The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1897-07-09

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portAnt COMMITTEES. The speaker has not
signined his intention In the matter.
Judge b. A. Harlan of Grand RAPIDS
has held q position in the pension ONCE
for nearly twenty years. He has done
more hard work for the organization
and maintenance OF the Michigan ASSOC
citation than any other Wolverine In the
national capital. The association has
always been solvent, and they say that
Judge Harlan has put many a dollar
out OF his little salary to pay bills when
the treasury was depleted. He Is popu-
lar with Michigan people resident here,
and often makes II his business to look
after visitors from Michigan by showing
them about the city and directing them
10 the popular places Of interest.
A Prince of Good Fellows.
When Senator Palmer CT Michigan
was In the national capitol. few peo-
pie knew him save as a very dignified
statesman. He was much more than
that. He was a jolly good fellow, a
prince Of good fellows among his per-
sonal friends. He has been missed very
much by the best senatorial circle, which
includes those who have a good fellow
ship side to their nature. His house
on the north side of Mcpherson square
was the scene of many a good time,
that several senators and boon COM
panions remember with pleasure and
regret. There were always Billiards
and whist and music, dainties to tickle
senatorial palates and little some
thing effervescent to prod lazy livers.
There was good story telling and sing
ing, and sometimes even dancing. The
senatorial quartette consisted of Mr..
Palmer, soprano, and Mr.. Henderson.
basso. They could sing so much and so
hard that 1t required only the two to
make UP a quartette. Mr. Edmunds was
originally a member of the quartette,
but complained that after the soprano
and basso got a-going he was like
man In the uproar Of battle, who can't
tell whether his gun goes off or not.
So he withdrew, and would afterwards
consent to sing nothing but solos to
yodel obligato by Senator Cameron.
Jolly Reunions.
Senator Davis Of Minnesota. one of
Paimer's best friends says that there
never have been such jolly reunions as
we used to have at Tom Palmer's. Be-
meath his roof we were all friends and
no one ever had any thought Of undue
restraint We were simply our natural
host and with each other"
An ex-senator says: II went out of
the senate when Palmer did, but have
been here oftener since, than he has
been. We used to have very pleasant
gatherings at Edmunds' and Sherman's
and others, but there was always a re-
straint or a shadow of a restraint that
did not exist at Palmer's. He possesses
that rare quality Of a host. without
which one can never be a real host, the
ability to put every one at ease and on
good terms with himself and with his
neighbors. This is great gift and few
possess it. When it is possessed, ac-
companied as is generally and naturally
is with love for entertaining, you have
a man capable Of making a great deal
Of happiness in the world. Tom Pal
mer Is that sort Of a man, and under
his influence 1t was pleasant to see stiff
people thaw out and cold people warm
up, and dignity drop, and the warm
streak OF humanity that exists in every
man, no matter how thick the crust Of
selfshness or pretention show UP. The
man who can influence George +. Ed
munds and John Sherman ct al. to join
heartily in We Won't Go Home 'tfll
Morning is a born host
Aims to Make Sunshine.
Palmer does not believe In hard work,
now that he has great wealth, and the
years of hard work lie behind. He
writes himself as one who loves his fell
lowmen next to himself, and he pro-
poses to spend the rest of his life In
making it as pleasant for all hands as
possible, so he threw off the cares and
burdens of the senatorship and went
back to his old life without RESPONSE
bilities, except to make sunshine In
dark places go far as he can.
One evening at his residence a sena-
tor informed Palmer that rumor was
current that he was writing a novel.
THAT is not exactly true" replied the
Michigan statesman. II am not writ
ing a novel; 1t is a poem. Not my
epithalamium, but a psalm of rejoicing
to commemorate my retirement from
the senate. 1 have got the first verse
done and the first line of the second.
People will swear that 1t is from
Watts, but wrote every word Of it my
self, aud it begins In this way:
"AI hail auspicious day
That sees my souls release,
And puts me on the pilgrims way
That leads to lasting, peace -
1.-THE second verse begins: $50, ~,
"Long have I fingered here ~,
Good Place to Write Poetry. So
That's as far as L have got. I
wrote that one afternoon when I was
presiding over the senate while ingalls,
was gone to lunch, and the next time he
calls me to the chair hope to get the
SECOND verse finished. The vice presi-
dents desk is a first-class place to write
poetry, and IL were to be elected vice
president presume I should come out
q Tennyson or Milton. or at least the
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