The Portland daily press., 1894-08-20

mans traps. How do you feel, Daniel?n
| said Deblois, as the two seated them
! selves in the smoking room-the little
room on the left as you enter the front
hall. II don't feel well at all, Thomaas,n
| said Webster. just at that moment the
servant entered with decanter of old
| French brandy, a pitcher OF water and
some glasses. AS the eye of the great
1 orator lighted on the brandy he put out
his hand, poured about half glass full
of the potent spirit, slightly qualified it
with water, and absorbed it into his
system. Then his eye began to bright
en-. his heavy features relaxed He took
one more nip, the gong rang for dinner,
| and at the table no guest wanted to say
word, so interesting and brilliant was
the conversation of the great Webster.
Deblois was great sportsman, and he
| liked to indulge his passion in the good
old English style. He would take his
friends out in his cart, carrying Joe
Manton guns, and big hamper of
lunch, and plod round all day taking
as much enjoyment if he didn't get but
a bird or two, as if he had obtained
basket. One day he went out with Mr..
Southgate Boyd and they got nothing.
The next day two boys, sons of shoe
| maker near by, came to the house and
wanted to sell a string of snipe. Deblois
questioned them closely as to where they
got them. They told him, and the spot
happened to be near by that where Mr..
Boyd and himself had been at the same
time. Some hours after a friend noticed
Deblois's moodiness and asked him the
reason. "Well, replied Deblois, the
other day Mr.. Boyd and went out for
days shooting. We plodded about all
day and didn't get single bird. The
next day, would you believe it, two dirty
nosed little sons of shoemaker, with
two guns that weren't worth cent. and
nasty, little, half breed, mongrel cur,
went out and came home at night with
dozen of the finest English snipe you
ever saw" The look of disgust in his
face as he said it can be better imagined
than described.
There was party of eminent men who
used to play whist is that same little
IL
Fessenden used to come home after Con-
gress adjourned he always wanted
game and his old cronies were ready to
meet with him. There were Senator
Fessenaen. Mr. Deblois, Hon. William
Willis the historian, Mr.. Samuel Park
man Shaw (who occupied the large house
at the corner of Pleasant and High
streets, now known as st. Elizabeth Or
phan Honey Manasseh Smith, at one
time Democratic candidate for governor
of Maine, VIM. f. Stafford, the West Indian
merchant, and one or two others whose
names escape us. They played the, old
fashioned long whist, not over three
rubbers of an evening, the stakes were
nominal, the refreshments light, but the
tobacco smoke was powerful. One night
the captain of a British barque, who had
brought letter OF introduction to the. |
house from England, was invited TO
make up game in the absence of a
fourth hand. The captain was no whist
player, at least not with such whist ex-
perts, and the remarks on his playing
became decidedly pointed. The climax
came when Deblois in his boisterous way
made comment that, while it was not
classical. was at least forcible. Then the
Britisher rose and damned the crowd for
bloody set Of skinners," which SO
amused the others that they burst into
a roar of laughter. This turned the
tide of feeling, apologies were in order
and the evening broke up with all the
participants in the game good friends
again.
Among the many who made their
home with Mrs. Jones for years was
Motley. theshistorian; VIM. G. OTIS, one
of the most brilliant journalists in the
country. who was afterwards connected
with the press of New Orleans; Mr.. and
Mrs. Avenaano, the former Spanish con-
sui, and most delightful man; Mr.
Israel Richardson. whose many generous
gifts to worthy objects ne always took
care to conceal from the public,
Woodbury. S.Dana, ex-president of the
Board Of Trade, and Miss Sara Chaddock
who has given Portland people so much
pleasure with her dramatic art.
Among those who have passed
many enjoyable days under the
hospitable roof were Wendell Phillips,
the great abolitionist and orator; Theo-
dore Tilton and Rev. Henry Ward Beech
er, whose court troubles are familiar
to all. Lieutenant Colonel Simpson, r.
A., of the Governor Generals of Canada's
staff: Edward Everett. the great orator.
Sir Alexander I. Calf, the Dominion pre-
mier; Chief Justice Appleton. of Maine
Governor Kent, for whom "Maine went
hell bent;" B.R. Curtis. the great Boston
lawyer: Rufus Choute, the distinguished
lawyer and brilliant onversationalilst;
Hon. George Il. Davis, said to be tLe best
conversationalist in A merica, and George
Vandenhoff, the great actor; George Will
liam Curtis, the editor of Harper's Mag
azine; Josiah Quincy, whose death has
just occurred in Boston. FranklinPierce,
President of the United States; and
James Buchanan, later President of
the United States also; the Marquis of