The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-11-10
HISTORY BUILDERS.
A Mistake About a Wedding Gift.
written expressly for The Washington Herad)
BY DIR. r. j. EDWARDS.

The late Jonas French. who some fif-
teen or twenty years ago was the leader
of the Democratic organization Of the
State of Massachusetts,. served on the
staff of Gen. Benjamin F. Butler in the
first year Of the civil war. Between Mr..
French and Gen. Butler an intimacy al
most like that Of brothers was estab-
lished. There came, however. time
When an arrangement occurred. and u
was one which caused Mr.. French to
entertain greivous resentment toward
Gen Butler. That, however, was some
ten or twelve years after the close of
the civil war
Out of this incident came a circum-
stance which l have been told revealed
one Of the characteristics Of Gen. Butler
He could be as bitter and dangerous an
enemy as it was possible for any man to
encounter. but no one was swifter to for
give and forget an injury or more ready
to approach half way, or even more than
that, in order to perfect a reconciliation
Mr. French was to be married. and a.
he had large number Of friends, many
of whom were men of influence in Bos-
ton, he being himself a banker OF high
authority. the wedding was spoken of rs
sure to be an event Of social Importance.
At that time Mr.. French and Gen. But
Ter were no longer friends. Gen. Butler
was looming up prominently as a CdIlul-
date for governor of Massachusetts. an
honor which shortly afterward he Sc
cured. Perhaps a week before the we'd
ding Gen. Butler called upon a common
friend. who was also an associate in the
banking business with Mr.. French. and
said:
II understand that Jonas is about to
be married We have been somewhat es-
tranged. but II seems to me that this is
all events I want to show him that what
ever feeling l may have had is gone. i
have therefore decided to send to him a
wedding present and ask you as a COM
mon friend or both to place 1t in HIS
hands"
Having said this Gen. Butler took from
his pocket a jewelers. box. and. having
opened II, exposed to view a diamond OF
wonderful purity. perfectly white and as
large as a small filbert. It was set in a
gold ring. The common friend said that
he had never seen such a diamond. He
asked Gen. Butler why he did not himself
give the gift TO Mr.. French. To this Gen.
Butler replied that he thought It the bet
ter part for a common friend to take II
to Mr.. French.
In a day or two this common friend
met Mr.. French and said to him that he
had a message as well as a wedding pres
ent which he had been commissioned to
give to him. When the jewelers. box was
placed in Mr.. French's hands and he
opened II and saw the wonderful dia-
mond. he was so confused by the bril-
liancy OF the precious stone that he mis-
the common friend when he
named the donor. Mr. French understood
the friend to say that IL was a gift from |
Gen. James II. Wilson. He went away |
with that impression. rejoicing that his
friendship with Gen. Wilson had caused |
the latter to send him a wedding pres
ent of such brilliancy and splendor.
Copyright ISIS. By Z. J. Edwards All Rights Re
served)
Tomorrow DR.. Edwards Will tell Of |
THE Outcome Of Throwing a Cushion. -