The Washington herald., 1911-01-07

1t was a peculiar set Of circumstances
that made Republican of Representative
George William Norris, of Nebraska, in
surgent floor leader.
Norris was boy on a farm near
Clyde. Ohio, just old enough to begin
to take an interest in public men, at the
, lime the Hayes-Tilden Presidential con-
troversy was decided in favor of the for
mer. Hayes was to be at his home in
Fremont for day or two before going
on to Washington for his Inauguration.
and his fellow-townsmen had arranged
to give him big reception 1t was noised
about that Fremont would be a scene
that day of public speaking, star-spangled
bunting. merry-go-rounds. and all sorts
of gay doings, and young Norris was
crazy to be among those present
1t was necessary to ride to Clyde some
way and catch a train there for Fre-
mont. Now. Norris had a stepfather that
he was about as fond of as he is OF JO-
seph G. Cannon. and this stepparent
owned the only horse that was available.
But young Norris wasn't allowed to use
the animal. because his stepfather was
fussy about it. thinking considerably
more of it than he did of any of the rest
of the family
So Norris just took il. and rode in to
Clyde to get the train for Fremont. He
put il in the barn OF "A relative who
gave him permission to keep it there
until he should return that night. after
the Hayes celebration was over. Well,
in taking the hors$ across the yard in the
dark that night. Norris allowed it to step
into an old ciStern and there was the
very old Harry to pay. The horses hind
legs were in the cistern and its front
legs We're not. and in its efforts to get
out. il skinned itself all up worse than
a man who's been learning to use a
safety razor. About the only people in
town who were not in bed were the MEM
bers of the town band. also just back
from Fremont. and Norris got them to
help him get the horse out of the els
tern. They finally got stepfathers pride
on its feet again. but oh. what job II
was, II makes Norris shudder yet when
he thinks of il. He didn't sleep any
that night. either. for thinking of what
untoward things might happen when his
Stepfather discovered the scratches on the
horse next morning.
Stepfather discovered them. all right
but he never found out who was re-
sponsible for the blemshcs.
However, when the danger all blew
over. the difficulties he had encountered
heightened the Importance of the trip
to see Hayes in the mind of Norris. and
he became about the most enthusiastic
HAYES shouter around those parts.
An he's been a Republican ever since.
Lieut.. Commander BenoiSt day. naval
attache to the French Embassy, has
his pet dog comfortably quartered with
him in one of the bong-tong apartment
houses here.
That wouldn't he worthy of comment
except for previous difficulties that NJ.
d'Azy and his dog have met with in this
town. About a year ago NJ. d AZy went
and signed up a lease for suite OF rooms
wherein he might dwell. 1t was the GUS
tomary sort of apartment house lease:
that is. ii provided that the tenant could
stay IN the suite he paid for so long as
he didn't play the piano after certain
hour. didn't disturb other tenants. would
notify the landlord every time he took
a bath in the tub or entertained guests
overnight and Il lot of other things. one
provision that there should he no
dogs. children. or other pets in tine
building.
NJ. day did not take note of the no.
dog proviso. and when he moved in. his
dog accompanied him.
1t was a day two before the land
lord got a tip that his exclusive apart
ment house harbored regular woof
woofinG tail-wagging dog. So he hunted
up the Frenchman and explained to him
that while he regretted exceedingly the
circumstance, the dog would have to
move on. He added that he knew a very
nice place where dogs could be boarded
for so much month.
Well there was no official stenoerapher
present. but Nj. Benost day is said to
have remarked to the landlord substan-
TALLY as follows:
Il care next to nothing at all about
what your old lease says. That dog is