River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1896-04-09
There is one thing. however, that 8

"There is one thing, however, that a.
ways struck me as sing lar. Although
Senator Conkling was always dignified
and severe with public men, he was
polite to servants, if they treated him
with proper consideration. On the
other hand, Mr.. Blaine would smile and
bow to public men, but he never paid
any attention to servants, and did not
put himself out to be kind to us. Con-
seqnently, the servants all stood in awe
of Senator Conkling, but they liked him,
too. But, while everybody talked of
what a great man Senator Blaine was.
the servants did not praise him very
much.
There was one man that always stood
on good terms with Senator Conkling,
and that was Senator Morton, of Indi
ana. Those men were almost like
brothers. Senator Conkling was never
dignfied nor repellant with Senator
Morton. / think that he was the only
man with whom Senator Conkling ever
walked arm in arm about the halls or in
the parlor. When he was with Sen
ator Morton and no one else was about,
Senator Conkling was a different man
He would talk to Senator Morton, tell
stories, and act as other men usually act
when in the company of friends. He
would laugh out loud when talking to
Senator Morton; but he never showed
any more animation than to occasional
ly smile when others were talking to
him. lie was the most dignified mar
/ have ever known.
There was another man whom Sen
ator Conlling seemed to like very well,
and that was Senator Edmunds, of Yer
mont. But their ways were very much
alike. Both of them were very digni.
fed. They were usually talking very
earnestly together, and there was moth
ing of an jovial nature between them.
They were simply prominent senators
discussing public affairs in u confiden-
tial manner. Senator Edmunds was G
large man with full gray beard and
perfectly bald head. Senator Conkling
ling had full head of hair and a beau
tiful beard. think that Senator Conk
ling was very proud of his appearance;
but Senator Edmunds was very plain
sort of a man, and never dressed well.
1 often saw them eating breakfast at
the same time, but never at the same
table. After breakfast they would
meet and walk away from the hotel to-
gether, talking earnestly, but never
smiling.
"Ttcre was another public man who
often called upon Senator Conkling.
He came over from New York frequent
w. and whenever showed his card I'M
der the door Senator Conkling instant
ly responded and told me to bring the
gentleman up 10 his room. 1t was Ches-
ter A. Arthur, and he was collector of
customs at New York. remem-
her his name very well, because he sell
dom had any engraved cards with him,
but always leaned on the hotel counter
and wrote his own cards. He war aft
erwards vice president, and when Pres
ident Garfield died he became president
of the United States.
"Whenever Mr.. Arthur went upstairs.
Senator Conkliug would be waiting for
him ct the door, give him cordial well
come, and shut the door. Mr.. Arthur
used to stay there sometimes until long
after midnight. One morning, at
about two o'clock. he came down from
Senator Conkling's room, aud asked
for n ros, for himself, but the hotel
was full and he had to go elsewhere to
pet a bed. He was very cross about
il: but il wns his own fault He had
not registered nor asked for a room.
/ guess il they had supposed he would
ever be president of the United States,
the proprietor would have gladly given
IN his own ROOM" SMITH y. Fry.