The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1907-02-17

gress and those people at the Capitol
l did think all persons were legisla-
tors or spectators. More study, with
experience, convlnces me that those
Americans at the Capitol are divided
into many classes, all OF them the
the student OF affairs American.
shall now tell to the France what
have seen of those lobbyists.
Two days before when the grand
debate was expected in the Senate,
/ did hurry to the capitol. 1t was
to make studies of the great Senators
that / did hurry. Yet, on u stairway
Of marble one gentleman did pluck
me by the sleeve. He had great age,
and those clothes of him did shine
with ancient use. The eye of this
man was bright, like the sun upon ice,
Almost | could not look at It, The
hair and whiskers of him had white
ness He said;
"you, dear sir. are NJ, Clam, OF Par
is?"
My reply: You, sir, are not mis-
taken. Yet I have embarrassment If
you do not tell me your name"
He said: Come with me - this
window. l shall tell you wonderful
things Of the Congress. Also you
shall help me-
In the recess OF one window that
aged American did take from the
pocket one large roll of papers, very
yellow, wrapped with the rubber bands.
Trembling he did unfold them. He
said:
my name, NJ. Clam, is Neverdie
Johnson. You start! You have heard
that name before? You have heard
OF that great Johnson claim? No?
Well, the grand pleasure awaits you.
/, NJ Clam, am the descendent of
Holdfast Johnson, Of the Vermont
State. In the 1884 year. Holdfast
johnson jid invent one telegraph ma
chine. Here are those papers. Yet,
afterward, one william named Morse
,iid steal that invention. Now. Morse
does have great honor, yet my father
Holdfast Is forgotten. On the death
bed of him he said: "Neverdie, you
shall go to the Congress and present
that claim for the million dollars.
Those United States shall pay for my
grand invention Each year since l
have come to the Congress. Almost,
in the 1875 year, l did get one favor
ite report from the Committee on
Claims Yet that Committee on Dis
posal of useless Documents did fight
for Jurisdiction Of my case. So
had the disappointment. Yet l have
hopes in this year. One Vermont
Senator did nod the head to me three
weeks past. This, think, means that
the Congress viii soon pay me. You,
NJ. Clam, shall see those papers.
NJ. Johnson did unfold many papers.
/ did read them all All doubt was
destroyed. / am sure NJ. Johnson is
the victim of the ingratitude. He
shall have my help. How could that
william Morse DO such things? AL
most it made my blood to boil when
/ did thin IF those wrongs. While
we did talk, NJ. Proctor, the Senator
Of the Vermont state, did pass by
Impetuously did call to him. l said:
You, NJ. Proctor, do remember me?
At the NJ. Fairbanks reception we did
converse on the maple syrup"
His reply: "Ah yes, my dear Clam!
What shall I do to make you more
happy"
l said: Here NJ. Proctor, is M.
Johnson, Of the Vermont State. Why
do you make him to wait forever for
those millions of dollars? This is the
debt of honor!"
His reply: 81 do remember now
this great claim. You, NJ. Johnson,
shall file those papers with my sec
retary, NJ. Blotter, We shall then in
vestigate this case. If this repub-
lie does owe money to people Of the
Vermont State, ] cannot sleep until
I get the settlement. I have shame
If those other Senators do not beat
me to that Treasury. With thanks
M. Clam, for your Kindness"
M. Proctor did embrace me and go
his way. M. Johnsons eyes became
bright with JOY Almost he did reel
with excitement. / had pleasure Soon,
think, M. Johnson will get those mil
lions of dollars. How easy to arrange
these matters, if one can get the ear
of the great. -'..
Glowing with the satisfaction OF
good deeds, I left M. Johnson and
went up those stairs In the gallery
were many people listening to one
Il r.