The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-07-07

breati.A or reach"
In !l.>; "Eccentricities of Genius"
which lie published ia 1860, the major
sums up his memoirs OF the famous
e and women with whom he had to
sdo In the course Of his professional
career. He describes Mark Twain as
an inimitable letter writer and gives
this specimen from MI. Clemens, sent
ms an Reuse for not writing a letter:
Dear Pond-Oh, b'gosh, 1 can't. I hate
writing. Ever thine, MARK.
One of the experiences of Ponds boy
hood days that were never forgotteT
was his first meeting with the great
Charles Sumner. 1t stamped this fact
on his brain:
"Charles Sumner was an %aristocrat.
He was my fathers ideal. We walked
nine miles to hear him speak. Father
always spoke of Linn as the Hon.
Charles SuIlner, so great was his rev
creme Of the man. lie enjoyed the
speech immensely. | do not know
whether I did or not. Father sat near.
with the intention of rushing up and
greeting him whom lie had finished. but
the Hon. Charles was too quick for
him. He had vanished.
"Father said, James. the Hon.
Charles Sumner is going to Milwaukee
tomorrow morning. and we can ride
with him a part Of the way lie was
in the drawing room car when we got
on the train. Father stepped up to
him and said:
1.-the Hon. Charles Sumner, l have
duty of every American to take you
by the hand. This is my son. He has
returned from the Kansas conflict
"Hon. Charles Sumner did not see
father or his son. but he saw the
brakeman and said, Can you get me a
place where 1 will be undisturbed?
Fathers heart was almost broken"
While relating "reminiscences of his
acquaintance with notable people Ma
jor Pond once said to u reporter of the
Washington Post:
Il never go to Iowa that l don't have
a peculiar experience. l shall never
forget taking Ian Maclaren Or. John
Watson) out there several years ago.
The time l speak of we were going
from st. Paul to Des Moines. Down
in Iowa the conductor said the train
was half an hour late. Then he said it
was an hour late. We We're due in
Des Moines at 7:15. and the lecture
was to begin at 8 o'clock. DR.. Watson
became much worried and asked the
conductor the cause of the delay. The
heavy wind replied the official. 1t
was blowing a perfect hurricane that
night. just as l had known it to blow
in Iowa and Wisconsin years before.
Why. surely said DR.. Watson. the
wind cannot be blowing hard enough
to impede the progress Of a train. A
great. big. heavy locomotives! My
dear fellow l said. I've seen the wind
out in this country blow a train right
off the track l have. too. at East st.
Louis, in u tornado.
1--WE finally arrived in Des Moines
at SIS, and there was q committee to
meet us at the depot. DR.. Watson had
become very hungry. and there was
Lo uIhCI VII anu uO way SAAG CCllllS
house. Don't ever let this happen
again. major he said. why. if any
thing should happen out here we might
starve to DEATH Don't you worry
l said: if the train gets blown off the
track we will drop in at a farmhouse
and eat and stay all night. You are in
a civilized country. inhabited by thou
~, ,,I ~ n~,,1o .,,-1 NV, ~~ 49,,
to become alarmed In Des Moines
DR.. Watson insisted on going to the
hotel for something to eat before his
leeNaIe.
Very sorry, but the dining room is
closed. and we have no cafe" said the
hotel clerk. -.
but I'm nearly starved and want
food implored Dr.. Watson.
81 can't help it. Our rules will not
allow any one in the dining room after
the doors close
Just then DR.. Watson caught sight
Of some one coming out of the dining
room door. He rushed over and pushed
his way past the head waiter, who
vaiit.y tried to stop him, :
wall lOOu. ! van lOOu. ue
cried. rushing toward Il table. Some
Il had just finished eating and had
left a few pieces of bread and scraps
Of other food. DR.. Watson. despite the
importuning of the head waiter. sat
down and ate those scrap as If he
eve expected to get something to eat
again. The funny part of it vas that
X - 4 A1o 49, - g.,
before 8. delivered one of the best lee
lures he ever made and rushed away
for the train which l had kept waiting
twenty minutes"
Major Pond took Henry Ward Beech
err to England two or three times. He
was especially proud of these trips. and
ho Vypofo n hoOE outitlo1 ASSy,Oonnr Tn