Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-17

| unless he is either more or less than human
| in his makeup.
| The general never brags about that
| achievement or alludes to it unless some
| one else brings 1t up, but he has in his
possession q small keepsake of which he is
| so proud that sometimes he shows 1t, and
| which he would hesitate long time about
| parting with, even if the price of a shlpload
| of similar articles were offered for it.
| This keepsake is lead pencil. 1t
| couldn' have cost more than 10 cents even
| when new. although lead pencils sold for
! much better prices forty-one years ago.
| when It came into Porters possession, than
| they do now. Its value lies in this circum-
| stance:
Lead Pencil, Medal, Cross and Sword.
! When Lee surrendered to Grant the lat
| ter wrote out the terms of surrender. In
| his haste he omitted two or three words.
! Lee noticed the omission and put his hand
| into his pocket to get a pencil that lie
might write the words in. There was no
pencil IN Lees pocket, however, and For
| ter seeing Lees vain search FOR one, has
! tened to lend his: also to be rather par
| tIcular about its return, for 1t had received
| a new and unique value from being In the
! hands OF the great confederate leader long
| enough to enable him to supply what was
| needed to make the sense complete.
| General Porter is proud, too, OF the SWORD
! which lie used to display consplouously Mt
|
| TO him because of his bravery at the siege
| OF Pulaski in the civil war. He Is justly
| proud. too. of the medal for bravery on the
| field at Ch!ckamauga, awarded 10 MIN IN
| 1902, just forty years ai'eF the pdt'ls III
! which he IT.
| General Porter must feel thrill or prlde'
| too, Whenever he sees west shore rail-.
| road train. for he was the first president OF
| the road that runs along the west bank
| OF the Hudson. and It was Porter and his
| friends who built the line in the SOS, thus
| making 1t necessary for the NanderDll's
/ either to buy the then new iron highway or
| give UP q monopoly which they had fondly
| lima gined would be self-perpetuating.
| lie is proud, too, that he found and
| brought John Paul Jones body to this
| country, and he has reason TO be proud OF
| his diplomacy in France when the Spanish
| war was getting ready to break out, since
| there were half dozen timer when, but for
! what the Paris Figaro has called his per
! suasiVe obstinaCy," making clear here and
there that "the interests OF the two nations
| were Jointly at stake" the situation Re-
! tween the older American republic and the
| younger European one might have become
| too strained for comfort TO either OF them.
For that service he received the grand cross
| OF the Legion of Honor, the highest decora-
ton of that famous French order.
how He Became a Speaker.
Most folks have forgotten all about most
/ OF these things, and also about his impor-
| tant work with the Pullman Palace Car
! Company. They do remember him as an
after-dinner speaker. but few remember
! how he acquired his fame and skill in thus
| direction.
| 1t came while he was still Gen. Grants
| aid, after the war. The general made a
! tCu, of New England and Canada, and IN
| the course of the tour was the guest or
! honor at many banquets. and the recipient
| OF many addresses Of welcome and cour-
! tesy In those days Gen. Grant had not
| learned to speak in public and so his grace
| ful tounged young secretary did all the re-
| spending.
! OF the three best after-cnuer speakers in
| the country. and he maintained the Ameri-
| can reputation for graceful talking pretty
| well in France. though he had 10 speak IN
| French IN order TO do so.
| Ir an article about him printed not so
| very long ago by the Figaro. that paper
| oCmplmented him highly as a speaker and
uron his French. adding that as an Ameri-
! can. he used many peculiar words and
| phrases that added charm rather than
otherwise to what he had to say
| Reads rather odd In American eyes,
| doesn't It? But it's highly complimentary.
| for all that. the French don't often speak
| with any degree OF allowance. whatever.
! OF any one who uses 1.-The beautiful IAN
| guage" with the slightest lapse of accu-
| racy.
Oldest American Ex-Diplomatistp
| Whether or not Levi p. Morton is the old
est living American ex-diplomatist, at
| eighty-two he is at least the oldest living
| In or near New York, and year Older
/ than the retired and feeble Sickles.
| The photograph accompanying this arii-
| Gle was taken IN New York city hall few
| Gays ago. especially for this publication.
| He had just been taking an active part In
meeting held to further the project tor
| the commemoration OF Capt. Hendrick Hud-
| sons first visit to Manhattan Island and
| discovery OF the Hudson river which he
! took for the northwest passage then much
| sought by many enterprising world mari
| ners. recently sailed through by Amuns-
| den but found too shallow and icy to be or
any now that 1t has been discovered.
AS Vice President of the United States
| and governor OF his state as well as MIN
| lister to France Morton has had his share
| of public life, but he won his way to pub
| lie preferment over much different road
| from that Travelled by Gen. Porter.
| Porter was the son OF governor OF Penn
! sylvania, was educFed with great care.
| going to Harvard Is well as West Point
| ard never having TO worry greatly about
| money. Morton was a country preacher. >
| son. couldn't get college training and hal
10 earn the money for his fathers family