The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-05
IN THE HOTEL CORRIDORS.

W. E. Haskell. proprietor of the min
neapolis Mimi Times is at the Raleigh
with Major Swift, of that city. They viii
remain in Washington until Wednesday.
A committee Of prominent citizens Of
Memphis. Tenn, is quartered at the Shore
ham, in the interest Of an appropriation
for the improvement of Western water
ways. The delegation is headed by Mayor
J. j. Williams, of Memphis, and includes
Judge ]. T. Latham, George Skeene, John
Overton. and W J. Crawford. The men,
bers were appointed at a recent meeting OF
the Western Waterways Association. and il
is their purpose TO ask not 1uly for an
appropriation for the improvement Of that
portion Of the Mississippi River between
Cairo and New Orleans, but for the entire
river, as well as a number OF tributary
streams. A formal petition to the River
and Harbor Committee will be presented
by the delegation today
Talking about religious ceremonies, %
said Standardized Joe" Blackburn Of
Kentucky to a group Of friends at Cham
berlin's last night. Il think Eph Lillard
the warden Of the Bluegrass State prison,
tells about as good story as l have ever
heard.
1T seems that 'Eph' had among his
many other guests two old negroes, both
parsons. and both sent up for the same
job. Each had tried to obtain freedom by
blaming the guilt on the other and the
feeling of good fellowship continued dur
ing the beginning of their terms. Rev.
Johnson was a deyout Methodist, while
Rev. White was a died-in- the-WOOl Pres
byterian. One day, while exercising in the
yard the old trouble came up again, and
Rev. Johnson proceeded to jump all over
his brother in the cloth. He might have
finished the job had not the guards hauled
him of. Now, this trouble had been
source Of argument for a long time. and
Warden 'Eph' decided 10 end it then and
there. He ordered that Rev. Johnson be
hOgged as the aggressor in this particular
case and that Rev. White be made to wit
ness the fiOgging as an object lesson. When
all was ready for the punishment the two
were brought out and Rev. Johnson had
his back barred. To 'Eph's' surprise Rev.
White asked him as favor that he be
allowed to pray for his sinful brother and
that the guard be instructed to cease
fogging as soon as the prayer ended.
Eph' thought this a peculiar request. but
said AN right with a laugh and so in
structed the guard. Well. the hogging
and the prayer were begun and Rev.
White closed his eyes. braced his back
against the wall. and in loud sing song
howl proceeded with his prayer. He de-
voted ten minutes to the culprit, then went
on to his family and prayer for each mem
Der individually. He prayed for every
member of Rev. Johnsons' former flock.
for all the men who had ever come into I
contact with him. for the storekeepers
with whom he had dealt and for all of the /
towns in Kentucky he had ever been in
He then crossed the State line and prayed
for all the communities in Tennessee. Hi
nOis, and West Virginia which he suspect
ed his aching brother might have visited.
and was about to get into Alabama and /
Georgia when Eph' who had laughed I'M
til he could hardly stand. held him up. /
BY this time the guard had got on to the |
Joke and was only pretending TO lay the T!
lash on, so that the culprit was not badly /
hurt
" 'Jist one minute. Mr.. Warden begged |
the prayerful orator. Jist one minute till !
[ prays fer you'll He then enumerated /
the goodness of the warden and his family /
and his relatives. and was about to switch .
off on to the various guards when ordered /
TO stop. He regarded his weary brother /
with some satisfaction and announced that !
ne certainly would have liked to have fin (
shed that prayer.
" Warden said the discounted Rev I
I list want T. say one thing
Dis we're have lost the Methodist Church /
a shinin' light, fer 1 never. never agin
gil be able to pray long prayer