Norwich bulletin., 1909-05-22

Pardee-Am Appointed Port Warden -Appointed Consul tos Tien-tsin--
 Farewell Banquet and Patti Speech. During several political campaigns was invited by the state central com Yoittee of the republican party 10 make political speeches in the Third con- aresslonal district, why, l don't know for I was never much of a politician. However I always accepted and have travelled with such well known orators ns Prof. Lippet of Petaluma, George A. Knight, Gov. Newton Booth, Gov. Torualdo Pacheo. Hon. T. G. Phelps and Hon. J. s. McKenna, now Of the United States supreme court. The Third congressional district Is com posed mostly of mining camps, and avdisnces made up of such hardy, srood-natured material were most sat isfactory to talk to. After the staid and serious two-hour discourse Of the principal speaker was finished, would come in with my half-hour speech knew what they liked in those noun tain towns, not much politics put lots of fun, and the audiences always walt ed for me. At the close of the meet ings there was 6 lively crowd of both denocrats and republicans gathered of the foot of the platform steps, inn- portuning me to join them and sally forth to paint the town, which artistic perfornance was seldom completed be- fora time for the stage to start TOT the next place of meeting. Although say # who perhaps should not was the means of bringing more votes to inc party by thus mingling with the miners than were the big orators, With their two-hour speeches.
 But the campaign of 1880, before l went to China, was the most glorious in all my experience. My traVeling companion that year was George A. Knieht, and he was a most agreeable partner to be associated with. It was this campaign which elected George C. Perkins governor of the state. On the evening of the day of his inauguration the parlors of the Golden Eagle hotel at Sacramento were crowded with gen tle1nan who had assembled to tender their congratulattons to the governor. As is usual with me, l had been call ing upon the lady guests of the hotel but in passing the open door Of the 1Darlor was seen by MT. Perkins, who called me to enter. The first thing l knew I was called on for speech, and the next thing I was aware of l was esponding. My speech was encored' eomething almost unheard of, but as I had a quantity of material left over from the campaign. I drew on my re- serve stock and gave them another. The next day I met pr. Pardee of Oakland, since deceased. After greet ing each other the doctor remarked
 "A very pleasant evening we spent last night"
 Tt was, indeed" said I.
 You were very happy" said he.
 Thank you" responded
 T always enjoy listening to you, :, said the doctor, but how In the world is 1t that you do 1t? Now, if I had said what you did last night people would have thought I was a damned fool"
 The word was out before he thought, but he immediately began to apolo- gize for the expression.
 Don't make any apology" entreat- ed flor that is the truest criticism have ever heard on my speeches"
 Very soon after Gov. Perkins enter ed upon the duties of his office he showed his appreciation of my paint ing the mountain towns by appointing mo a port warden for San Francisco, and for four years I performed all the duties pertaining to that office to the entire satisfaction of the owners, captains and consignees of evry ship that came under my supervision. At the end of that time, the state gov ernment having undergone a change, was superseded by friend of the
 
 raths of usefulness.
 While in the discharge of my dulles as port warden l was coming ashore one day from the Chilean ship, In- q ector, and as I stepped on the gang plank the rope which secured 1t to the rail suddenly parted, and as the planl stood an angle of about fortyive de- grees, it slid out from under me like a shot from a gun, and was dumped very suddenly and unceremoniously into the bay. As the fall was about twenty feet, and l struck the water head first, I went under quite a dis tance, and when I came to the sur face I found I had quite a way tc swim against a strong ebb tide in or der to get something to hold on to in 0 bathing suit I could have done 1t without an effort but as I was fully clothed. it took some pretty harC swimming. But what was botherinf me all the time was how I could ge any dry clothes to go home in, as remembered that the captain was not more than half as large as was However, got on deck again and wal ushered into the cabin. while the cap. tain and the steward busied them selves in looking up some sort of { dry rig. Meantime, with the assist ance of the captains of a half doZer other ships, who had come to tht rescue, | WH1 dIYOHbAIK LAYSGn Ol Inl wet clothes and not giving a though to any subject beyond dry ones, whei 1t was discovered that in falling hat struck my right leg against the strinl piece of the wharf, which was abou midway in my flight, and there was heavy bruise from knee to ankle. Tn captain applied a. rough and read. dressing of arnica and bandaged tn iimb and I went home and to bed, fo hoAxreay1 fha 111-1yioa thought that the best place for me. confidently expected to be as good a ever in four or i've dave at the ut most, though 1t was the concensus O sRmily opinion that had better SC kAe doctor. ''He came, he saw" an he ordered a course of care and treat ment which kept me ct home for tn best part of two months.
 Again I was prepared to open nego tiations with men of capital or other wise, for a situation where the emolu ynents would be equal to the service rendered, and 1t was then that tn turning point came in mv career After due delibera4ion I wrote to Sen ator Miller at Washington inforn1in him of the expiration of my term c office as port warden, and suggestin that if he knew of any vacancy at hi disposal which I could i'll with credl Co him and honor to myself, I wa ready and willing. Tn answer to m letter came telegram, which req thus;
 ''To Geo. T. Bromley-sir: You ar appointed U.l s. consul at Tien-tsil Hope you will accept"
 The message came after I had lei nome fin the morning. and as did nc return till late in the afternoon, ther was a family consultation as to wheth CT 1t would be advisable to examine