The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1916-03-05

WASHINGTON, March "A drunken
tramp printer once paid to Senator War
ren G. Harding, of Ohio, what Harding
considers the highest compliment he ever
received in his life.
The printer was working on Harding
newspaper in Marion. o. One day Harding
wrote a little account of the death Of the
son Of an old friend OF his. 1t was
beautiful obituary notice, although Hard
ing did not realize at the time that he
was producing what bordered on real lit
erature. The tramp printer placed the
article in type. That same night he
went on a debauch which took him to
other parts and Harding did not see him
again for nine years. Then the fellow
dropped IN Unexpectedly and applied for
a Job.
your" asked Harding.
''Yessir, did, and the last thing ever
set up for you was a beautiful account
of the death OF a boy. 1t made such an
impression on me that went out and
got drunk. remember the piece yet.
It was good enough to put into book.
As near as can recall 1t ran like
this:-''
whsreupon the tramp printer recited
verbatim the little article Harding had
dashed on as a part Of the days routine
nine years previous.
Obviously. the man was placed back
on the payroll without delay.
Just on the face Of the thing. one might
think that q young man running little
country store in a town OF only few
hundred people away down in Oklahoma.
would have a mighty poor show to break
into the halls Of Congress.
Yet here is a new Congressman from
Oklahoma, one James v. McClintic, who
only a short time ago was scarcely
known outside the town OF Snyder. which
Is place OF about 300 souls, counting In
travelling men and dogs.
No one is more astonished to find Nc
Clintic in Congress than McClintic him
self-unless 1t would be the folk back in
Bremond, Tex, where he was brought
up, who now comprise the charter MEM
bership OF the Knew McClintic When
Club
In his school days in Texas. McCiin-
tics teachers used to tell him that II he
would just turn over a new leaf and
study, he might possibly be able to hold
a position as janitor when he grew up.
But he did not take their warning and
paid sCant attention to improving his
mind. His studies did not interest him.
Yet he got through school and spent q
year or two in college At the end Of
that time he got a job driving a dray.
Everybody was surprised, especially his
former teachers. They hadn't supposed
It was in him. But that was not all. In
a little while he got a still better job.
This time it was a place as bookkeeper
in bank at $40 a month.
What do you know about that PEG
PIE asked one another. Just think Of
Jim McClintic pulling down $40 month";
They could scarcely believe It.
Everybody liked MCClintic well enough.
He had no bad habits or noteworthy
vices. They simply looked on him as a
young man with a predisposttion not to
amount to much.
McClintic knew just how people felt
and so one day he resigned his job as
bookkeeper, packed UP his trunk and
took It to the little railway station.
Just keep this for me-" he said to the
agent, land II you don't mind, I wish
you would check it to me some day"
Where will you be?' asked the agent.
That's what I don't know" McCin-
tic told him. LAS soon as I've lit some
place I'll write you a postal card and
then you can send me the trunk. The
only thing I can tell you now concerning
my whereab bouts is that I'll never be
around here any more"
In due course McClintic made his way
to st. Louis. Just a few minutes after
his money ran out he got himself a Job
in a wholesale dry goods house at a sal
airy Of 80 a week. His duties consisted
mainly in sweeping out"
For the first time in his hfe McClin-
tic found real ambition yelling I'D in his
soul He had decided that he wanted
to be a travelling salesman for the dry
goods concern.
So he went to the general manager
and suggested that he go on the road
at a lucrative salary The manager,
without even bothering to look up
from his desk. told the young man he
would keep him in mind.
From then on MCClintic made it
rule to go to the managers office
and ask for a job every Monday morn
ing. The manager grew annoyed and
angry at this and one morning talked
to McClintic quite roughly, saying: