The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-08-04

me SITUATION gracefully ana without |
any ill-feeeling or back-blting.
1T is hard work securing appoint |
nents for constituents these days"
said Congressman Sam Smith day or |
two before he left for his nome, land |
who can land even one APP |
pointment is considered a lucky dog by |
his colleagues. l do not believe that |
there have been fifty new appointments |
made since the 4th of March from the |
whole state Of Michigan, although there |
are hundreds of applications on file in |
the various departments. We are get |
ting numerous appllca uons for positions |
In the new library particularly from the
ladies' but / am told that the places are
TO be put under the civil service, so
that we cannot do anything for them. II
Is gratifying TO secure the reinstatement
of old soldiers who are entitled to rein
statement under civil service rule No.
TO-"
They Miss John Chamberlin.
The members Of congress who manage
to attend 10 their correspondence and
other duties. and yet have time to spend
their evenings convivially miss John
Chamberlin whose hostelry here for
many years was the popular resort for
the all-night statesmen. oh, the stor-
les they told each other, and the stories
Chamberlin told, If collated, would make
volume as interesting as the thousand
Arabian Nights with Scheherezade.
When Chamberlin was in his Palace
hotel at Old Point Comfort he told a
characteristic story about George II.
Butler, that brilliant and erratic jour
nalist who entertained so royalty when
ne had money, and who gradually drank
himself into obscurty, death, and OBJ
livion.
Butler spent thousands Of dollars at
Chambe1lin's in his palmy days, and
when he began to sink into the slums
Chamberlin treated him like a prince.
Begrimed unshorn, unshaven, and In
the worst stages Of impecuniosity and
desuetude, he frequently imposed HIM
self upon Chamberlin's generosity and
fed upon his choicest viands and liquors
as a self-invited guest. One day he en-
tered and seating himself at a table,
ordered a dish Of diamond back terrapin
and quart bottle Of dry Verzenay.
Told to Fill the Order.
The waiter quietly reported to Cham
berlin and asked for instructions. John
WINGED a little, since terrapin were
worth 80 apiece and champagne brought
"a bottle; but he rallied under the
pressure and directed the waiter to fill
the order, hoping in this way to speedily
rid himself of the unwelcome presence.
Butler called for the best Rea Victoria
in the house, which was likewise fur
nished under silent protest, and he read
the evening papers until the terrapin
should be cooked. Meantime, a happy
thought struck Chamberlin. He had
some American champagne on hand, too
poor to sell and too good to give away
Why not scrape off the label, put a
bottle in the silver ice-cooler and palm
it off on Butler? 1t was fully 81 saved
and 50 thereby earned. To think was to
act The terrapin was served with a
bottle If imitation champagne to play
the part of the dry Verzenay, and
Chamberlin trembled in his boots for
fear Butler would discover the trick and
resent it. Happily. however, George did
not complain. He found fault with
! the terrapin. which did not contain
| sherry wine sufficient for seasoning;
sent fer more sherry, had it heated, and
! added to the stew, and faithfully drained
the so-called dry Verzenay. He ordered
another Havana cigar, and to the utter
| astonishment and dismay of Chamber
| lin. pulled out a $40 bill to pay for his
entertainment.
struck Dumb with Amazement.
"Great Heavens!" said John Chamber
| lin, telling the story, Il was struck
dumb and paralyzed. Butler had been
| fiat broke for months, begging quar-
ter of anybody and everybody, and the
| L. 1ra1 n 10 n
10 nv place to spend it. / was. Of course
obliged to charge him 81 for the imita-
ton champagne or he would have de-
tected the trick and abused me like q
piclxpocket. / had fully made up my
! mind to submit to the loss and charge
| II up to the long-standing account be-
tween us when / was suddenly precipi.
tated against an unexpected $40 bill, and
this accounted for Buffers loneliness II
ordering his frugal repast. Three dol
lars for the terrapin, $4 for the wine, ano
80 cents for two cigars made the bill
$3.50. and / returned him $3.50 change
He gave the waiter 81 and strobe out o.
the establishment with a princely all
that would have done credit to an Astol
or a Vanderbilt. I have often felt very
guilty about it," concluded Chamberlin
| hut Il was III Il iioih Nh'Nh
could not extricate myself without
possible scene, and never dared tell TIT
story for fear 1t would reach his ears
To compromise with my conscience
gave away that "a In charity"
Nights Spent In Reveiry.
In those days Chamberln's place wa
on New York avenue, in the house nov
occupied by the Young Mems Christian
association. Billy Copeland, Dom Piat'
Phil Sheridan, General Sherman, San
Ward, and the men of that calibre
whose names have become historic, use
TO meet there and spend the nights 4
revclry Of such fraternity as can onl
be understood and appreciated by me
Of like fibre. John Chamberlin was i
his prime, and no man ever left his por
tails without feeling that he had bee
mingling with royalty, and he himsel
every inch a king"
One Of the very wealthy men wh
came to Washington recently as sena
tor instituted a search for some man a
priyate secretary who was especialll
familiar with the cranks and schemef
of all sorts, saying frankly to his friend
that he wanted a man to protect hir
: from schemers of all classes. Hereto
J fore he always was considered quit