The Wichita daily eagle., 1897-12-17
Dan Rice and lincoln

Sitting here in the sunlight Of my cottage
by the sea. where only ia memo-y's halls
do 1 ever hear the once familiar cry OF
Hey, Rube!' can't help but smile when
1 think of the time licked Jerry Rusk.
said old Dan Rice, who for sixty years
was celebratsds as a circus proprietor and
clown. "A man Of the same name, stat
ure. and general appearances subsequently
became secretary OF the department of as-
r:culture,' and the old mirthmaker's eyes
tw.nkled m.schievously.
cit was away out in Nevada. in the days
when I was young and gentle, as the
jockey says, but strong and well able TO
take my part, that in the course OF hu-
man events it became necessary for me
to thrash Jerry Rusk, who was then driy-
ing a stage from Keno to Carson CITY. L
won't venture to say that 1 was entirely
blameless in the matter, but let me tell
my story and then Judge for yourself.
''One Of my teams was badly cut one
night IN one of the wildcat towns with
which that section Of country abounded.
and I was loud in my denunciations OF the
perpetrators of the deed. So excited were
some Of my men over the affair that 1
greatly feared there would be collision
with the spectators, which might entail a
lot of trouble and expense upon me. At
once 1 began TO think up an easy way out
of the difficulty. and finally stepped for
ward and offered TO settle the matter sin
gle-handed, TO save a general row, by put
ting myself al fisticuffs or rought-and-
tumble against the strongest and quickest
man in the camp.
"The plan took immensely with the
noun taineers, who thought they possess
Cs1r1 NIT y,
great gusto, "and it was not less satisfac-
their David had done
Name your time and place said one
Of the committee who had taken upon
itself the arrangement Of the mill.
Make it here as soon as day dawns.
and let me not see the man am to meet.
Under those circumstances first saw Jer-
ry Rusk and took his measure. He loked
like a lusty, rugged fellow, and I made
up my mind ne should have the best goods
in my shop.
Shortly after dawn we came together
and fought Interestingly and determinedly
for the many spectators for a long while.
and then, IL Jerry Rusk was not soundly
thrashed let him now say So
"Of course" continued the veteran show
man, ct have met many of the presidents
who ruled over the Union during my vari-
egated career. The first one was old
Hickory Jackson. IT was away back in
the days when 1 was young and aspiring
Jockey, and was riding near Trenton, y. j.,
when Jackson passed through on his way
from Washington to New York, and saw
me ride bay filly TO victory in hotly-
contested race.
Subsequently was presented to the
president as the boy who rode the bay fl-
ly SO commendatory were the Chief mag
istrate's remarks that I have always re-
garded that day as one of the most me-
morable of my life. Abraham Lincoln was
another man whom I greatly admired, as
president, as well as a good judge of horse
flesh. Years before ne was thought of as
a possible candidate for the presidency
he and were fellow judges of horse race
near Springfield, ILL.,. and from thence on to
the end of his life we were firm friends,
and I was his ardent admirer. When in
a peculiar crisis On the Upper Mississippi
during the civil war presented the gov
eminent my circus steamer, which was
urgently needed, ne wired me this dis
patch:
Thanks; II is just like you, Dan.'
'In my career up and down the Union /
became well acquainted with the courtly
James Buchanans-who, four years before
his election to the presidency. predicted
the certainty of a civil war, which was So
narrowly averted during his administra-
ticn. Already, 1 was acquainted with JEFF
ferson Davis. and he, too. had prophesed
war. But here is a noticeable fact; Da-
Wis was at that time rather an admirer of
the sterling integrity and pronounced abil-
ity of Honest Abe. the Rail Splitter who
was just then beginning TO attract pub
lie attention to his answering good judg-