The Washington herald., 1907-07-28
SENATOR PETTUS IS
CLAIMED BY DEATH
CoNTINuEp FRoM PAGE oNE.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE
young official knew that only experience
could make him equal to coping with
| these older heads, and in the meantime
he reached out for some weapon with
which to defend himself against their
shafts Of sarcasm and their superior legal
attainments. He found that weapon in
| the form of humoT. He used IL effectively
and in a short time the older men who
| had been playing with MIN mentally, as
/ they would with a football discovered
| that they were thrown on the defensive
For a long time Pettus gave the older
| men the fun benefit Of his wit, and he
was rapidly achieving fame over the en-
/ tire State as a humorist. About that
/ time he had a reckoning with himself
/ He came TO the conclusion that while he
could defend himself for the time against
men with his hUmOr. yet in the long run
ii Gid not pay. He felt that he lost pres
/ tige as a serious debater and he con-
cluded that he would drop the humor
He didn't like the idea Of people, when
ever he got up TO talk. expecting to have
"A good laugh. He wanted to be a serious
man, and 10 be taken seriously. He was
satisfied that he could not do both From
that day until he dropped into hum
orous vein in the Senate he never vio-
! lated his resolution.
Stories of Gen. Pettus.
Senator Pettus was credited with hav-
Ing the best acquaintance with the Bible
Of any member of the Senate and it was
quite usual for him to IRE Scriptural quo
tati0ns at opponents in the course OF
debate
In lSl9. during the gold fever, Mr.. Pet
tus travelled from Selma, Ala. his native
town, to California, on horseback, and
during that long ride his chief pastime
was reading his Bible. In this way ne
was almost able 10 learn the contents OF
the Good Book by heart
This is the story of how the veteran
SOutherner came to be a United States
Senator:
James s. Pugh was Senator from Ala
bama and had been elected largely
through the efforts Of Pettus. who was
practising law in Selma, as he had been
for the last fifty years except during the
time he served as an officer in the Con-
federate army.
A vacancy occurred in one OF the Fed
eral judgeships of the State, and Mr..
Pettus decided that he would like to
round out his legal career by serving
on the United States bench. He packed
up his satchel and made a trip TO Wash
inston for the purpose Of enlisting Pugh's
support for the appointment.
The train ON which Mr. Pettus travelled
arrived in Washington about o'clock
in the morning. 1t was too late 10 go 70
bed and too early % do anything else
f.rr
lawyer clambered into a cab and drove
10 the Senator's house. He rang the bell
loudly. \ colored woman answered after
a lapse Of time long enough to indicate
that the servant had been called from
her bed. Sticking her head through the
door, she asked what was wanted.
Goes TO See Pugh.
Il want 10 see Pugh, answered Pettus.
Hes IN bed"
That's au right III go TO his room.
And he went.
Hey, there. Pugh wake up said
Pettus. when he had discovered the slum-
bering statesman.
Pugh awoke. for Pettus' voice WAS In
proportion to his frame
There's "a vacant judgeship down in
our State, and ] want IT" said PetUs.
while Pugh was rubbing his eyes
Pettus, you are 700 Old, said Pugh,
as he rolled over in bed.
'Pugh, YOU are "A fool retorted Pettus.
and 1 am too old 10 be a judge. I am
not too old 10 De a Senator"
He STROBE out of the room frothing
with anger.
The cab went straight back 20 the rail-
4f1 81 ID.
train home. He had not been back in
Selma FIVE minutes before every one in
the village knew that he was a candidate
for United States Senator.
He stumped the entire State, going into
the furthermost counties to press his
claim for recognition. His campaign cry
was Too Old to be a judge. but not too
old 20 be a Senator He won an over
whelming victory.
Gentleman of Old school.
When he had been d Senator Of a few
weeks. he one day escorted a party of
ladies and gentlemen 10 the gallery floor
OF the Senate, and when he entered the
particular gallery SET apart for the fami-
lies and friends Of Senators he took by
the hand a charming young girl, and led
her down the steps, followed BIZ the 9th
ers. evidently home folks from Alabama.
He seated himself by the maiden. having
on the other side a well-looking. middle
aged lady. doubtless the mother. The old
man sat there beside that mother and
daughter and pointed out the celebrities
on the floor. His was a young heart, and
he saw with young eyes. His whole mind
was intent on giving his visitors pleasure. /
and it was evident that ne did not fail.
Senator Pettus said once TO a friend in
the ClOakroOm of the Senate:
DO YOU know there is one Of the ablest /
men in America occupying q seat in the
lower house-a man with a clear legal
mind, mature brain. and a judicial
training-yct no one pays any attention
10 his arguments on great questions
Why? Because he has been all Of his
lifetime a humorist, story-teller = I
funny man." Senator Pettus meant John /
Allen. i
MADDEN MIST paw FY- -vTTrr