The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-04-01
STORIES ABOUT STATESMEN
Humorous Incidents in the Careers
of Famous Men.
VEST AND A BOARDING HOUSE
Reasons which Finally lapslIea Hin
to Seek Qusrtsrs New - Stewart
aud the Priaes-Ssnat0r Tsl1er's
Prayer-One on Jesse James.
From the Times-Herald.

From the Times-Herald.
When first came to Washington" :"
said Senator Vest. II was entirely un-
acquainted and didn't even know my
way about the city. About all ] did
know in Washington was Joe Black
burn. OF Kentucky. I felt that l
might rely on Blackburn and the first
day l was there l hunted up the Ken
tucky senator and placed myself in his
hands as sacred trust TO find me =
boarding house.
why certainly said Blackburn,
come right along with me to my board
Ing house. It's u splendid place and
near at hand, too. Right here on +
street
We'll. Blackburn and I didn't go to
the boarding house right off. In fact.
we didn't get around to the caravan
sarie in question until about 10 O'Clock
at night. 1t was dark and had no OPP
pcrtunity to study the outward evil
dences of my proposed home. All
knew was that Blackburn lived there,
and that convinced me that II must be
elegant and sumptuous and every
thing else that gentleman and q
senator could wish for
Come right in,' said Blackburn.
your own home
Then he led me up q pair Of stairs
ana l saw that whatever the boarding
house was, II at least was in u store
building.
The next morning | arose and after
paying the landlady for a month in ad-
vance ] walked Out on the street.
FOUND with some accession Of gloom
that the lower rioor. that, is the store
floor OF the block, was an undertak king
establishment, and that right under me
Tor my room was Oh the second floor
was as elegant an assortment of cOf-
fms as any dead man could ask.
That night when was alone in my
room | got to thinking of those collins
under me and every night after that
while | stayed my mind would revert
to the undertaking business down in
the room below, and | must admit
that my reflections in no wise bright
ened the joys of our boarding house.
THE undertaking business didn't
serve to depress Blackburn--coffins had
no terrors for him. and he didn't care
any more about a corpse than he did
about cold. But mine was differ
ent case. Those coffins preyed on me
l felt lonesome and homesick enough
tHCII. uuu at tIlt emu oI tWC
weeks / had fully made up my mind
to get out at the end Of my month and
hunt new place for myself i was
getting the worst Of the boarding
house. anyhow: Blackburn was get
ting fat and | was getting the bones
right along.
1t was on Sunday night at the end
of my second week and l was sitting
alone in my room. fOlorn and sorrow.
full. and broOding over that stock OF
burial cases just under my feet, when
in came young friend of mine from
Missouri. He had been in Washing
ton several years. however and work
ed In one of the departments. He was
a light, easy talker, and had begun tC
cheer me up little. when he suddenly
looked about the room with q bird
like air and remarked:
Your room here is very familiar tC
me. senator. l used to be up here
quite often
:" How was that?' asked.
why went on my young friend
this room used to belong to Jones
Ycu knew JOnes-yOung Jones of Sc.
dalia-used to work here in the war de.
partment Committed suicide. and al
that. Yes indeed. committed suicide
right here In this very room
My horror began to recur twofold
My interesting young friend gabblet
on.
Certainly. I came up here one
night and lights were burning; the dool
was ajar, but no one answered when
raped. After rapping while push
ed along In. Here was Jones hanging
by the neck to that chandelier. Yes
indeed, cold dead. We cut him down
l remember the incident clearly. anG
how his head rested on that figure OF
the carpet
1T was at this point interrupted
him. l told him / had business to
transact with my landlady. called
that good woman, and simply told hel
that she might send my trunk the mex
day to an address l would mail her
AS for myself. I would change my
boarding house that night, and I did
10 live over coffin factory, and in the
actual room Of a suicide. was mors
than my nerve could bear"