
blazing away under the kettle and the demon
of overwork is stirring up the soup with
ghoulish glee. The newspapers daily record
the suicides and insanity of leading men
and the nerves of rich and poor are stretched
to their utmost. A level head and a steady
hand are greater necessities now than silver
and gold and tho questions of how our great
men keep them is more interesting to the
masses than the discussions OF congress. l
am surprised to find how prominent men
have to fight for steady brains. Half of the
members of congress have shattered nerv.
Gus systems and there are a number OF
leading senators who are fighting the arch
tiend of insomnia night after night.
Abe Hewitt Fight for Sleep.
Perhaps the worst sleeper who ever came
to Washington was Abram S. Hewitt. He
had q suit with a baker in the next block,
whose dog barked at the moon at midnight,
and he went almost wild over q cock that
crowed near him in the early morning. He
kept house here for a time and had beds In
half a dozen different rooms. He would
change about from one room to the other In
his efforts 10 sleep, and when In New York
he would go about from house TO house for
the same purpose. During a part OF his
congressional career he boarded at Worm
ley's, and he had at this time the entire
upper floor, embracing three bed rooms.
On the morning following the first night he
went to Wormley and complained OF the
dogs which kept him awake. 81 can fix that"
said Wormley, and the next day the dogs
were taken away. On the day following
Hewitt said he was kept awake by the
eyowling of the cats. MIR. Wormley replied
"The cats are harder to git rid Of than the
dogs, but / will see what | can do to get rid
of them" The third night Hewitt came
down more Disguised than ever and said he
had failed To get sleep because of the noise
by sthe birds. Wormley hereupon
threw up his hands in despair. ~ don't
know what l can do, Mr.. Hewitt" said he.
''You can poison dogs and you can shoot
pats, but the man has to get up early who
would kill all the sparrows and the larks. ~
Hewitt's insomnia continued through the
whole of his congressional career, and l
think he carried II back TO New York with
him.
Get sleep from Exercise.
A number of prominent men get sleer
from exercise. Hoke Smith keeps his sys,
tenn in order by ashorseback ride every day.
Joseph G.. Cannon takes a gallop into the
country three times a week aud Henry Cabo,
Lodge spends a part Of each day in the sad.
die. Some OF the greatest horse lovers In
the United States became interested in
horse flesh through their desires TO get away
from their work. This was The case with
The late Senator Stamford. He had been
working day and night on tho Pacific rail
road scheme when he began TO break down
He Lost his appetite, failed TO sleep and his
doctor told him that he must throw uI
everything and take = rest He replied thai