The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-01-22
Mr.. Mason of Illinois
Likely to Make a Mark.
He is a Very Picturesque and
Unique Individual.
Newspaper Men Like TO Have Some
Life in Public Service.

paper men here. Mr. Mason formerly
served In congress as n member from Chi
cago, and he was one OF the most pictur-
osque ana Interesting men in the house
He has not changed his ways and viii Doc n
| valuable addition 10 the scnatc, where men
OF wit and huInor and quantness are be-
coming too rare As "A story teller Mr.
Mason has few equals During the COM
ing year he will probably be the most talk
cd of man in the senate IL will be dull
day in which Mr.. Mason does not set afioat
new tale bright enough TO be worthy Of
publication all over the country.
| Wiil BE Warmly Welcomed.
| With all his wit and good nature and
| happy manners, Mr.. Mason Is man of
| much abllityand force AS a congressman
| he was fighter, and some of the contests
| which he carried ON upon the floor were
admirable examples of gcneralship and
nerve. He once held the house up for the
better part of two days by hlibustering
tactics. That was in the old days, before
Car Reed had adopted his present system
OF sitting down upon everybody but him
self. Mr.. Mason can make an eloquenr
speech, and he cares so lisSe for the pro-
prieties that he is sure TO stir the sedatc old
senate up from its nodding as many times
as he has fingers and toes. It is needless
TO say that he will be warmly welcomed
back to Washington by members Of the
newspaper profession, who see in him a
valuable adjunct TO their task of instruct
Ing and amusing the great public.
one or tho great needs of our public
service at the present time, from the news
paper standpoint, is greater number of
men of interesting personality The crop
1cta tu
more and more TO the commonplace. Pres
ident Cleveland Is an interesting man, is
always doing the unexpected, and his con-
versation is studded with quaint express
sions, but unfortunately we newspaper
men are able 20 get at the president only
through third persons. In the cabinet
There Is not now u single man with what
might be termed q picturesque personal
ity. There are strong men and able men.
but not one who helps 10 make gossip and
story. Judge Gresham-peace Co his ashes
was the last of these can remember.
A JoIIier.
recall story about Gresham and his
private secretary that has never been pub
lished. This private secretary, Kencsaw
nj. lands, brother of Congressman Elect |
lands of Indiana, was more OF charac- |
ter than Judge Gresham himself. Heloved |
to jolly people and to invent the most in |
Renious stories to keep people from bother |
ing the good natured secretary during |
business hours. One day Chief Justice
Fuller called at the state department to |
see Secretary Gresham. More through the
force of habit than anything else Lands
at once proceeded to explain that the secre-
tary was not in.
"He just left here with Secretary Car
Isle for the White House. said the private
secretary IF you had come in five min
utes earlier you would have caught him;
don't believe they have reached the White
House yet
AT that very moment Secretary Gresham
himself walked into the Office from tho
diplomatic room adjoining without his
coat or hat on, and buttoning up his waist
coat as was his wont on preparing TO leave
his Office The chief justice greeted the
secretary with some surprise, and then
turned to speak to lands, but the private
was nowhere TO bc found. For
he first time in his life he mad put his foot
IA it and had taken refuge in sudden flight
The sequel of this little story remains to
Dc told. Not long afterward there was
reception mt the White House lands was
here, "bchind the line" of receiving la
lies doing the proper thing in high soci-
ty. The chief Justice came along and
rrected the president. AT that instant he
spied Landis few feet away. "Mr. Pres
dent, " said the chief justice, with a merry
Wrinkle in his eye, "do you know that
oung man?' ''I do, very we'll, - replied
ir. Cleveland. "Well, you want TO look
ut for him, said Mr.. Fuller, "for he is
he biggest liar that was ever turned loose
n the western prairies." " With this shot
he chief justice passed on.
OF course the chief justice didn't mean
= He was only turning the tables on
ractical joker Mr.. Fuller likes Landis
cry well, ana the young private secretary,
tho is now a successful lawyer i'm Chicago, {
'as also IA favorite with President Cleve- |
md who laughed till his sides achod when \
C heard tho whole OF the story ,
spry Senator Perkins.
Senator Perkins, who has just been re-
ccted In California, is one OF the most
opular men In public life. Mr.. Perkins
olds record here. and it is quaint one.
a the Turkish bath rooms of the national J
lpitol many prominent public mon may
ten he found, boiling and roasting them
Ives into proper condition. | have had y
ANY state secrets Whispered 20 me In the II
otroom or amid the vapors of the steam r
est has until recently held the record of q
ing tho quickest dresser OF all the men b
no como 10 the bath parlors. Within n
ur minutcs after rising from the cooling Il
,uch. with nothing but n sheet around 81
IN, and entering his rr1vato room, he has Il
'cn known 20 walk out completely attircd d
om head 10 toe. N
A few weeks ago 81 chanccd that this rs
ngrcssInan and senator Perkins entered d
cir dressing rooms az the same instant. y
ne of tho attendants. knowing both men, 81
nlked around and whispcrcd To- the scna- M
r that there was a fellow across the way n
ho was going TO beat him dressing Thon r,
WHISPERED the snmc Information 10 the ii
ngrrssman and sat down 10 watch the y,
suit of this novel race. In three minutes O.
nator Perkins stepped out fully attired, VI
,s brushed by fhc attendant, 90 whom he
sscd quarter and left the parlors In
Other minute the congressman came out
A JnI 10 I..... sI..e "a.