Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1904-12-28
DAMS CHRISTMAS.
Courthouse JanitOr Pre-
sented with Yuletide Token.

Over in the tin courthouse there
is son of old Erin who is perhaps
as well known as any man in the
county. For many years he has
built the fires, swept the floors,
shoveled the paths, split the wood,
carried the water, moved the lawns,
and In short has been the one tning
which has made life worth living
for the successive county officers.
Always pleasant and accommodating,
ne has made host of warm friends
throughout the county by his
courteous attention to those who
have business in the county's
capitol. The tearing down OF the
old courthouse was a sore trial to
him, it was like the death of life
long friend. Around it's crumbling
walls and time furnished corridors
clustered many tender memories, of
old friends now dead and gone, and
of new ones gone elsewhere. For
SO many years he had red the big
baseburners and pulled the bellrope
that it was like the destruction of
an old home whose affiliations can
never be recalled. This man is
Daniel Doyle, the courthouse
janitOr.
With the building of the new
courthouse it became evident to the
committee in charge that the duties
imposed upon the janitor of the
new building would be too arduous
for man of Mr.. Doyle's years, and
they were compelled to select a
younger man in the person eff Mr..
Dickinson for the position. With
the acceptance of the new build
ing, Mr.. noyle's duties as janitor
will be ended, and the labors
which to him have become almost
a second nature will fall upon
younger and stronger shoulders.
Mr.. Doyle will enter upon we'll
earned season of retirement. He
has comfortable home in the third
ward, with his good wife and child
rem near him, and can spend the
remainder of his days in quiet en-
joyment of memories Of we'll
spent life. At the courthouse he
will ever be welcome guest, and
the pleasantest spot in the building
will be always at his disposal.
Mindful of the last Christmas in
his official capacity. the county
officers and clerks who know him
we'll and have enjoyed his constant
attention to their comfort planned
a surprised for Dan that he should
remember in after years as a token
of their esteemed reverence; accord
ingly purse was quickly made up,
and Saturday afternoon Dan was
shut up in the Office of the county
clerk until the opportune moment
should arrive. He was told that
gentleman wished to see him who
would call at about three o'clock,
and that he must not absent him
self from the building until after
that hour. Shortly after three,
during a recess of the county court,
Register in Probate McBrien an
nounced to Mr.. Doyle in stentorian
tones that the expected visitor
awaited him in the registers office,
and all unsuspecting the good man
was led in. On the threshold OF
Mr.. Gunderson's office he stopped
and caught his breath for the entire
courthouse force was gathered IN
the room, and all eyes were on
him. There in the center If the
room stood beautiful new Morris
reclining chair,I respondent in
green cushions, and on the board
arm lay new pipe in green case.
Register McBrien then made the
presentation speech in terms that
wouldn't look we'll in print, for no.
body else seemed able to say a
word. why, why" said the
astonished janitor, ''sure, an isn't
it joke at all?" Several pairs of
of arms then assured him that it
was not joke by forcing him gent
ly down into the soft cushions, and
as he leaned back with a sigh of
rapture he remarked, ''Sure, an I
didn't desarve anything the like O.
this" For some time he was the
center of an admiring group who
insisted upon his trying all posi-
tons Of the adjustable back, and
with every new posture he reiterat-
ed his thanks to the generous
donors. The business of the county
of Grant threatened to suspend
itself for the remainder of the day,