The Savannah morning news., 1903-12-20


ible stages towards a better strength,
and would sit up longer, and would
demand that we do some work. l can
not say 1 witnessed these efforts with
out trembling; he might break himself
down to deaths door with this sudden
load of labor. But, no, he would go
on; and no harm to come of it, but
only good, for within the four weeks
to follow Pegs inspired eXhortation-
for I shall ever think of her as one
inspired of heaven to call the Gen
eral back from death-he could be look
ed on as hale man, one SOUND ana
in a plight of safety.
Also, his old fierceness began again
to burn he would bicker with me
viciously-a thing laid aside for months.
1t comes back to me how, at the tail
end of that sickness his first words
of opposition to something / proposed
fell on my ears like a concord of
sweet sounds, could thank God in my
heart to hear his anger, for now
knew he was surely upon health's own
high road. And so he was.
There came another thing of mo-
ment to find it's cause in the Generals
Illness, and that death it would threat
en-. The word had gone about the town
that the General was in his last throes,
or nearly: and at that, the thought
giving a mean courage to the man, in
the midst of this bad news our port
wine Duff Green came upon US with
a long editorial comparison of Calhoun
with Van Buren,, wherein the latter
was dashed and the other uplifted to
the blue dome The article was moth
ing strong or well considered-a mere
black thing of froth and poiSon!-and
served no purpose beyond marking Duff
Green's friendship in one quarter and
his enmity in another.
1t was Peg, who had taken charge
Of M n n
the business. Pegs indignation ran
high, for she was a tireless adherent
of her good little Secretary" who
| would be her ally against Mrs. Cal
houn.
Listen to this wretch" cried Peg,
as with the paper in her little claw
she burst upon the General and me.
Thereupon she gave us the English
of it, and being strung with anger,
| flourished it off With much spirit and
| effect.
While the General bent quiet ear. his
brow lowered, and his own anger be-
gan to run with Pegs.
1.-The scoundrel speaks of Van Blu
ren," said the General, when Peg was
done; but he means me. And so he
applauds Calhoun! Then let him fol-
low his applause for his support" Then,
| to me directly: did you not in the
| beginning speak of calling Blair to
|
come at once. This Duff Green has
| done enough for punishment, and we
| will go about his destinieS in ways
not soon to be forgot"
Within the hour, a word was on
the road to Blair in Frankfort; a word
| to become at once the death warrant
| of Duff Green's Telegraph and the rea-
son of Blair's Globe, which last, as
the General once said, grew up in a
| night like any Jonahs gourd, to cast
a long, important shadow in affairs.
Duff Green, as if to observe the eff
| feet of his CalhounVan Buren, shot,
would call upon the General. 1t was
my guardian, Jim, who told me of
| that visit
II was sort O. knockin' round" said
jim, like blind dog in a meat shop,
when dish yere Duff Green gentleman
tells me to give you 'Howdy!' an say
| he's waitin' to see you-all."
where is hep L asked.
Hes pervadin' about d'big Eas
Room" returned Jim, when 1 ban
dons him."
Duff Green extended his f1shy hand;
but 1 did not see it, my eyes being
| employed upon his face; and that with
so cold an industry it served to turn
| the violin red of it to apoplectic pur-
| pie for uneasiness and rage.
81 offer you my hand, sir" cried Duff
Sir" said 1, lin requital, l offer
you a sentence of counsel Be out of
that door, and do not enter it again I'M
til your friend Calhoun is master in
this house. But, stay; 1 have another
! order for your ear. Do not, by word
or look or act, whether to me or to
! any man, make claim on my acquaint-
ance. I will not agree as to the meas
| ure of my resentment in case you do"
"Sir, is this an insult?"
'Sir, you will please yourself for a
| term"
"And, sir'-Duff Green's voice quay
| cred a trifle-"am l to consuder this
the action of the PRESIDENT"
81 think it would be wise to do
So" 1 retorted, "since you would seem
to stand even lower in his graces than
you do in mine. I argue this from a
comparison of our remarks upon you"
| 1 was enough the savage to delight
| in harassing the pursy Duff and in di-
| minishing his brow of consequence. 81
did but casually describe you-being
| idle at the time-as a bloated spider
| sucking patronage, and with a news
paper to be your web, when he would
correct me. You do the dog a COM
! pliment,' said he. Now, one might
conceive of a spider that should be
of some moment. He whom we call
| Duff Green is no such thing He is
nothing; or at most a vacuum, which
is nothingness given a name-as it We're,
an imponderous absence of overpow-
ering unimportance.'
"Thems mighty fine words, Marse
| Major you-all filings loose" said Jim.
when Duff Green quit the field. Jim,
| whose care concerning me was only
equaled by his curiosity, Stood, of
course, in close attendance upon the
colloquy. "Yas-sir," he continued.
"them's what Jim calls lanwidge of
d'good OF Cumberland kind. That Duff
Green gentleman shore misses it a mile
when he comes PAWN round for to
'spute with you. Yes, indeed, Marse
Major, thar's whar he drap his water
| million!"
When I repeated my interview with
| Duff to the General, together with
| Jim's comments of admiration, and We
had had our laugh, the General turned
| serious:
Major" said he, 1--WE been think
! ing. / may yet die, and the rule we
made that no one of my cabinet shall
| succeed me when my term is done
| turns now to be no good rule. 1t
| strengthens Calhoun. Also, it is he to
set his dog of Duff against Van Blu
| rem because the latter would buckler
| Peg. I'm too much broken and too
| weak for talk, and l need not repeat
| the reasons for such step. It's on my
| heart, however, to set the ball in mo-
| ton for Van Buren, to have this place
when my term is done"
"And how would you proceed?" said
/. For myself, nothing could be bet
ter to my taste"
This is my opinion" said the Cen
| eral. Let us write to OVerton setting