The Washington herald., 1909-08-15

10 borrow money or 10 get free advice
would begin 10 assemble IN our hall in
the morning. where they would silently
sit in chairs along the wall. and presently
Gen Butler would drive up from the
railway station
TT IS true that he once threatened 10
attach the water-wheel % a cotton fac
tory. A woman. working at the factory.
wanted her wages before the regular
time so that she could go 10 a distant
town and attend the funeral Of rela-
tive. The manager declined 10 pay her.
She went to Gen. Butler and he got the
money IN a hurry IN such a case he
would invariably refuse TO accept any
payment for his labor.
a merchant in Lowell was IN the
habit OF opening his store early in the
morning and Of sitting i'm a corner TO
read his newspaper A thief. coming
along and noticing the key. took It from
the door. The merchant ran into the
street and caught him. Gen. Butler
cleared the thief by showing that the
key was real estate. and that real estate
could not be stolen and carried away
The man being free, Gen. Butler advised
him 90 so elsewhere. I am like a doctor
or lawyer the thief replied. and must
people and their circumstances and con-
ditions. In a little while he was caught
red-hGnded and sent 70 prison.
Joke on the Butcher.
THE grounds around Gen. Buffers
house were large and he kept more dogs
than were really necessary. One morning
while he was walking to his Office. a
butcher whom he knew came out and
said: General, II a dog should run into
your shop and steal turkey. what would
you dor
% I would make the owner OF the dog
pay for the turkey
THE next day the butcher sent Gen.
Butler a bill for s., with a note Of ex-
PLANTATION. Gen. Butler replied that the
bin was reasonable and just, but that he
would have 20 charge the butcher s25
for legal counsel Neither bill. OF course.
was ever paid-the butcher enjoyed the
joke as much as Gen. Butter.
MY grandfather ran for President Of
the United States in 1884 on the anti
monopoly and labor ticket. went cam
paigning with him in his private car
At Detroit he spoke in the evening from
a pagOda in a park. Electric lights
lllaLr AlE Iltit aS l48AlN as t1Ns ne
park was full OF people. Indeed, the
crowd was so dense that Albert West
had 10 carry me 10 the speakers stand.
I could see nothing but thousands OF hui
man faces. Occasionally a woman would
faint and be passed back over the heads
Of the immense audience. When Gen.
Butler began his speech all the big noises
IN the world broke loose. His enemies
stormed and howled. and his friends
cheered and swung their hats. Amid
the confusion a man on top or the pa
coda lowered a Tin spoon by a string.
Turning round and round IN the electric
light. II was a very conspicuous object.
Every one IN the park saw H. and the
cat-calls and shouts were truly terrific.
When the spoon came on the line OF Gen.
Buffers vision. he grasped the string.
and calling for a knife. cut Il in two
with a mighty slash. Holding the spoon
above his head he waited for silence.
In a moment the order was perfect.
Here is one Gen Butler said. and
he was heard 10 the very edge OF the
crowd: here is one didn't get IN New
Orleans.
Not Annoyed Again.
with that. he thrust the spoon INTO
his speech. and was not annoyed OF in
terrupted. The whole matter may have
been arranged However. I didn't make
any inquiries. and I never heard Gen.
Butler comment on the incident"
-1Did you ever cruise with him IN the
yacht American
Il lived with aim ar sea for many days
al a time and saw him play hundreds
Of games OF poker He loved anything
I'm the nature Of contest. The America
won the cup in the great international
Yacht race Of 1851. Il was bought by
an Engllshman who. as the story goes
brought a cargo Of African slaves 70
America During the civil war it was a
blockade runner. carrying contraband
goods between our Southern ports. Cuba
and the West Indies. II was finally
chased Up the s.. Johns River and sunk
Raised by the Federals. II was one Of the
ships that went ont 10 hunt the Ala
bama. After the war IL was taken "a
Annapolis a Frenchman claimed II uu-
der the law that protects the property OF
neutrals Gen Butler bought his rights
and bid the yacht In when the United
States offered IL for sale az auction. The
America - s.ill owned by my family. but
I cant afford 10 run a yacht and run FOL
Congress at the same time. and COnse-
cuently 1 keep it tied up and out of com
mission
Copyright, 1909. by James B. Morrow