The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1895-12-22

Avenue, America Sir; Your note
received too late. he queen opened
Senator Chambers jackpot yesterday. Do
you stay in? Sulisbiilv.'
MIR. Cleveland made "A conynisiyc
start in the direction Of his fishing pole.
but Intercepted him
One moment gentlemen | said
pressing my hand Ia nay brow. Let me
thlnk. rapidly turned the situation
over IN my mind There was no time to
Ios" Aircndy the papcrs we've filled with
editorials and paragraphs nlludng to
senator Chambers hostile position Toe
Mhrd England. II had become known
mat Secretary Olncy had sent n connnm-
lcntlon to Lord Salisbury. aud every
jourual IN the United States was sprc-
ulatins upon and forccasting his probable
reply. wac known to the public thn,
Lord Salisbury had replied. and that his
answer was already in the hands of the
adm nlstrntion. IT the words of hi4
answer should become public property
what wonld he the result? a wide spread,
demoralizne. ruinous panic. Wall street
would start the avalanche and the coun-
Try would he submerged in q wild para
iyzing chaos Of financial disaster. TINS
would cripple our power, and we would
be an easy prey for conquering forces Of
Great Britain. How could it he avcrtcd?
One thing was certain. We must do
something TO gain time. The people had
already begun 10 camor for Salishnrys
answer We must have some excuse for
delay until another effort could Ice mndc
to stop the threatened war An idea
flashed into my head. Got the president
out of tn" way for n time, and lcl his
absence serve ms an excuse for DELAYING
the publication Of Engands answer.
Mr. Cleveland, | said. You must come
to our assistance. | and Mr. Olncy have
done everything in our power You must
at once devise some excuse for nhsentug
Yourself from Washington until we can
attend to this matter with England
Il VIII, said the president. firmly.
Leave me, gentlemen, for half en- hour,
and then return. My country will always
find me ready TO seryc her.
Il and Mr.. Olney withdrew and left
the president alone We waited impa-
tiently in the antc.chambcr. examining
our watches with great cagcrners until.
at the end Of half nm hour, he babe us
return
I'VE found Mr.. Cleveland calm and col.
lected, with the imprint on his face Of
deep thought and study.
What have you decided uponT l
asked
81 will go fishing said the president.
"'Oh. heavens, man" | cried. gondrj
10 desperation ! told You 10 think IL
this the way you try TO help us? This
vermont expedient will not suffice. At
every desperate stage of your presidential
cnrccr you have gone fishing. You went
fishing when the Behring sea controversy
came up: You went fishing when Baby
Marian was horn: you went fishing when
Governor Hopg Of Texas threatened TO
dine with you; can you do nothing but
fish,
II shall never forget what followed
Mr.. Cleveland seemed to arouse himself
Oiney. The greatness. the absolute. mag
nifccnt genius of the man shone from his
every feature. Desperate emergencies
always develop men who are born to lead
aud govern. Mr.. Cleveland did not he's
itatc for n moment. His vigor. his ami
nation. his decision. his force of char
acter struck Us dumb with admiration.
The emergency had arrived, and he met
il face to face with holiness and orig
inality seldom equalod.
Mr.. Thurber.' he said, you are an
old and faithful friend, otherwise would
not brook such words from your lips.
win prove TO you that can do some
thing besides fish. This issue has got 10
be met fairly aud squarely on different
grounds In one hour from now ! will
start duck hunting
The genius of the idea struck me and
Olney with full force. Fiist. ~e cabled
to Lord Salisbury an explanation OF the
mistake that had been made. and in six
hours another reply OF an entirely differ
ent nature would be on its way 10 US
and by the time Dir. Cleveland would
refnrn from his hunt IL could he pub