Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-01-05
SENATOR sAWYER,s STORY.
How He Had to Stay I'm Political Life
Willy Nflly.

Ex-senator Sawyer, who is spending the
winter in Washington, seems to be as
happy as he ever was in public life He &C.
cupies his old rooms in the house which he
built four years ago at the head Of Con-
necticut avenue and which he rented last
spring to Senator Stockbridge Of Michigan.
The Senator Is one Of the plainest men in
his personal tastes, and his bed room IL the
smallest room in what Is generally regard
I'd as one of the four or five best houses in
Washington. 1t Is In the tower over the
front door, and opens on of the large and
beautiful library, which the former and
present occupants have found the pleasant
est in the house. In one corner of the little
bed room stands, as of yore. a Fairbanks
scales, on which night and morning for
many years 1t has been Mr.. Sawyers GUS
tom to weigh himself. He says that little
habit of weighing himself has been Of in
estimable advantage to him In keeping his
robust good health. He adds to 1t, however,
another excellent habit-a daily walk before
breakfast. which extends usually down 18th
street to n. over to Connecticut avenue and
hence back home again. course Of some
thing like a mile
To one of his former colleagues the other
day the ex-senator told good story to an
swer the inquiry: How do you like being
down and out?
My public life." said the hearty old gen.
tleman, makes me think of a story that
was a part of my experience in early life.
] was born in Vermont, and worked hard
on farm until / was eighteen years cid.
Then l bought my time Of my father, as
was the custom then, paying 800 for the
three years remaining before my ma jority.
Il made bargain to go to numbering over
IN New York. not far from Whitehall, and
finally set out on the journey to that place.
II on ha "a XnrE
side OF Lake Champaign, about nightfali and
put UP there at the tavern. being about half
way to the end of my journey. L ate sup
per, joined the group of men around the
stove and listened and told stories until 1t
came bedtime. Then 1 went over to the
landlord and asked him just when the
steamboat would come along on which 1
wanted to take passage to Whitehall.
Bout two O'clock he said.
Wei, can get passage on her without
any troubleT
Yer kin eff she stops
My heart thumped up in my throat.
began to see myself walking that last thirty
or forty miles and knew / hadn't money
enough to pay for meals and lodgings for a
tramp like that. while what few quarters /
had would pay my bill for supper ami lodz-
ing at the tavern ana my passage on the
steamboat. 1 asked the landlord, all of a
fremble what We should have to do to stop
the boat.
Why said he we 60 out on that rick
ETY. old pier and jest swing lantern ten or
fifteen minutes. But 1 wouldn't 20 out
there this cold night and swing tibet lantern
for a ten-dollar bill
Il felt myself fainting away. I was sure
now that would have to walk to Whitehall
turned to go to bed. consoling myself that
j could at least sleep till daylight
AS L started of the landlord called out:
See here. young man! / said / wouldn't go
out there and stop that boat for ten dol
lars. but I've bin dom 1t for twelve years
now and THROWN supper and Iod;in' III, for
four shiilings, and guess I'll new 20 do II
fer you Jest the same
That Is a good deal the way have done
IN politics. What on earth did / wan.. with
all I've got to live on, to come down here
and be bothered year in and year out with
everybody's errands for 5000 4 year.
when the legitimate expenses of the
office were generally twice or three times
that? My folks UP home learned thirty wears
ago that 1 was good runner in politics
and so they kept putting me up for one
ONCE after another until was forced to go
on for the sake of my friends and NV
party But II 1 could have done as / pre-
ferred 1 would a good deal rather have
stayed at home in the plain, comforta BILE
wooden house I've got in Oshkosh where
know everybody and everybody knows me
where I've got plenty of ground around me
where my children were born and grew ND
ana where there Is a town that l helped
build and feel very proud of"