New-York tribune., 1902-08-31
WAS PRESIDENTS GUIDE
"OLD BILL" SEWALL, OF MAINE, MEETS
THE MAN HE TOLD HE WOULD
BE PRESIDENT YEARS AGO.

| When the celebration at Bangor, Me-, in honor o
| President Roosevelt's visit over. many of th
| people of that town wondered who the greater
| lion. the President 'Old Bnl' sewal The latter
| was the most conspicuous figure in the days pro
| ceedings, not because he obtruded himself the
| public. but because the President asked to have
| him him.
IF Old Bill sewaII is in town." said Mr. Roose
welt, Il want him to join at luncheon, for fee
| like who has lost his partner in a crowd"
| William Wingate Sewall, of Island Falls, Aroos
took County, found. lionized, told stories
| to the Presidential party and shared the cheers
with the distinguished visitor. "Od Biil has lived
at Island Falls most of the time for fifty years and
| is deputy sheriff of his native county and
| postmaster of Island Falls.
Them two offices doesn't conflict" said the old
| man. Il knew that if the President knew I was
around he'd have me right with him. but l didn't
| think that it would be anything like this. have
| known him for twenty-three years-ever since he
| was college boy. 1 had intended to go to Wash
lngton with the Grand Army this fall. but now l
don't know"
At this point OF the story the old mans eyes filed
with tears. He drew calico handkerchief from
his pocket and wiped them away. we did not
talk much about politics to-day he said; had
other things to talk about. Twas all we could do
to help have q holding tch.''
No meeting of two brothers long separated could
have been more pathetic than the meeting of the
President and the rough woodsman. The old man
had the day of his life. Not only was he pleased
learned to love in the woods of Maine. also be-
cause the President had shaken hands with the
widow of his nephew, Winot Dow, whose wife
kept camp with Mrs Lowell when the President
ranching in South Dakota soon after the dea th
of his first wife
Twas out there" said Sewall, that l told Mt
Roosevelt that some day he would hold the office
he was shot into. But he will not be shot into it
the next time. except by the ballots in the polls
particularly in the West where just sich as
me think just the of him do"
Why don't you so to Washington and ask the
President to make you postmaster?" the old man
~ ALREADY g be it hgoshr he replied. Well
who had been up here island FANS and as he
said he didn't know exactly where he was going
cept that he warn't going to no city place, they
got him to come up ter my place At that time
then, and came up right along afterward until he
was twenty-one year old
about Katahdin Mountain and camp for fort.
night. The President killed his furst deer with
rife which is in the family yet give It to my
SON. as he kin use it better than
be the best fellow always He could W PUT ere up WITH Wi
a@nythiMng any M a. and 3 he tod me today that It his done
he then. One night when we were
stranded out near kEatahdn. the President killed
muskrat, and ] cooked him, and We made our din
about a fortnight after the Presidents first
died, he sent for me to go West with him. / gave
where the Northern Pacific crosses the Little MIS-
souri, The Marquis Meduria then ranching
the President that he would some day BE be Presi-
dent dent h He 2 said that had more confidence in him
whether TO go politics or to be an author but
told him he had the brains, health and Influential
told me that the place of Civil Service Commission
er had been offered to him and that he wanted
government