The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-10-21


 a Berkshire village, at 7:SO p. m. hav- ing driven since 4:30 d. III. tfty-one miles, having walked three miles down trout brook and having earned Wlth MT. Horton's assistance, the youngster' two of the three miles. The boy had an acute gastric disturbance caused by ln- 1 judicious indulgence in fried onions, fried beeksteak fried potatoes, frled l bread and fried pork at Cummington, Mass, where We rested and baited our horses. I ate and enjoyed the quar- tette-paying 10 cents for each mem- Der of it.
 Savoy was Berkshire hamlet, beau- tifully located. Its houses were scat tered and scarce. One of them, the minister's, was visible as we approach ed the village.
 i Pardon a divergence. Amidst the 2Oth century whirl and rush, we occa- sionally forget the Golden Rule is one half of religion, and sometimes mag inc that the minister is so bright that he and his family can thrive ln dark rooms, and so constituted that they can enjoy discomfort.
 Will you look with me for moment at that little Savoy parsonage-a very { ancient ganlbreI roof house. You see the moss and missing shingles, the lit tie windows needing putty here and there, its blinds once green but now dingy, the house itself, originally white but now a faded yellow, the unpainted fence-its broken and missing pickets' The well, deep, dark, repulsiVe. It's stringy, saturated rope, its buckets, one leaky and the other bottomless, its stones worn smooth by century's wa ter drip And is this the minister's home? Yes.
 But we are approaching the tavern, ancient, unattractive unpainted, long low building resembling a poor New England farmers barn.
 To this place, Daniel Webster fre- quently came and many other states men, whose lives are part of the his tory of the Republic.
 The village doctor with slouch hat. untidy, unprofessional, is pacing the long, uneven piazza of that old inn. My; first born boy is crying-the doctor ad- vances He thought possibly he had a case, but I thought differently. l am not a Christian Scientist, but l do not take every physicians pellets.
 Into a low, uninviting room, carried 7 the little sufferer. It had one window, without curtain or blind. It connected with a hole, without door, without win dow. In a feathered bed we deposited the aching feverish boy. That night at two the fever had subsided. l ceased watching and retired to my cord-bed with straw top numbering twenty nine straws, I always said.
 Five days thereafter I found myself regularly stamped and grooved inciden- tai to my three hours contact with that never to be forgotten bed, At five, l arose. d \
 In the office, was seated on peculiar settee 8 diminutive elderly man. The floor uncarpeted, irregular There were many nail heads shiny with a century's wear saw the old unpublished stove it's fender-its sands once white but now discolored. I thought of the many who around that stove had smoked and related incidents of at least three wars
 The straight back Revolutionary set tee chairs, heirlooms of the 18th cen tury. But stranger than furniture, room or floor was the speeches. occu- pant of the settee.
 Standing in corner behind the an tiuue desk was an old clock. At once, coveted it. The clock craze had long possessed me. Said to myself, An Eureka.
 I attempted to talk with the diminu- tive old man. and remarked, q pre- sume, sir, you are the proprietor" but there was no response.
 i I advanced and yelled my remark in to the old mans ear with this addition sir, I have long been looking for ar old clock. You have an ideal one I ob- serve. I presume, however, it is not in the market"
 Then suddenly the deaf, little ole man arose. walked firmly to the desk examined the register, turned around and replied, Sir, I am a little deaf. notice your name is Benedict"
 "Yes, sir,' 1 replied.
 MT Benedict, I believe I am the old. est postmaster in the United States. am S6 years of age. I received my first appointment from Andrew Jackson.
  twelve-year-o boy then. Daniel Web ster has often looked at that old clock Twas worth a five dollar bill to set Daniel Webster's eyes when he frs, saw my grandfather's clock. My grand father owned and loved that clock. My father loved it too. For fifty years ant more it has stood in that corner.
 Years ago, twas in my grandfather's home down wonder on a little green Then father bought this building and 1T that corner put the clock. A travelel once offered me $3O0O9 for it.' And now the little old man, who stooG scarcely five feet and weighed little il any more than Thaddeus or Alexandel . Stevens, stood erect upon his toes seemingly five feet six, and looked like General Grant--looked like born war rior.
 saw his eyes dlate, and cheeks redden and heard him distinctly re - mark, Sir, that clock has stood in tha corner fifty years and more. Three hun } dred dollars, $3,000 wouldn't buy m! . grandfather's clock He loved it, fath 5 CT loved it and I love 1t too. Sir, l cal = afford to own that clock and I propos to-"
 The little old man sat down and s l did I.
 f My dear friends have briefly pie l tured the forerunner of England ,. refprmation-the founder of the world l ioio iY1