The daily morning journal and courier., 1899-02-15

lstore window on F street. and how the
 people, particularly the children, had
 gathered about him, and how silent and
 demure he seemed.
 It was assumed that he was looking
 in the store window with view to se-
 lecting presents for Ruth Esther, etc,
 when the onlookers disturbed him, and the newspapers commented philosophi- leally upon the fact that man could
 have been strolling through street, who only year before had held the des tinies of the nation in his hand, and was still leading figure in the countrys his- tory
 The story of this incident travelled far
 and wide. It was copied into the Tran
 script. For purposes of illustration the
 story doubtless found it's way into
 many sermons and impressive addresses.
 As matter of fact, the strange man
 who walked through F street that day, silent in manner and demure i'll counte-
 nance, about whom the onlookers and
 particularly the children gathered, was
 Walter H. French, of Massachusetts,
 the file clerk of the House of Represent
 tatives. He is a man of about MT. Cleveland's size, age and complexion.
 MT French's mustache and hair are about as abundant and about as gray as
 MT. Clevelands So much pleased is
 Mr. French by the resemblance that he
 usually selects his clothing with view
 to carrying out still further the illusion. 1 On this particular day he happened to glance into an F street window, and the first thing he knew people were looking at him strangely. "rhe Morning Post" had spoken of the expected arrival of MT. Cleveland in town, and Mr. French was not long in realizing that he was being stared at on that account. He ac- cordingly did his best to act the ex- president, and with the success already noted. He has several facial express sions which he has acquired by careful ly observing MT. Cleveland, and when ever the occasion demands he exhibits these little initiated mannerisms with remarkable skill For number of blocks down F street. as he slowly saun- tered, people continued to turn back and look at him as he passed. The stories, however, of people who have successful ly personated Mir Cleveland would fill a large book. His pictures in the news- papers were deceptive, in that they made him look like a man of dark com plexion. It accordingly came to pass that any stout man of the proper age, with mustache, would in right envi- ronMents be taken for MT. Cleveland. On the day of inauguration, in 1893, A. A. Wilson, a citizen of this district, was coming down the steps of the Capitol with one of MT. Cleveland's secretaries, when a small crowd began to gather, and it's spokesman came up and thus addressed the secretary: ''Do you sup pose he would be willing to shake hands with us now?" MT. Wilson, hearing this, promptly replied in the affirmative, and one by one a considerable number of people paid their respects to an esti- mable local real estate broker, who af- terward became marshal of the district. He greeted each one with a cordial 1T am happy to meet you, sir" One of the last men in line leaned over Mr. Will son's shoulder to say in a low whisper: When would be good time to see you about that post-office I wrote to you about a few weeks ago?" MT. Wilson's reply was unmistakably cordial: Come any time you please, sir, any time shall be glad to see you" When this man re- ported to the White House two days later, assuring all the presidents buffers that he had been invited by the presi- dent himself to come any time to see about three hundred dollar post-of- flee, they hardly knew what to make of it-Correspondence of the Boston Transcript,