Omaha daily bee., 1909-11-21

exclaimed, please hang me first and let
him speak afterwards"
OF Judge Holman Of indiana, known In
congress as the great objector," Mr.. Stew
enson writes:
II has been said that even great men
have their little weaknesses. An incident
to be related will show that possibly Judge
Holman was no exception to that rule.
The consideration Of sundry bills for the
erection Of postoffice buildings In a num-
Der OF districts having gone over by rea-
son OF his objection, the members having
the bills in charge, Joined forces and
Jumped the several measures into an "om-
nibus bill" which was duly presented. The
members especially interested in its pas
sage, 20 make assurances doubly sure. had
quietly inserted a provision for the erec-
ton Of a government building in one Of
the cities of Holman's district.
When the bill was read. Judge Holman.
as he sat busily writing at his desk, was.
without solicitation on his part. the closely
observed OF every member. Apparently OBJ
livious, however, to all that was occurring.
he continued to write. No objection being
made the bill was in the very act Of
passing, when an exceedingly bright mem
Der from Wisconsin, being moved and In
stigated by the devil" no doubt, rushed
to the front and exclaimed:
Mr.. Speaker, 1 desire to call the atten-
ton OF the gentleman from the Fourth dis
trict Of Indiana to the fact that the treas
ury Is being robbed!" Unmoved by the
appeal the Judge continued to write, and,
as one Of his colleagues afterward re-
marked, was chewing tobacco very fine. "
After a moment OF suspense and amid ap-
plause, in which even the galleries took
part, the membe from Wisconsin in tragic
tones exclaimed;
All! MI. Speaker, our watchdog Of the
treasury, like all other good ~watchdogs,
never barks when his friends are %around!"
A Convention Incident.
HAS there ever?" asked Mr.. Stevenson,
speaking Of former Representative James
A. Mckenzie of Kentucky, been a more
telling two-minute speech than that Of
Mckenzie in the national convention Of
1899, when he arose to second the nomina-
ton Of Cleveland" After a night of intense
excitement, the convention was still in ses-
sion at 3 o'clock in the morning. A storm
was raging without, while within thous-
ands in the great hall were impatiently
and loudly demanding an Immediate vote
More than one Of the chief orators of the
party-men well known to the country
had in vain attempted to be heard. Chaos
seemed to have come again at the crucial
moment that Mckenzie, standing upon his
chair in the center enclosure, began:
II l speak longer than two minutes 1
/ hope that some honest. half drowned
democrat will suspend my carcass from
one of the crossbeams Of this highly ar
tistic, but terribly leaky auditorium.
Cleveland needs no nomination from this
convention. He has already been nominated
by the people all along the line-am the
way from Hell Gate to Yuba Damg'
DOnneIly flushed.
Mr.. Stevenson relates how Ingatius DON
nelly Of Minnesota, a member Of congress
at the time of the Shakespeare-Bacon con-
troYersy. met the famous Colonel Winter
smith on Pennsylvania avenue.
After a cordial greeting the colonel re-
marked, II have been reading your book
Donnelly, and l don't believe a word of il. &"
WHAT inquired Donnelly, with great
surprise.
"oh, that book Of yours" said the colonel,
IN which you tried to prove that Shake
speare never wrote Hamlet and Macbeth
~N ANoA oilu dll llOSe ONleF DAYS.
NJ dear SIR" replied Donnelly with
great earnestness, II can prove beyond ALI
peradventure that Shakespeare never wrote
those plays
H did" replied wintersmith, he did
write them, Donnelly. saw him write
three or four of them myselrv'
impossible exclaimed Donnelly, who
was as guiltless Of anything that savored
OF humor as the monument recently erected
to the memory OF the Hon. John Sherman.
impossible, colonel, that you could have
seen Shakespeare write those plays; they
were written 300 years ago"
Three hundred years, three hundred
years" slowly the colonel in a
pathetic tone, is it possible that It has
been so long? Lord, how time does flyl"
"Sweet Alice, hen Bolt"
A touching scene ACQUIRED in the house
OF representatives a number Of years ago
when an aged member from New Jersey
arose and for the first time addressed the
speaker. All eyes were turned In the
speaker. All eyes we're turned In his
direction as he stood calmly awaiting
recognition. He was tall, spare and erect.
His venerable appearance and kindly ex-
preston coupled with most courteous man
ners at once commanded attention. As in
husky tones he again said, Mr.. Speaker"
there came from the fuTthest end of the
great hall In a whisper, but distinctly
heard by all, the words, Sweet Alice, Ben
Bolt" A moment later and from the floor
and gallery many voices blended in the
familiar refrain. Don't you remember
sweet Alice. Ben Bolt?"
The ovation which Immediately followed
was such as is rarely witnessed in the
great hall. Business was suspended for the
moment and the hand OF the new member
warmly grasped by the chosen representa-
lives Of all parties and sections. 1t was an
inspiring tribute, one worthily bestowed.
The member was Thomas Dunn English.
author OF the little poem, sung in palace
and cottage, which has found its way into
all languages and touched all hearts.