Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1897-12-24

men VI Tn lOuDleuy WOIk haIu W
save this patronage from the civil SER
vice fire. 1t would mean eight OF ten
appoin lmenIs from each Congle,si ma!
district, and IN the present barren con-
dtion of the official pantry this is pie"
worth lighting for.
50
The Banking aud Currency Commit
tee is composed of some picturesque
ana virile gentlemen. Take Johnson
of Indiana, for instance. He is tall and
slim, supple as ACROBAT, and when he
gets under way in debate he can reel
off 200 words minute as easily as a
country boy can husk corn. a steno-
grapher gets steady work with no
breathing spells when johnson starts In
on an hours speech. Another fiery
mem Der is Chairman Walker. of Massa-
cnusetts. He looks like picture of
some New England jurist, although
the most of his life has been spent in
the shoe business. They call him the
"gray eagle" in his district, and in de-
bate he Is as brave and daring as that
bird Is supposed to be. Among the
Democratic members Col. Cox, OF Ten
nessee, is prominent. In manners he
! is of the old school of gentlemen, as
gentle as Chesterfield in his treatment
OF his associates. He can draw a clean
blade in debate. however, and his Re-
publican friends admit that he is a
worthy foe on the money question. He
Was colonel in the Confederate ser
vice, serving under Forest, and he is
to-day seeking the identity of an indi-
vidual who did him a good turn during
The war.
at was while we were along the
Tennessee. and Grant was approaching
Chattanooga" narrates the Colonel,
"that | was ordered to take my men,
cross the river and raid Henderson
Station for cotton that the United
States Government had there under
guard. The place was defended by a
body of Illinois troops, but we did our
work quietly, took them by surprise,
and captured everything in sight with
but the loss of one man. We were get
ting ready to leave when one of the
captured men, a captain, came to me
and said that one of my men had rob-
bed him of all his personal belongings.
including some pictures of his family
| told him if he could point the man out
to me | would be glad TO make him
give them up. He did SO, and | saw to
it that the property went to the right
full owner. Some time afterward l fell
down on my military figuring and was
captured and carried of TO prison at
Cairo, Iii. | was tired and hungry al
ter arrived, and having little good
money on my person asked permission
to 90 to store and purchase some
thing to eat. 1t was granted, and un'
der guard | started down the street.
On the way we met an oil II. He
looked at me closely tor a moment and
then gruflly ordered the men to leave,
saying that he wanted the prisoner. |
tried to explain that | was hungry and
tired, but he would listen to no talk,
and taking the little basket was car
rying away ON me briskly set on
down The street. and angrily | followed.
He stopped at provision store, and,
much to my surprise, he began to buy
fruit, bread, pies and other good things.
lie paid for his purchases, and then
turned and said kindly TO me: You
don't remember the Illinois captain you
befriended Ut Henderson Station. Well,
| do, and tell you he is not a man to
forget a kindness. Now let us 90 up
to your quarters and have a good feed.
Somehow" concluded The Colonel, IL
never learned his name, and | wish you
newspaper boys would spread the story
IN Your papers, and maybe it may
meet the eye of the man Who was kind
10 me at Caro- way back IN "a"
*
a object Of interest has been placed
Ia the large court OF the Pension build
ing. 1t is Il Sage palm that was once
owned by Gen. Washington. 1t is now
owned by the Botanical Gardens, and
the superintendent has placed it beside
the fountain in the court as a proper
place for its exhibition. The tree is in
Il large wooden box, and shows its age.
The trunk is only about eight inches
IN diameter, and the little tuft of leaves
at the top looks sick and mean. Wash.