The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-12-14
OLD DAN RICE.


The Ancient ClrruA Man Tells some In
tutvsting Anecdotes
! Chicago Inter-oceau; "sitting here in
the sunlight Of my cottage bv the sea,
where only In memory's halls do | ever
hear the once familiar cry of Hey,
Rubel | can't help but smile when l
thiuk OF the time licked Jerry Rusk,"
said old Dan Rice, who for sixty years
was celebrated as ciinds proprietor
ana clown "A man OF the same name,
stature. ana general appearance SUISSE
quently became secretary of the de-
partment Of agriculture" and the old
,mirth-maker's eyes twinkied mistsiteV-
ously
1T was away ont IN Nevada, In the
DAYS when was young and gentle, as
the Jockey says but strong alid wei
able 10 luke my part, that tn the
course of human. events 1t booqTne nee
essary for me to thrash Jerry Rusk,
who was then driving stage from
Keno to Carson CITY. / won't venture TO
sag that / was entirely biametess IN
tile mntter, but let ME tell my story,
ANA then Judge for yourself.
llAlt VI NY AtllNh wa btAhlg WI VAsN
night in one OF the wildcat towns with
which that section of country abound
ed, and | was loud in my denunclatons
of the perpetrators of the deed, So ex-
cited were some of my men over the at
fair, that greatly feared there would
be n collision WITT, the spectators Which
might entail a lot OF trouble and en-
pepse upon me.
q 7 10, NI,tnt- AN a o. u
wag out of the difficulty and finally
stepped forward and offered to settle
the mntter singh-handed, to save
general roy, by putting MYSELF ut tsti-
Guns or rough-and-tumble against the
strongest anu quickest man In the
camp,
"The plan took immensely with the
mouniaineers. who thought they pos
sessed Goliath" resumed Colonel
Rice, with great gusto, "and Il was not
less satisfactory to the circtts mon, who
knew whit thelr David had done
"'Nnme your time and place, said
one OF d committee which had taken
upon itself the arrangement OF the
mill
"Make II here, as soon MS day
dlTvas and let me now see the man
am to meet
Under these circumstances fist
saw ferry Kusk and took his measure
He looked like a lusty, rugged fellow.
and made up mo mind he should have
the best goods In my shop,
shortly after dawn we came to-
gether and fought interestingly and de-
termInedTy for tho many spectators for
. long willie: and then, II Jerry RuSIS
was not sourdly tirashed, let him now
say SO.
"of course" continued the veteran
Snowman, Il have met many Of the
Presidents who ruled over the Union
Surfing my variegated career The first
one was Old Hickory Jackson. IL was
away back 10 the days when l was a
young and aspiring jockey and was
riding near Trenton, n. j.. when JACK
son passed through on his way from
Washington to New York, and saw me
ride a bay fiiiy to victory In 4 hotIS
contested race.
subsequently, was presented to
the President as the boy who rode the
bay fiIly SO commendatory were the
chief magistrates remarks that ] have
always regarded that day as one OF the
most memorable OF my life. Abraham
Lincoln WIS uNOtltI HlAn NHJh
greatly admired, as President, as well
as good Judge of horseaesh Years
before he was thought Of as Il possible
candidate Tor the presidency he and 1
were fellow judges OF horse race
near Springfield, Ills, and from then on
No the end of his life we we're firm
friends. and was his ardent admicer.
When in . peculiar crisis on the up
per Mississippi during the civil war l
presented the government my circus
steamer. Witch vas urgently needed he
wired me this dispatch;
"Thauhs; Il is just like you, Dan"
I'm my career up and down the IN
ion became well acquainted with the
courtiy James Buchanan, who, four
years before his election to the presl-
dpney. predicted the certainty Of n civil
war, which vas so narrowly averted
during his administration, Already !
was acquainted with Jefferson Davis
aud he. too had prophesied war But
here Is a noticeable fact; Davis was at
that time rather an admirer OF The
sterling integrity and pronounced abil.
ttv Of Honest Abe. the Rail Splitter
who was just thea beginning to attract
public attention 60 his answering good
Judgment"