Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1897-08-30
HOUSTON AS SENATOR.
ONE OF THE MOST ECCENTRIC PER.
SONS EVER IN WASHINGTON.

the Crowds That Had Gathered TO
See Him-Chanse Wrought in His
Life by the Woman He Married.
When Sam Houston began his life
in Washington in 1916, as Senator
from Texas, there was hardly n citizen
of the United States who had lived a
more exciting and romantic life, Or
who filled larger place in the popular
imagination.
There was just enough savagery in
his dress when he entered the Senate
to suggest a wild origin and career
In his earlier years he had affected
much more startling eccentricities Of
garb than in 1916. He even came to
Washington once in full Indian dress,
and when he was President of Texas
he habitually wore fancy velvet waist
coats, broad gold lace on his trousers,
and instead of a great coat, a gray
Mexican blanket When he became a
Senator this theatrical taste showed
itself in waistcoat of leopard skin,
broad sombrero and o Mexican
blanket.
Houston's habits in Washington
were such a contrast to his romantic
story and his eccentric appearance
that public curiosity was doubly ex-
cited. To begin with, he was tenn
perate, thus contradicting all the
traditions of Indian fighters and fill
busters, as well as all the popular
legends about himself This sobriety
was not, however, of long standing
Three months after his marriage Hous-
ton had left his first wife, because, it
is supposed, she told him she did not
love him, and had fed to the Indians
and the bottle for forgetfulness. SO
common was it for him to be dead with
liquor that the red men called him
"Big Drunk" Long after he became
the greatest man in Texas he kept up
these debauches. In 1910 he had
married again. The young woman, an
Alabama girl of twenty-one, had been
captured, Desdemona-like, by the
romantic life and deeds OF this reck-
less, carousing Othello, and had mar
ried him ''to save him" as she after
ward confessed. Her experiment was
successful, for Houston never was
drunk after his marriage.
More conspicuous than his temper
ance were his religious habits. His
wife was an earnest Christian, and she
labored zealously to bring about her
husbands conversion. The idea of
converting Sam Houston was prepos-
ferrous to most of their friends, but
Houston took his wifes desire serious
ly, and in his conduct complied with
many of her wishes. He read the Bi-
BILE, said grace, went to church. When
he went to Washington in 1916 he did
not take his family, but lived alone at
Wizards Hotel. He perhaps had
promised his wife to go to church, for
at once he appeared at Baptist
Church in E street, near the City Hail.
and from that time until he closed his
term in the Senate, twelve years after
ward, he never missed Sunday morn
ing service when he was in the city.
He became one of the Sunday sights"
of Washington, and the church was
known as "Houston's Church" " as the
place where the President goes is
called the presidents Church"
Houston always wore his Mexican
blanket to church, if it was cold, and
frequently he whitfield from the be-
ginning to the end of the service.
Whiting, indeed, seemed to be his
way of escaping bores and keeping his
nerves steady. He always carried a
pocket full OF Texas cedar and a sharp
knife, and thus equipped defed dull
ness and care.
The crowds which went to the
Washington Baptist Church to see
Houston usually waited after the SER
mon to shake hands with him. He was
fond Of these attentions from strangers,
and never failed to be cordial. In the
yestibule as he went out he held sec
ond reception for the colored people
from the galleries, who delighted
to boast that they had shaken his
hand.
The most dramatic event of Hous-
tons life as a Senator was his refusal
in 1854 to obey the will of Texas and
vote for the Kansas ebraska bill
This led to bitter quarrel with his
colleague, Rusk, who had been elected
with him as one of the first two Sena-
tors of the State. Rusk upbraided
Houston violently for betraying Texas.
The two men parted in anger, Hous-
ton threatening to challenge Rusk. If
friends had not interfered duel would
undoubtedly have resulted. Finally
the angry Texan gave up his desire
for blood, but turning on his friends
he said: "The Kansas-Nebraska bill
may pass, but let me tell you what
will be the result. The North will
never consent to see slavery in the
free rritories-the Abolitionists will
elect President, South Carolina will
secede, other States will follow her,
and we shall have the bloodiest war in
the history of the world. The North
has the army, the navy, the money.
She will blockade our ports, occupy
our territory, abolish slavery, put the
South under military rule, and finally