Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-04-28

Clarkson appeared like a pretty good fell
low who was doing his duty as he saw it
as Mr.. Allen would himself were he in his
place. Meeting David Bremmer Henderson,
the present Speaker then, as now, an init
mate friend of his, one day, Mr.. Allen ex-
pressed himself upon the subject at some
length, winding up with the expressed wish
that he might make the acquaintance of SO
valiant a party man and SO expeditions an
official Clarkson.
Nothing easier, for Henderson and
Clarkson were from the same state, and
an Introduction at the fourth assistants Of
flee was comprised on that very day. Nat
urally. Mr.. Allen complimented Mr.. Clark
son in the course of their conversation
whereat the latter smiled eXpansively. As
Mr.. Allen arose to depart, he said earn
estly:
I'm mighty glad, Mr. Executioner, that
you believe the victors ought to have the
spoiis. for that is good democratic doc
trtne. Maybe wouldn't be SO glad, though
If there We're any republicans in my dis
trict. If there were I'm afraid my good
democratic friend who holds the Tupelo
post office would lose his job pretty soon;
as 1t is I'm sure he is safe, even from
you
That made Clarkson smile again. After
Allen had gone the fourth assistant made
little investigation which showed Allen to
be correct-at least there We're no republi-
can applicants for the Tupelo Office. After
thinking moment, Mr.. Clarkson sent a
telegram. 1t was addressed to an acquain-
lance of his then living in Mississippi, fifty
or a hundred miles from Tupelo-a northern
republican, who had gone south to make a
fortune, but failing, had asked for help from
the administration which had not been
forthcoming. This telegram read: Move 20
Tupelo at once. When you have lived there
thirty days wire me-
Thereupon the fourth assistant forgot all
about the matter Two days more than
month afterward he was reminded of it.
however, by a telegram dated Tupelo which
read: Have lived here thirty days. What
shall / do now?"
The next mail carried q commission as
postmaster for Tupelo to the fourth assist
ants friend, and Private John M. Allen
soon came to regret the day that he had
expressed himself so freely to the heads
man.
Mr.. Aliens Career.
Though Mr.. Allen has been member of
the House for nearly sixteen years. first
serving in the Forty-ninth Congress, he IS
not old, as Congressman go, being only
f1fty-three. He was born in Mississippi, and
his education prior to the civil war was con-
fined to the public schools. After the war,
in which he served as confederate of
course, he studied at the Cumberland Uni
versity in Tennessee, and at the University
of Mississippi. After his admittance to the
bar he practfced law, serving as district at
torney for four years before being elected
to Congress So far as he is concerned at
least, there are no republicans in his dis
trict to this day, for his election to the
present Congress was by an unanimous
vote.
Personally, Mr.. Allen is jolly good fell
low, companionable alike with political
friends and foes, and as loyal at heart to
the south as ever he was. Being a man of
tact, however, this loyalty never is allowed
to lead him to speak i'll of the north. though
he does occasionally indulge in sly dig at
certain northern peculiarities. Thus, in a
recent talk with resident of Admiral Dew
ey's native state Mr.. Allen admitted freely
that the north had more business push than
the south and was entitled to due credit
therefor. But he added that, after ALL the
north did not have all the desirable at
tributes.
1T lacks the inspiring qualities that make
for poetic feeling" he said. There is not
a southern state whose children have not
written songs in memory of its attractions,
but songs celebrating northern states are
rare Memories of the south will be per-
petuated as long as songs are sung in the
English tongue by Maryland, Ny Mary
land My Old Kentucky Home Garry Me
Back to Old Virginia and the like But
who ever heard any enc sing Garry me
back to old Vermont. or New York or Penn
sylvania,' or any other northern stateg'