Evening journal., 1912-10-28
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
A Story Of GarfieId'S Boy
hood Days
By Holland.

Only a few days after James A
Garfield became president of the
United States he said to his Secretary
of State. James G.. Blaine, that there
were two foreign missions which he
desired Mr.. Blaine TO reserve be-
cause, as Garfield said. he wanted 10
offer the choice of them to his old
friend, Jerry Rusk
Il am going to find out through a
friend whether Rusk would accept
appointment as Minister either 10
Paraguay or to Belgium" said the
| President. "lf he Will, then he can
| have the one Of those missions which
/ he prefers TO take"
The offer was made to Mr.. Rusk
and he declined it, saying that he
much preferred to live as an Amer
/ lean citizen with his beloved fellow
/ citizens Of Wisconsin than to dance
attendance at any foreign court or
capital
Jeremiah NJ RuslS was as popular
q citizen of Wisconsin as that state
/ ever had. lie was always a farmer,
except the time when he served in
the civil war
After the war was over he return-
ed to his farm, and in 1870 was elect
ed a member Of Congress, and re-
elected until 1871 From 1882 until
1889 he was governor OF Wisconsin.
and he was prominent as Wiscon-
sins candidate for the presidential
nomination at the Republican nation
al convention of 1888.
Within few weeks before the
close of President Clevelnd's first ad-
! min icf "a iAn
creation of a Department of Agricul-
ture The secretary of that depart
ment was to be qualified to serve as
cabinet officer President Harrison
appointed Governor Rusk secretary
of the new department and he serv-
ed i'm that Office during Harrisons en-
tire administration.
General Garfield was very fond Of
Jerry Rusk.' said a member of Gai
fields cabinet to me at the time OF
Governor Rusks appointment as Sec
rctary Of Agriculture He always
spoke of Rusk in such terms of fa-
miliarity and friendship as the use
of the word Jerry indicates.
He told MS once that his acquaint-
ance with Rusk began at time when
both were about fifteen or sixteen
years of age. According to Garfeld's
story, Jerry Rusk, as lad of fifteen
used to drive a stage between two
towns i'm northern Ohio and a part
of this stage route followed the line
of the canal i'm northeastern Ohio
For a few months when Garfield was
about fifteen yeasr of age he drove
a single mule along the toWpath oi
tie canal. In that way he used &C.
CasiUHally TO meet the yOdlg stage
driver After a while they eScbang
ed salutatiOns and then became
friendly enough to call one anOthei
by their first names-Jim and Jerry
Jerry Rusk drove a fine pair Oi
horses and he was accustomed Whef
passing Garfield upon the towpath tc
twit him in a friendly way, calling
attention to the fact that his horses
could make ten miles an hour, some
times. whereas the best that Gar
fields mule could do was not owe
three miles an hour When passini
Garfield on the towpath young Rusl
used TO send back a parting salute
OF eXultation One time when he di,
this young Garfield shouted back
You pass me now. but one of thes'
DAYS I'll pass you
THE acquaintance which I thus
made with Jerry Rusk in boyboos
days GarAeld would say, was inter
ruptod when went away to school
and about that time too, I think
young Rusks family moved to Wis
consin. We did not meet again unit
1871 when he became member o
the House of Representatives. TIL
first thing he aid was to hunt me ul
and to remind me of those old day
when he drove a stage coach and
was driving the mule upon the tow
path At last we had met upol
equal terms in the House Of Repre-
sentativos'
Garfield was fond OF saying tina
this anecdote was typical of many q
the careers Of the men Of the Yves
whose early life was one Of enforce
economy, frequently almost Of poy
orty."
Copyright. 1912. by b. J. Edwards
All rights reserved }
Tomorrow Mr.. Edwards will tell &
"The Heart That Broke When Sewar
G.tfforgT He f.rQaf nafouf %