Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1902-12-26
NEW STORY OF CANNON
How the Tables Were Turned
on "Uncle Joe"
VICTIM OF A QUICK wIrTED CLERK

49,. A.. Called For 1.-TWO fors
Candidate For speaker Had but
Nickel and Was Forced 10 BORROW
Twenty cents to Pay For the Treat.
Since the withdrawal of all the candf
dates I'm the field against Congressman
Toe Cannon Of Illinois for the speaker
shin of the house Of representatives, as
surfing the e'ecuon OF the "old man. as
he is aGectionately styled 10y his polit-
zeal associates. his friends have been
busy telling yarns illustrating the lido
syncrasles Of the next speaker and pre-
dieting that there will "be something
doing" when he takes up the speakers
gavel.
one Of the best stories told Of Cannon,
a hitherto unpublished one, was related
the other night to st. Louis Republic
reporter by a well known newspaper
man in Washington.
1T was in the latter part of 1900,
about the month of September, think,
said he remlnlscently. that Mr.. George
C. uench. now local manager OF the As
ISOLATED Press at st. Louis, drifted into
the Grand Pacific hotel, at Chicago, one
morning during one Of the monthly po-
lltical puwwows which were held at
that hostelry. lie ran across Hiram ID.
Fargo. Washington correspondent OF
the Chicago Evening Post, and the two
new spaper men spent an hour chatting
with the politicians gathered In the lob
by.
"They had not been there long before
they found Congressman Cannon, Hop
kins aud Lorimer engaged in quiet
conversation In a nook apart from the
crowd. Fargo and IIench seized the
opportunity To quiz Cannon on current
political topics but he was as uncom.
mmcatiyc as usual, and after few
minutes the little group moved across
the room with Congressman Lorimer,
who was preparing to depart.
"'Now. boys said Cannon, there's
nothing more tQ.tell you. I've said all
I'm going to say today
This. of course, was direct invita-
ton to the two newspaper men To make
their adieus. but they were not quick
to accept II. Their little stroll brought
them TO the cigar stand. Lorimer said
goodhy and went out. Then Congress
man Cannon. rcmarking that he be
lieyed he would have a smoke, turned
to Hopkins. who be well knew did not
smoke. and invited him to have a cigar.
HOPKINS. of course. declined.
Then give me good cigar, said
the old man.
"'What klndT inquired the clerk.
"'Well, l don't care. just so it's a
good ten center replied the congress
man as he laid ten cent piece ON the
counter.
He bit off the end Of his cigar, lighted
It and took a few puffs in reflective
manner Then he turned 10 my friends
and said. as il it had occurred to him
quite suddenly that they might desire
to smoke:
"'Well, won't be hosgish about this
matter. I'll give you fellows smoke,
anyway. Clerk. give these fellows a
good cigar
by this time he presumed that he
/ had aroused their expectations to the
| highest pitch. Then he added. with
/ just the suggestion of smile. which
/ showed the keen delight he was taking
| In his little vengeance upon them for
pressing him for news:
1.-Two fors will do for them. That's
| good enough for newspaper men,.
Probably his satisfaction would
have been complete, for they were too
| astonishcd and chagrined TO say any
thing, but for the fact that the clerk
J was more quick wltted than they and
! besides. was dead next to the old man
| While that grim smile still twitched
/ the corners of Cannon's mouth the
| clerk diyed into box of his best two
for quarter and, giving the newspa'
per men the wink, passed the cigars
over the counter to them. They lost
no time in biting Off the ends of them
and beginning TO smoke them. Cannon
threw out a nickel on the counter In a
heghten the joke. But the clerk, as
Stunning an air of Cancellation, said:
"'Twenty cents more, please!
"Hench told me that they had their
revenge right then, for he never saw
such look of establishment as Can
mons face Wore.
"'Twenty cents" he almost shouted
with such an accent on the word TWEEN
ty' as to convulse us with laughter
Why, | told you to give those fellows
two fors. I'm smoking ten center my
self, but two fors are good enough fol
them
81 gave them two fors, sir replied
the clerk in his Dlandest manner, but
thought you meant two for Il quarter
of course
"The joke was on the congressman
already, but they did not realize for 9
moment how good it was. Cannon be
gan TO tumble first in one pocket and
then in another for change. Finally he
took out his wallet and peered into it ii
hopeful fashion. He was fiat broke
The newspaper men saw his predica
ment and offered to pay for the cigars
He declined with brusqueness that al
most made them regret the whole af
fair. Then, turning to Congressman
Hopkins, he said
"Hoplins, have you got any money !?
Hopkins replied that he had, and
Cannon blurted out his appeal.
"'Well, lend me 20 cents to pay fol
these fine cigars these newspaper men
are smoking. Boys he added to them