The Tupelo journal., 1903-04-24

of my successful career as a page boy,
for it attracted the personal attention
of the great Robert Toombs, of
Georgia. who became my firm friend.
Inside of another week / ascer-
tanned that one of the boys was
about to be taken off, by his parents,
and tackled the doorkeeper for the
place. He put me off with the story
that he was under so many other OBJ
legations that he could not take care
of me. In great haste I reported to
Mr.. Toombs that the doorkeeper had
refused to keep his promise and give
me the first vacancy.
THE devil you say remarked the
statesman. I'll see for myself wheth-
er he puts you on OIL not. Taking
me by the hand he led me to the
doorkeeper's room. and said: why
don't you put this boy on, as you
agreed to do?'
My dear Mr.. Toombs,' he replied,
4 cannot do it. l have made s@ne
other promises that | must first full
fill
THE thunder you must!' said Mr..
Toombs, most emphatically. You'll
either put this boy in, or III put you
out
And that settled it. | was appoint
ed, and from shat day l was a page
in the capitol until | got so big that
| had no business there. And, until
the day of his death, l retained the
warm friendship of the great states
man from Georgia.; and, moreover, l
had the honor of his presence several
times after | had achieved reputation
and success on the stage"
One of the most interesting of the
hundreds of interesting reminis-
censes of this quondam page boy, is
the following:
THE first SIS hat l ever made ex-
ira was we'll earned. Henry Clay's
compromise bill was taken up mex
pectedly and was about to be passed
when nearly all of the opponents
were absent. To kill time, some one
was put up to make a speech, while
the pages were sent hunting the alb
sentees. Mr.. Jeremiah Clemens, of
Alabama. came to the house, and Of
fered S25 to any boy who would find
Senator Douglas, of Illinois. | had
just come in from an errand,
and asked all of the boys where they
had been. / suggested half a dozen
places, but the boys had been there.
Finally l got an order for a horse,
secured a skinny old nag, and went
%galloping up the avenue, a mile and
a half away. Knocking at the door
of a private residence, l asked if SEN
ator Douglas was there, and was in
formed that he was. L said: Tell
him the Clay compromise bill will
pass unless he gets to the capitol and
prevents it,
"'Great heavens!' exclaimed SEN
ator Douglas, as he appeared in the
hallway. Let me have your horse,
boy
81 started to walk back to the
capitol and had not gone far when
1 was passed by Senator Douglas max
ing for the capitol Is fast as the
animal could go. 1t was one of the
funniest things l have everseen-that
large man., with immense body and
little, short legs, riding down Penn
~sylvania avenue, and sitting his awk-
ward mount in the most awkward
l took my time walking
back to the capitol and received my
$25 for bringing the great Illinois
statesman into the debate on that
compromise bill.
81 once had a great scare. You see
the page boys were required to do
all sorts of stunts in those days. The
deposits of members were kept in the
Riggs bank, and / was sent there
one day with an order for $4,000. 1t
was given to me in two bags of gold
loosely tied at the ends. / stopped
at a cigar shop, got Irvine and tied
the bags tighter. Passing the old
National hotel, the nag SHE'D, threw
me off, and scattered the gold pieces
in every direction. Lounging white
men and negroes helped me find the
money, and l never lost a single
piece. But / was dreadfully scared.
If a boy should have such an acct
dent to-day, he'd lose all of his
money, sure" SMITH D. FRY.