The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-03-27
JUST Il CHHT.
By W. E. CHRISTIAN.

Mr.. Grover Cleveland. late President
of the united States, loves, or used to
love, n mint julep, and Fitz. Lee knows
how TO make one. This mint-julep de"
mand and supply once met on very
dry and hot and thirsty Sunday in
Prof. Venable's home during the sum-
nler commencement season of the mi
vers:ty of Virginia. Prof Nenable was
a tee-totaler and all his house, and Mr..
Cleveland had just rolled in much
tagged, but too much of n statesman to
suggest the cause Now 1t happened
that the man Eftz. Lee passed that
way, and his eve lit on the President. If
there is any suffering to a mnt-Julep
drinker more intense than not having
iulep for ones self, it is the suffering
of seeing the suffering of another sui,
ferer who is suffering for one. Many
man. not naturally charitable. has
given up coin to Il tramp just Tor the
back-action pleasure of seeing sincere
thirst appeased TO one of the royal
bonhomie of Fitz. Lee. Grover Cleye-
and looked that morning like a Sahara
plump and CHEEKY heart of the present
Consul General in Cuba peel and crack,
as if from a Mohave white-hQt wind. to
look upon the inner despair ! of the
Presidential visitor, treelesS of hope and
glimmering with shimmering of hot
and horiZonless sands. If there was no
''sperrits" in the house of the Professor
there was a spontaneous growth of
mint. modestly and shrinkingly green
and fragrant, away down in a cool
corner of the 'gyarden" fence With
only this base of supplies, the General
so disposed his forces as to put the
Professor to rout When Grover went
to his room to brush the dust off the
bald spot ON his head, he saw a full
grown long-legged mint-julep upon the
table, with a view of Monticello i'm the
mountainous distance. His arms flew
to his sides akimbo, to protect them
from the spontaneous combustion of
laughter, and he exclaimed as he Wrung
out his collar: Il name thee my Long
Lost Charley Ross. If Fitz. Lee but
knew it this is the great find" of his
life
1t is the way with Virginia's E'itz.
Lee: there are probably few people of
his acquaintance n4Ao cannot recall some
sunny act OF his Pennsylvania avenue
shouts when he comes along saShed at
the Inauguration He is better than a
brass band for stirring up folks and
making them feel good. Whether or not
this mint-julep played any part an the
future of the sparkling cavalier, it does
not beh00ve me to say any more than
to say that it is rumOred that Rum,
Ronlanism and Rebellion small as. it
was presumably cooked Mr.. Blaine
goose, and Burchard's with it. Why
not then believe for the romance of the
thing that in this mint
julep bloomed affection, which
bIossomed in the elevation of the
present Consul General of Cuba. For
as Shakespeare remarks, sometimes
the greatest things are done by the
weakest ministers" even though it be
a strong mint-julep. 1t was apparent
that Mr. Cleveland was determined TO
take care Of Fsitz. Lee / mean no ia
miliarity or disrespect in thus speaking
of the Confederate general, for 1T is
the name by which he affectionately
goes in the word of men, women and
children in Virginia 1T was not long
before Mr.. Cleveland offered Lee the
choice of what he wanted. He could
have gone to Spain Il think it was.
But he declined preferring to remain
near his home with n return that could
not be more than depleted by the over
whelming demands of a Snowy diploma
tic station. So it came about that he
told the President that he preferred to
be collector at Lynchburg, and so it
wars Collector Lee.
1t is not impossible that Fitz. Lee will
come out of this thing bigger man
than the President. He had much in
Virginia to depress a man of spirit less
valiant. He had been defeated for
the United States Senate by the present
incumbent Martin, and an investigation
followed on the charges that the elec-
ton had been bought by certain rail-
road in Virginia. 1t was the consensus
that Lee would have gone through
handsomely had it not been for his con-
necbion as president of the Land Com
pany at Glasgow. As in many other
boom-towns during the wildcat DAYS III
the Shenandoah Valley, people had lost
money in Glasgow. Lee came ont of it
no doubt financially dismantled. No
one ever dared, or could dare, to ques-
ton his sincerity of hope in his land
scheme or his integrity in the handling
Of it. But loss in speculation carries the
dregs Of retaliation upon some one at the
bottom of the bitter cup of vanished
funds. Upon Fitz. Lee was visited i'm
directly, at least, a check in the clipping
of his wings outstretched for the Senate.
He had been Governor before his lann
scheme, and never was ore more loved.
With the dignity of a jolly, daring
soldier mingled with the lack of dignity
of a boy at play, he never appeared on
the West End drive of Richmond with
out leaving a gay word of hearty adj
miration upon the lips of those who
saw him. observation-disclosures his
heart was i'll his hand whether he ac-
costed stranger Of the people or
belle OF the city's fashion. His quip
in converse was toned bluntly without
a smile. but turned pointedly, ana
while as a public speaker, he lacked