San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-07-07

pOCheb. OuT6 euOuBu, III dUouJ hu
hour we rea ched the Chicago depot
was thoroughly bewilder.
ed; thousands Of hacks, omni-
buses and carriages sur.
rounded me. l was jostled
around dreadfully when a bright
young man rushed up to me and
seized me by the hand,-it was my
friend, young Nose Koenigsberger
formerly of San Antonio. Never
was friend in need more a friend
indeed than at this critical time
My coat was torn and several but
tons off my vest. Well! Nose act.
ed as guide for me there and the
sights we saw would fill novel
Will write you all about it in my
next. 1t would take up too much
room here. besides ] want 10 tell
you about this great city and
Washington, and how felt it my
duty to forsake the Democratic
party and join the grand old Re-
publican party. l know you will
rhink | did this on account of the
Republican victories last year, but
this is not the reason.
AS soon as l registered at the
Hoffman House a messenger boy
handed me a letter, asking me at
the same time il it was for me.
Imagine my surprise when ! saw
my name in full on the envelope.
/ hastily tore it open and my sur.
prise deepened into amazement,
when 1 saw that 1t was an invita-
ton to dinner to be given at the
residence of Chauncey NJ. Depew,
the great Republican magnate,
the following evening. The in
vitation also stated that Gov
ernor Norton, Thos. B. Reed, Bob
Ingersoll and other prominent Re-
publicans would be present. / was
thoroughly delighted at this, and
hastily wrote a note Of acceptance
still / thought IL strange that /, a
Democratic editor, should be in
vited TO such a gathering Of noted
Republicans. However, "truth is
stranger than felton," and while l
was Illuminating over my strange
experience after supper, while
smoking a cigar in the hotel lobby,
1 observed fine looking man ap-
proach the register and CHANGING
over the arrivals, speak to the
cleak after which he came over to
where l sat and presented me his
card on which was engraved "Thos.
B. Reed" He looked like pictures
of the great statesman 1 had often
seen, but being as you know, a
newspaper man, l had read so
often about bunco steers in New
York, passing themselves off for
noted men, that treated Mr.. Reed
very coolly until 1 could excuse
myself a moment and privately
ask the clerk if this was really the
great Republican. The clerk said,
"Why of course it is, 1 thought
everybody knew Tom Reed" l
slipped back to where Mr.. Reed
was sitting, feeling very cheap
at exposing my unfounded
suspicious to the clerk as
l had done, and putting on
my most agreeable and-and-
Notwithstanding is the word-fasci.
mating smile, 1 treated Mr.. Reed with
great cordiality, and we opened a
bottle of Mumm's together, and
while drinking, he explained to
me that he and Chauncey Depew
had heard, (by telegraph), Of my
departure from the Alamo City for
New York, and knowing that 1
was from the only Republican
congressional district in Texas, and
hearing that 1 had made many ell
oquent speeches, which caused the
election Of that grand old Roman,
Judge Noonan, he and Mr.. Depew
had arranged banquet for the
next evening, at Depew's house, at
which toasts would be given, and
that / was to respond to the toast,
"The Republicans of Texas! May
they ever increase" Well, all this
paralyzed me, but 1 was so over
whelmed with the great considera-
alton and distinction shown me by
these Republican leaders, that 1
was ashamed to tell them that l
was not a Republican, but a Dem.
ocrat. After a pleasant chat Of an
hour or so, Mr.. Reed left, and l
went to my room at once; because,
being as you know, news
paper man, l knew that il my
movents had been so closely OBJ.
served by such great men as Reed,
Depew and Morton, it was certain
that the New York World, Herald
and other papers would annoy me
with their reporters, begging me
for an interview. found out after
that the reporters were all expect.
ing me on the next mornings
train and this is how / escaped
them, by arriving ahead Of time.
On arriving at my room, and feel
ing warm, / threw open my win
dow to get a little breeze, when
right in front of me and apparent