The Winslow mail., 1898-07-02
OUR PATRON SAINT.
Peculiar Origin Of the Name, "Uncle
Sam.''
Taken from tho brand Placed Upon
ARMY Supplies by En-
terprisiBE Dealer In
Provisions.

bernaTOrlal uFi-cnuiF OF our State
when this century was born happened
10 he all ardent admirer of classic lore
and the grand Old names of antiquity.
II is to his amiabie weakness in be-
slowing these polnpous cognomens on
our embryo towns and villages that
to-day names like Utica. Syracuse. Ith-
:ca and Seneca, instead of evoking Wis
ions of historic pomp and circumstance,
raise in the minds of most New York
ers the picture of cocky little cities.
abundantly provided with trolley cars
and meeting houses,
When. however, this cultured gov
ernor, in his ardor, christened one OF
The cities Troy. and the hill in its
vicinity Mount Ida. ne little dreamed
that youth was living on its slopes
whose name was destined TO become
a household word the world over, as
the synonym for the proudest and
wea,thiest republic yet known TO his
tory, sobriquet that would be famil-
lar in the mouths of races 10 whose con-
tinents even the titles OF Jupiter or
Mars never penetrated.
y little before this century began,
Two boys with packs bound their
stalwart shoulders walked from New
York and established {. brick yard in
The neigh oorhood of what is now Perry
street, Troy. Ebene2er and Samuel
Wilson soon became esteemed citizens
OF the infant city, their kindness and
beney0.ence winning for them the af-
fection and respect of the community.
he loT-9r her pl
especial favorite with all the children
in the place, whose explorations into
his deep pockets were generally re-
warded by the discovery of some simple
'sweet" or homemade toy. The slen-
der youth with the ''nutcraeker" face
proving TO be the merriest of play
fellows, in their love his little band of
admirers gave him the pet name of
"UEcle Sam," by which he quickly be-
came known 10 the exclusion of his
real name. This is the kindly and hum
bic origin Of title the mere speaking
of which to-day quickens the pulse and
noistens the eyes of millions of Amer
leans with the same thrill that the
dear old flag arouses when we catch
sight of it, especially an unexpected
glimpse in some foreign land.
With increasing wealth the brick
yard of the Wilson brothers was re-
placed by an extensive slaughtering
business, in which more than a hun
Gred men were soon employed-a vast
establishment for that day, killing
weekly some thousand head of cattle.
During the military operations of 1912
the brothers signed contract to fur
nish the troops at Greenbush with
meat, packed in full bound barrels of
white oak and soon after Samuel
was appointed inspector of provisions
for the arny.
True prototype OF the nation that
was later to be called by his name, this
shrewd and honest patriot not only
lived Loyalty up to his contracts, Civ
ing full measure and OF his best. but
proved himself incorruptible, making
1T his business to see that others, too.
fulfilled their engagements, both in
the letter and the spirit; so that the
II. s. (abbreViation of United States
which he scratched on all provisions
that had passed his inspection) became
in the officers and soldiers eyes a
guarantee of excellence. Samuers old
friends, the boys of Troy, now enlisted
i'll the army (naively imagining that
his use of the mystic initials was an
aliusion to the pet name they had
given him years before) would accept
no meat but Uncle Sam's," murmuring
if other brands were offered them.
Their comrades, without inquiry, fol-
lowed their example, and so strong
id the prejudice for food marked ''U.
s." become, that all the contractors.
in order that their provisions should
find favor with the soldiers, took TO
announcing Uncle Sam brands.
To the greater part of the troops,
ignorant (as are most Americans to-
day) of the real origin Of this pseu-
donym, "Unclc Sans beef and bread
meant merely government provisions,
and the step from national belongings
to an impersonation of our country by
an ideal Uncle Sam" was but a logical
sequence.
In his vigorous old age, Samuel VIII
son again lived on Mount Ida. near the
estates of the Warren family. The
honor IN which he was held by all the
countryside. the influence for good he
eXerted, and the informal tribunal he
held, where his neighbors came to
Get their differences Strengthened out
by his common sense, are still talked
of by the older inhabitants. One
story in particular used to charm my
boyish ears. 1t was about bitter dis
pute over land between the Narrens
md the Van Rensselaers, which was
brought to peaceful end by Uncle
Sans" producing a barrel of old papers
(confidcd TO him by both families dur
ing the war for safe keeping) and ex-
tracting from this original ''strong
box" title deeds to the property in lit
igation.
1t is a curious coincidence that Eng
land also should have taken an ex-army
contractor as her patron saint. for i
we are to believe tradition St. George
OF Cappadocia filed that position be
fore he passed through martyrdom tC
sainthood.-N. y. Post.
Rhubarb Blanc Mango.
Two pounds of rhubarb cut up, three
pints of water; cook 10 minutes. strain
and add one cupful of sugar, or more i