The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-01-22

many times before. 1t effectually settled
the applause.
Butler last night. His enemies never tired
of INVITING him on the infamous Islander
which was charged against him In New
Orleans, and during his campaigns in Mas
sachusetts there were always illusions to
spoons" One night he was speaking in a
little town on Cape Cod. The meeting was
held In the town hall, rickety old building
with n wooden ceiling. Butler was the
only orator of the occasion, and it was sup
posed that he owned the town. He was
standing on the platform denouncing the
steallngs OF the opposing candidates when
a large tablespoon. attached to thread so
fine that it could not be seen, slowly de-
scended through a crack in the ceiling until
it stopped ana quivered in the air, almost
touching the fuZZ on Buffers bald crown.
The audience roared with laughter. Butler
looked up and saw the spoon, and the joke
was such good one that he laughed him
self. He tried TO speak. and finally got the
ear of the house. He said:
II see there is some opposition here. But
If il is congealed-if it stands alone like that
spoon-it will not trouble me much"
The crowd roared, and Butler carried the
town by II large majority
This spoon talk. however. went on for
some time until Butler finally got tired of
it. One night while he was addressing a
big manufacturing town in Massachusetts
some one IN the audience hOwled out
Spoons" Butler stopped and asked the
speaker 10 come forth. He waited moment
and no one rose. He then said: Il would
like TO see any respectable citizen father
such charge against me. / have heard
this matter jested about aud have seen it
printed in tue public press, but heretofore
have considered it beneath my dignity to
notice it. l am getting tired OF it now, and
l would like to end it by making some man
pay me heavy damages for libel"
This settled it. Buffers speech was re-
ported, and he heard nothing more from
spoons during that campaign.
There was never any doubt about Ben
Buffers nerve. Many instances of his
bravery have been told ana he has never
courage number OF times before the war
began, and | have heard story how he
saved a crowd at Lowell one night from q
panic when Rufus Choate was speaking.
Butler was then only 2S years old. 1t was
during the Buchanan campaign, and
the biggest hall OF the city. There was
great enthusiasm. and when the stamping
was the loudest a crash was heard and the
cry went forth, The floor is sinking! 7"
Every one turned pale and the audience
rose for a stampede. when young Ben Butler
came to the front Of the platform and called
the audience to halt. He said there was no
danger and that the architect of the build
ing was present and that they would go to-
gether and examine the building. Choate
then went on with his spe ecb. A moment
later Butler reappeared aud smilingly told
the audience that there was no present
danger, but as the hall was overcrowded
they had better quietly adjourn to the pub
lie square, where Mr.. Choate would finish
his speech. The crowd went quietly out
and the catastrophe was averted. AS Butler
stepped onto the platform he had deceived
them by his smiling face and with half
laugh which came from his lips as he
whispered TO Mr.. Choate before he spoke to
them. These were the words he whispered ::
''Mr. Choate, | must clear this house or
we shall all be in he'll in five minutes"
Two wonderful things about Ben Butler
were his memory and his power for sleep.
A Washington correspondent told me the
other day how he called upon him one day
for an interview. General Butler had been
working right along for eighteen hours,
and lie was still at work when the CORE
spondent entered. He heard his request
and then said:
II would like to talk to You, but my mind
is full of this case and | will have 10 sleep
first. Ii you will wait twenty minutes
will give you an interview"
All right said the correspondent, and