The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1909-07-24
"a NIGHT AT MARION
A Rcminisccnce of Cleveland Which
Shows Him In New Light.
Richard Watson Glider in August

Richard Watson Glider in August
Century.
Now to go back to zone night at
Marion" The annual local festival
was on. 1t was called Marigold day,
but It covered several days Fishing is
most convenient in daytime, and Mr..
Cleveland could not be induced to at
tend the day festivals. acknowledging
his delinquency, but seeming to have
mischicvous delight in thus playing
hockey" Yet he manifested Il friend
ly interest in the proceedings, and
suggested that we get up an acrOstlc
contest. which might bring little
money to the fund. He asked me to
write the rules of the contest. taxi
ing the word Marion" as the sub
ject. This I did, and the rules were
posted. making the worst acrostic the
winning one, and requiring that the
author should subscribe a certain sum
to the treasury of the festival, and
leave town within twenty-four hours.
There were number of entries
learning which. Mr.. Cleveland made
the further suggestion that we go mp
in the evening to Mrs. elders studio
opes. When we had gathered in the
big room. before the wide stone fire.
place, he casually requested that |
should act as chairman, appoint a
committee of award, and make an
| nouncement as to the prize-w'nner
This did. naming, with others on the
committee, Congressman Burnett and
one of the partners of Mr.. Cleveland's
| law firm. The committee retired,
read the acrostics, found Mr.. Clevc-
lands six-line acrostic the worst and
himself, therefore, the guilty prize
winner. 1t was thus made my duty to
pronounce sentence. after reading of
| the acrostic-of which | remember
only the third and most impressive
| line:
Rip ope thy cans Of frenzied fire!
The idea was that the contents of
the cans would all be needed to paint
with proper brilllancy the glories of
Marion"
Before had time to fulnll my func-
] tion. Mr.. Cleveland suddenly rose to
| his feet and began harangue of SOL
| emn protest against the entire pro-
| cecding. He said he had been watch
ing the chairman for days, having
| shrewdly suspected that he was at
work upon some evil design And
| here II was--an attack upon tho
property and sacred liberty of a clti-
| zen! He condemned the action of the
chairman on legal and constitutional
| grounds. Money was to bo demand
| ed of n citizen at the very moment
| when IL was plain that the festival
must have seriously depleted his finan-
| cial resources. The freedom guar
| antced to his person by the constitu-
| tion was threatened. AS the speaker
| went on. his voice and manner grew
more and more stern and mcnacing
subsiding after a final burst of for
ensic Indignation,
I The chairman's neXtdoor neighbor
the Rev. Percy Browne, took tho cue
| and followed in a similar strain. Al
the conclusion of Mr.. Browns witty
and withering remarks, IL occurred "a
the chairman to employ for his de-
fense the firm with which Mr.. Cleve'
land was connected. The chairman
thereupon took a piece of silver from
his pocket and, handing it to Mr.
Charles w. Baigs, thus retained tho
4
Tracy a. McVeagh as counsel.
Hardly had the chairman returned
to his seat when up rose Mr.. Cleve
land again, in a new role, all mildnes'
and suavity. He declared that since
his last appearance before that as
sembly, certain considerations" ha(
presented themselves to his mind
which made him take a somewha
modified view of the case. He thei
entered upon fervent eulogy o
the chairman, from the standpoint o
character and good citizensip and
as he kindled with his theme, IN
turned upon Mr.. Browne and eX
pressed his surprise and indignation
that he very next door neighbor of tn
chairman, one who must necessaril
be daily familiar with his well-knowl
virtues, should so far forget himsel
as to indulge in language of criticism
and derogation.
The acting was so realistic that
charming young woman in the com
pany at one time whispered In IN,
ear: He's angry!" In referring L
the occurrence later. Mr.. Clevelan'
said ne had enjoyed practice i'm tha
line in his early days at Buffalo
when he and some of his legal friend
amused themselves with the proceed
ings of moot courts.
|