Morris tribune., 1898-10-05
AARRlsoN's SUBSTITUTE.
The BackwoOdsman Who Undertook to
Speak For the Ex-President.

Speak For the Ex-President.
One August day in the summer
of 1895 there was great gathering
at the only hotel at Old Forge, the
best known of the gateways to tho
Adirondacks. A pole, tall, sturdy
looking piece of timber, was to be
raised and ex-President Benjamin
Harrison, then occupying his cot
tage on Second lake, had consented
to speak. Campers from the chain
of lakes that leads into the Blue
mountain region from Old Forge,
natives of the neighboring lumber
towns, guides and woodsmen, min
gled in the crowd that wandered
about the hotel, filling the piazzas,
and seeking shelter in the little par
lor from the drizzling rain and pen
etrating mountain air without.
In this lettering crowd was
chore boy from one of the Fourth
lake camps, a reckless, irresponsible
fellow, but of unusual cunning and
shrewdness. He had greedy appe-
tite, and most of the time was fool
ish with drink. On the morning of
this day, while we were sailing
down to Old Forge, he had calmly
swallowed at one gulp half pint of
whisky, as the initiative to one of
his terrible sprees. Later, luck ct
dice in the barroom and a commin-
Cling with genial souls had brought
him to a condition where his smile
never faded and his step was most
uncertain
The ceremony of the pole raising
was announced for 2 o'clock AT
that hour the ex-president had not
arrived al the hotel, and the people
who had gathered there were nery-
ously moving about, Disguised with
the weather and annoyed at the de-
lay. In the interval George, the
chore boy, ventured the remark
that if the president didn't hurry he
would get out on the piazza and
make the speech himself For this
boldness he was dragged from the
parlor to the more congeniaI atmos-
phere of the barroom.
Finally the former chief execu-
tive arrived. The crowd, which had
formed on the slope of the lawn be-
fore the hotel, Immediately revived
and hurrahed and cheered the noted
guest. The formalities of the cere-
monJ were quickly disposed of by
the long suffering committee and
the chairman took the earliest OPP
portunity to introduce Mr.. Harrison.
The ex-president rose and stood by
his chair, which had been placed
some distance back from the piazza
rail. An instant he regarded the
crowd below. Apparently he was
about to speak when the group that
had pressed about the parlor door
opened and George the chore boy,
his trousers tucked into the tops of
his great, coarse boots, his coat
sleeves falling over his hands and
almost concealing them, his flannel
shirt open at the neck George, with
his smile and his stagger highly de-
veloped- stepped out before the as
>tonished assemblage and walked
quickly to the railing.
Uncovering with great care his
frouzy head, he laid his broad brim-
med hat on the secretary IS table.
Wholly unmindful of the gentleman
over whose distinguished face there
huttered half quizzical, half anus
ed look, he turned to the crowd, and
with all the confidence and assur
ance of a speaker who is. conscious
of the power of his words, said:
Ladies and gentlemen, presume
you came here to hear me- speak. :" /
The presumption was too greatly
exaggerated to pass unnoticed. Be
fore George could further indicate
the supposed desires ot Lis audience,
he was struggling l. ,-.e hands Of
the irate committeeme:,, and the
nails in his boot heels were drawing
parallel lines on the boards of the
piazza. His exit was through the
same door hat had marked his tri-
umphant entry, and it was just in
side this opening that he fell in
heap and TIE smile collapsed, After
thus forcibly dismissing the intrud-
er the members of the committee
returned to their seats.
And then the president spoke
New York Mail and Express.