The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-01-27
How niII &c COO a Pass.

now nitI Nye Got n I'uSs.
The way that the late Bill Nyc succeed
ed in extracting pass from Mr. McCor-
mick, general passenger agent for the Big
Four, is amusingly revealed in the follow
ing correspondence, now for the first time
made public. says the Chicago Record.
Nye began his special pleading thus:
Il am not in the habit of unjustly roast
ing anybody. In fact, with decent treat
ment lots of times l do not roast those
who deserve It. am perhaps more ready
to tell unpleasant truths of those who are
not courteous to me. We are all that way
some. Kind words can never die, and it's
a good deal the same way with the other
variety L am not vindictive man, but l
do not enjoy putting an insult into my
pocket and keeping it there along with my
rheumatic buckeye. These sentiments to-
wards the world are cherished in a Chris
tiaE spirit and set forth as personal char
acteristics of use to my enemies and natur-
ally of interest to my friends. As to your
road in particular 1 have repeatedly gone
over it, and sent my family over it, and
it generally made me a better man"
To this the railway man replied:
Your very kind favor of July IS receiv-
ed Am obliged to you for the sentiment
it contains. L trust that the money saved
by you in haircuts may be used to pur-
chase stock in the Big -Four road, and
thereby make you side partner"
Nye's answer was as follows:
My Dear Mr. Mccormack am quite
liable to call on you for something in the
way of introduction to your conductors in
case I go to Chicago. Quite number OF
the leading roads have sent me what they
call an annual for myself and wife, as L
find them of great service, but, of course,
this may not be the custom OF the Big
-Four road. In any event, l shall be glad
to count myself as your friend, and would
be only too glad, when work on the farm
does not prevent it, to watch a bridge or
protect a roundhouse, armed to the teeth,
and would cheerfully guard a dividend ali
night in case it should be threatened by
a mob
The promise of the mote of introduc-
ton Nye acknowledged, in this fashion;
You write like a real nice man, and you
draw beautifully. | think l will learn to
like Won, and you can't help liking me. l
spent yesterday at Oakland, near Detroit,
on the St, Clair river, and in consideration
of your kindly interest in me must advise
you that Howard SaXby was there. He
claims he taught you all you know, and
lectures there tonight if people will stay.
Whether you ever heard of Saxby or not l
am not informed. but Eugene Field, Paul
Hull, Stanley Waterloo and other men,
bers of the Chicago Press Club are ac-
quainted with him. They have made the
offensive statement 10 SaXby that MS
chief stock in trade is his slight facial,
physical, and, l might say, hirsuite, re-
semblance TO you. l do not believe that
SaXby thinks there is any resemblance,
so far as mental qualifications are con-
eerned. In fact. I do not think SaXby
thinks al ALL Saxby thinks he thinks.
Anyway, he is posing as the man who
gave you points, and 1 don't think it is a t
all right, and possibly you should chal-
lenge him to a joint lecture"
With the pass, when it arrived. was in
closed an advertising contract This drew
from Nye this letter and from MIR. McCor-
mick the explanation following:
II have in my syndicate 25S papers
through which l make Sabbath remarks.
II you insist upon the execution of the
contract 1 shall have to return the trans
portation, but with kindly feelings. of
course, such as L experience most all the
time, anyway.
Speaking of Saxby. I think he is one
Of the vast army of people to whom l am
indebted to the serene comfort of being
what [ am as a lecturer, a throbber and
thriller Yet, privately-do not allow this
statement to meet even the eye OF your
typewriting machine cannot at this mo-
ment recall Saxby without the use of
stimulants.
Il inclose a nice picture of myself. taken
a year ago when / was feeling peculiarly
kindly and joyous-nOt unnaturally so, but
just joyous enough
From Mr.. Mccormick: Il did not know
that a contract had been inclosed with the
transportation, but such is the custom of
the genius of the mileage books. In this
case the slave failed to discriminate be
tween a common, ordinary, everyday hobo
newspaper man and 'thrObber and thrill
Ter I received the nice picture of your
self. to which you so touchingly refer,
and you seem to me, as Debs says. like a
man who had a thirst which permeated
mis- system three times over, and which
thirst had been satisfied"