Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-01-12
Gen. Buffers Wit and Loyalty to his Friends
| -His Life on His Yacht.

hECOLLECTIONS OF GEN. BUTLER.
Gen. Buffers Wit and Loyalty to his Friends
-His Life on His Yacht.
From the Baltimore Sun.
Mr.. W. A. Lewisof Baltimore said yesterday:
II became closely and intimately acquainted
with Gen. Butler when he ran for governor OF
Massachusetts in 1882. That he had for many
years cherished ambition to be governor of
Massachusetts / learned from his own lips
during the campaign. That he hoped to be
President Of the United States he emphaticaly
denied Ho knew he was too unpopular with
the south to stand any chance of a presidential
nomination. His frankness regarding himself
was pleasing Characteristic. He knew every
fault he possessed. He also knew his virtues.
He believed his good qualities outnumbered
his bad ones.
~ am good friend, but a. develish bad
enemy. he was wont to say. Then he would
slyly say, with a singular smile, i believe
youve heard me make that remark Then
again he would saw he rolled the unlighted
cigar In his mouth and clasped his hands back
OF his head and stretched out his legs why is it
people don't take ns much pains to understand
me az they do TO know others? Tm the most
misunderstood man in America-the most
hated, the most misjudged. the most censured,
the most unhappy (sometmes) on that ac-
COUNT III ism my nature 10 De Drawing MI
the time, but you know / can't be sat on. and
somehow people think the only way to fight me
is to abuse me, ridicule my looks and condemn
my every motive Then he would shake his
head and fall into a reverie.
On his electioneering trip he was the life of
the party. He made four and five, and some
times six and seven, speeches daily. of greater
or less length, and when the day was ended he
became like boy with his Jest, his joke, his
story and his side-shaking laughter. He
very fond OF children. and they used to climb
up on the car occasionally. He would call
them in, ask them some questions give them a
dime or 50, laugh at their cute replies and then
dismiss them. Once, when were at Spring
field, bevy of children climbed into the ear.
The general called them inside and asked one
little sunny-haired girl if she knew who he was?
You're Gen. Butler, was her prompt reply.
How do You know I'm Gen. Butler?' he in
CURED interestedly. Because you re cock-eyed.'
was the brave answer. And the general laid
back in his chair and laughed until the tears
ran down his face. When he became composed
he said That's fame for you. That's individ-
ual eminence. Even the rising generation
know of my might" Then he roared again
That little girl received silver dollar and
kiss.
Gen. Butler was at his happiest aboard bis
yacht, the America. His skipper was Capt.
james Read. old Boston pilot, sailing
master OF skill and a man of whom the general
was especially fond. On the yacht Butler was
rs happy as a child. full of anecdote, fond of
laughing over the discontinue of his poiti
enemies and his legal opponents. always de-
lighted if he could have party of young ladies
aud gentlemen about him. and the personifca-
ton o! gallantry and courtliness. He took
especial delight IN running his yacht before or
against gale-it made no difference. Clad in
d suit of Oilskins he would take :, seat in the
stern. and when the sea would break over him
and drench everything he would shout with the
So L.
wine box always stocked with the very best,
and living on the America was luxurious. On
these expeditions he would positively refuse to
receive those who came aboard to Ply him with
political or legal questions, and with an utter
abandon of all business matters he would in
terest himself closely in whatever interested
his companions, discussing social matters with
his lady guests and sports and amusements with
his male associates. Gen. Butler was fond Of
good eating and drinking, but he was never n
man OF licentious habits. and there was nothing
he despised in another man more than that
Mrs. Butler. who, before her marriage was
Sarah Hildreth, the actress. died OF cancer in
the face. The generals devotion to her was
touching. Since her decease he has never
seemed altogether the same. Mrs Butler was
very handsome woman. She didn't marry
the general for his beauty. but she admired him
first for his brains and loved him later for his
goodness and kindness of heart.
Nothing that was funny or ludicrous ever
escaped Gen. Butler. His wit was as clear as
his satire was cutting. Once, after some OF his
characteristic badinage with lady, she ex-
claimed: oh, general, what a delicious lover
you must have been; you say nice things so
sweetly, and you can smile the edge off the
keenest thrust. When reference was made to
some OF his famous remarks he would imme-
diately explain how that remark happened to
be made, saying: L want you to know the cir
cumstances under which L said that and then
VT vii NJ MS -
'Gen. Butler was reyerential. but not pious
He dlsllked taking cases he felt he couldn't win
He was very jealous of his success. All the
eccentriclties he possessed-such as chewing on
the stump of cigar in open court putting and
blowing during the examination of witnessed
striding up and down in front of the jury wear
ing boutonieres on all occasions and making
great stew when he entered any assembly-all
these were originally done for effect, but as he
aged they became part of his nature
General Butler charitable and at the
same time intie1lble in the matter of triHes If
he liked you he would do any thing for YOU, and
fight tenaciously for You if other people we're
trying to down you. Let any body get down on
you. then he was your friend, and once your
friend Of you never deceived HIM he was
YOUR friend forever. But if you betrayed him
he would smile grimy and say: There's a pot
boiling for. He will live to regret the day
he became nv enemy
General Butler was far from being the de-
crepit man he appeared in having bis colored
attendant with him all the time. He was very
heavy, and one of his ankles was weak from an
old accident during the war, and he didn't dare
trust himself to do much walking without an
attendant upon whose arm he could lean to take
the weight off that ankle. Bat for a man who
had been handled as roughly as he had General
Butler was of very vigorous nature. and his
mercury Of life was warmed up into high place
in the glass of time by those almost Inaudible
chuckes he would give hundred times n day,
when he would squint and wink ard look-no
one could tell where he would, nevertLe-
less, be dead onto you if you tried to monkey
with him, or imagined you could beat the
sleeping lion
SORROW AT LOWELL