Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1902-02-11
copyright. 1901, by Champ Clark. J

noiS is one of these. He was in con-
gress for many years, beginning his
service March 4, 1870. He is n federal
judge now down in the Indian Terri
tory.
Judge Thomas view of life is as ro-
scatc as when a boy and his mind is
full of agreeable "reminiscences of the
remarkable men with whom he has
come in contact
1t SO happened that in the fierce cam
paign of 1896 Judge Thomas and l had
debate on the stump, ahd as it fire.
qucntly occurs, We came out Of the
scrinmage good personal friends; so
when he visited the capitol last year he
came over to my desk to renew the
friendship begun four years zasb in n
magnificent grove out in Missouri.
lie asked me for Il Congressional Di
rcctory. which I gave him. After rum
maging through it for awhile he said
IN mournful accents: 'Tcmpus .fugt!
That is Il great trutll-a sad truth
There is no place on earth where the
proof of that proposition is clearer or
more overwhelming than in this hall.
There are only three men here now
who Wore members of tie house when
l first entered congress. They are
General bingham of Pennsylvania.
General Eptcham Of New York and
Uncle .lue' CANNON Of Illinois. | ncv
cr enter these portaIs that do not re-
call with sa.lncSS Tom MoOre's lines:
81 feel like one who tloaIs alone
Some banquet hall deserted
A Stunning Epitaph.
| introduced the genial judge to my
Immediate ncighbor Oh my left, the
polished and scholarly Hon. Charles r.
Thomas of North Carolina, whereupon
kinship Various incidents were re-
lated when Judge ThG,tsas said: Years
ago, When WAS down in North Caro-
lima, l made divers explorations into
divers places. Among others. / got in
to an old graveyard and rat in some
time reading ancient erit59hs. On
one moss lowered tombstone ! found
ah epital,h which fingers in my mcm-
ory to his day. 1t ran thus:
"Iere iessthe body of Moses lear,
Whose mouth was stretched from to ear;
Stranger tread lightly Ger his head.
Fer ii he gapgs by heaven you re deaa.''
Another Epitaph.
This reminds me of another epitaph
recited ly. Hon. Henry Sherman Bou
tell of Chicago on tha floor of the
house in one of the iunumerablc, de-
bates on the Philippine problem. Par
cnthetically Will say that Mr.. Rou-
tell is rapidly developing into one of
the most effective dohatcrs ON the Re-
publican side Of the house. He and
Colonel {. +. Cochran Of Missouri are
fast friends and therefore feel licensed
to take liberties With each other. While
Bouteil WAS i'm the full tide of clo-
quence Cochran asked him a question
which he did not want to answer or
could not SO he rctorted thus: '"The
gentleman from Missouri recalls an
tlnitaph | once read which ran in this
wise: %
"I!ere lies the body Of Robert Gordon,
Mouth almighty and voice accordin!
Stranger. tread lightly this wonder;
II he opens his mouth, yonre gone. by THIN
.er."
Looked Like a Democrat.
About that time "private" John AL
len of mississippi came ambling up the
lig aisle With a red rose in the lapel
of his coat and looking as solemn as
an owl. Judge Thomas said: "Cncc
upon a time | was travelling in the
same car with John to New York At
one Of the stations a newsboy came
through the train and offered paper
to everybody but John. After he had
passed on few feet John called out
to him: .IIiyi, you young rascal! Come
back here. l want paper Did you
think was Il Democrat and could not
read:' The boy looked at him mo-
ment, handed him paper and replied,
Yes: YOU do look that way" And out
he went. While John Joined heartily in
the merriment which cnsued."
"Clearine the Gallery"
Judge Thomas ran on: Senator Zeb-
ulon Il. Vance Of North Carolina. pop
Nlarly and universally called Zcb
Vance. was one Of the brightest men
ever in public life. lie was an incorr-
Gible Wit and in this respect was no
reSpecter of persons. All was fish that
came to his net. He would have play
cd his Wit on the cZar Of Russia or the
Grand Turk II he had had the opportu-
nifty. When the Marquis, of Lorne was
IN Washington seeing the sights. Vance
took him up in the senate gallery.
Among other things, the marquis said:
Senator. I cant understand what i.
meant by clearing the galleries" don't
Won know Whom ara tho co1lorfoS