Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-12-31
A NEW STORY OF JOHN ADAMS.
As Told by His Body Servant to the
Writer.

Once upon time student
of divinity and another of law, haillng
from the region of Massachusetts bay,
projected a vacation trip Of 800 miles,
including in its scheme visit to the
White mountains. The day Of BIZ
cyclers nad not then dawned, says
writer in the New York Independent
and railroads in their infancy had
reached no nearer to the White nils
than Franklin, n. H. when we,
prompted by scanty means, resolved
to give the go-by to stages and taverns
and take to the road, trusting to such
entertainment as farm-houses would
afford. After a long days dusty tramp
along the picturesque shores Of Lake
Winnepesaukee, nightfall found us
successfully seeking supper and lodg-
ing at an ordinary farm cottage in the
town of Moultonboro, Carroll county,
n. H. Our farmer host was middle
aged man as unattractive to us as we
doubtless were to him in our travel
stained condition, until he felicitouSly
matched our boyish brag by casually
mentioning that he had been for sew
eral years the body servant he did
not say the Valet-of the elder Adams.
Fresh from declaiming at school Dan
iel Webster's rendering of John
Adamss glowing speech in the con-
vention of the colonies Sink Or
swim, live or die, survive or perish,
give my hand and heart to this vote
the announcement electrified us and
aWed us as though we were close to
greatness itself, and that humble
farmhouse seemed TO our youthful
enthusiasm the very antechamber Of
patriotic presence. The body
servant must have appreciated our
awakened interest, for he kindly
patronzed us while we inQu sitively
sought to make the most of this
chance association with one who had
been personally so close to the great
revolutionary agitator; the bold Defer
of Kings and Parliaments; the sturdy
Pillar of Independence; the nOminator
of George Washington to be COM
mander-in-chief of the armies of the
revolution; the man preferred by his
countrymen, next to Washington, for
first president OF the United States.
AS a "nightcap" he told how John
Adams received the news of the cleo
ton of his son to the presidency in the
year 1924 No candidate in that can
Vass having secured a majority of the
electoral votes, the choice between
them devolyed upon the House of Rep
resentatiVes. The strife for this high
est gift of the people was then as now
intense and as there was little dispo-
sition 20 yield the coveted prize, the
result was long suspended in doubt
while the country was anxious to
know whether the republic could with
stand the strain this constroversy for
office was putting upon it. The elder
Adams at his home in Quincy, Norfolk
county, Mass, on the border of Boston
harbor, watched the contest, keenly in
terested for the triumph of his party,
as we'll as Overwhelmingly anxious for
the success of his son who, notwith-
standing his distinguished services as
ambassador of his country, had re-
ceived in the previous convass for pres
idency only one electoral vote to 231
cast for James Monroe. Mr.. Adams
gave peremptory orders that the final
result of the election should be COM
municated to him as soon as received,
whatever the hour of the day or night
The electoral votes originally for Heu-
ry Clay turned the scale, and finally
John Quincy Adams was elected sixth
president of the United States. Clay
becoming secretary of state. There
were in those days no telegraphS, nor
telephones, nor even railsoads to con-
vey the news over the 500 or 600 miles
between the city of Washington and
the home or the Adamses; for though
Watts had so years before discovered
the utility of steam and Stephenson
had at about this same year of 1924 in
England, applied steam to the uses of
transportation, it was six years there
after before our country could boast of
% miles of railroad, since expanded I'M
to more than 10000 miles In what
manner the news was carried to New
York city, our host did not know, but
from thence he said it was taken in a
printed slip" by a messenger on
many relays. 1t was past midnight
when the tidings reached Quincy, and
Mr. Adams was then sound asleep. He,
as we'll as the household, was prompt
ly awakened fires were kindled and
lamps set burning He insisted upon
being completely dressed with most
,scrupulous eXactness in knee buckles,
ruff and peri-wig, and was then as
sisted into the library and seated in
his easy chair When al the details Of
preparation were completed the mes
senger was introduced and allowed
to read and requested to reread the
printed slip. AT the conclusion Of the
reading the aged patriot "cried like a
child" and all in attendance cried
in sympathy with the patriarch whose
cup of earthly honor was indeed full
to running over.
THE PASSING OF KATE LBARY.