The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1907-11-28
Squire HCGiBbons, in IS45, EnjoYed q
Talk While Riding With Henry
Clay.

harness maker and saddle making
at Frostburg, Md. This was
about IS45. At the shop in which
he worked considerable attention
was paid to repairing whip lashes
for stage drivers on the National
pike. The lad thus got acquaint-
ed with many of the drivers, and
often of Saturday evening, when
the stage was not crowded, a
driver would take Mac up on his
seat and allow him to ride on the
coach to Cumberland, II miles
distant. One certain Saturday
evening he was about to climb up
as usual beside the driver when
he was stopped by the superinten-
dent saying to him:
You can't ride on this coach,
Mac. It's chartered"
The boy stepped aside just as
the occupant of the coach put his
head out of the window and said:
Whats that? Who is it wants
to ride on this coach?"
The superintendent explained
that it was an apprentice boy who
was in the habit of riding to Cum
berland now and then with a
driver, but that in this case he
could just as well wait for another
coach.
Not at all, answered the pas
senger. Not at all. Get right
in here with me lad, get right in
here"
He made the boy get inside the
coach beside him. He was ac-
companied by his negro slave,
whom he moved to seat in the
front of the coach so that he could
talk the better to the new occu-
pant. Young McGibbons was
naturally good deal disconnected
by his proximity to a person evil
IDENTIFY of some distinction and
wealth, although wholly unknown
to him. And the black slave was
clearly much entertained by his
embarrassment.
But man and boy together had
delightful ride, the former ask
ing many questions of the latter,
and handing out good advice on
how to conduct himself when he
should have acquired his trade so
as to become useful member of
society, and get along we'll in the
world himself. Reaching Cum
berland they quilted the coach to-
gether, when the elder said to
young McGibbons, while putting
out his hand:
We'll, we have reached the end
of our journey. l go on to Wash
ington. Good bye! I know your
name, and may tell you that my
name is Henry Clay"
So it was the great Kentuckian
that little Mac had been riding
with and talking to. He was as
nearly overcome with surprise as
boys of that age usually are at
anything. He never forgot the
incident.
In recently recalling this episode
the squire related another of Henry
Clay that had happened at
Brownsville, when the great states
man had come up the river from
Pittsburg to that point and was
waiting there a short time to get
a stage for the national capital.
He was accompanied by a we'll
dressed, intelligent negro slave.
Pennsylvania was free soil. Some
of the men Of Brownsville got
around the slave and telling him
that, having got to Pennsylvania,
he could not be returned to Ken
lucky against his will, urged him
to assert his freedom. But the
negro demtirred; said he was per-
fectly satisfied. The pressure up
on him continuing he put his hand
into his trousers pocket and,
looking on the indifferently dress
ed white men around him, and at
his own fine suit, said if any man
in the crowd could show more
money on the spot than he could