The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-10-29
New News of
Yesterday
A STORY OF GARFTELD'S BOY
HOOD DAYS.
nv f. j. EDWARDS.)

(By F. j. EDWARDS.)
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 ecaus
as Garfield said, he wanted TO OHer
the choice OF them TO his Old FRIEND
Jerry Kusk.
Il an going to find out through a
friend whether Rusk would accept ap-
pointment as minister either to Para
dent. If he will, then he can have
the one Of those missions which ne
prefers to take
The offer was made to Mr.. Rusk
and he declined it, saying that he
much preferred to live as an Ameri-
can citizen with his beloved fellow
citizens of Wisconsin than to dance
attendance at foreign court or
c. pital.
Jeremiah NJ. Rusk was as popular
a citizen Of Wisconsin as that State
ever had. He was always q farmer,
except the time when he served in the
Civil War.
After HI war was over he returned
te his farm, and in 1870 WAS elected a
| member OF Congress, and reelected
| until 1877. From 1883 to 1888 he
was governor OF Wisconsin,, and he
was prominent as Wfscensin's candi-
date for the presidential nomination
al the Republican national convention
OF 1888.
Within a few weeks before the close
Of President Eleveland's first admin
istration. Congress authorized the ces-
sation OF a Department OF Agriculture.
The secretary Of that department was
to be qualified to serve AZ a cabinet
officer. President Harrison appointed
Governor Rusk secretary OF: h new
department and he served in that Of
fee during Harrison's entire admin
| iStration. :.-s
General Garfield was very fond OF
Jerry Rusk." said q member OF Gar
! fields cabinet to me at the time OF
Governor Rusk's appointment as sec
rotary Of agriculture. He always
spoke OF Rusk In such terms of ia
the word Jerry indicates.
He told us once that his acQuaint-
lance with Rusk begun at a time when
| both were about fifteen or sixteen
! years OF age. According to Garfield,s
story. Jerry Rusk. as a lad Of fifteen.
used to drive a stage between two
towns In northern Ohio and a part OF
TN stage route followed the limo OF
the anal In northeastern Ohio. For
a few months when Garfield was
/ about fifteen ear OF age he drove q
single mule along the towpath. of the
canal. In that way he used occasion
ally to meet the young stage driver,
After q while they exchanged saluta-
tons and then became friendly enough
to call one another by their first names
Jim and Jerry.
Jerry Rusk drove z fino pair Of
horses and he was accustomed when
passing Garfield upon the towpath to
tw1t him tn q friendly way, calling
attention to the fact that his horses
could make ten miles an hour, some
timeA whereas the best that Gafaeld's
mule could do vas not . three
miles an hour. When passing Garfield
on h towpath young Rusk used tc
send back a parting salute Of exul.
tation. One time when he did this
young Garfield shouted back: 'Yor
pass me new. but one OF these day,
I'll pass you
1.-The acquaintance which I TIM,
made with Jerry Rnsk in boyhood
days Garfield would say. was inter.
rupted when I went away t o school
and about that time, too, I think
young Rusks family moved to wis
constn. We did not meet again unit
1871 when he became a member NJ
the House OF Represents tivea tn.
first thing he did was to hunt me M
and to remind me OF those old day:
when he drove a stage coach. and
was driving b mule upon the tow:
} path. At last We had met upon euua
terms in the House Of Represents
tiye0.'
Carried was fond OF saying tina.
this anecdote was typical Of many q
the careers OF the men e thu We.
whose early life was one OF enforce,
economy. frequently almost OF nov
erty." "
(Copyrigh 1914. by E. J. Edvards
Al rights reserved.)
TIE HOUSE.