Evening star., 1926-08-21

and I no sooner got my boat out in
the stream than a bunch of soldiers
began shooting at me and ordered me
to come ashore. l hurried in fast,
you bet, and then they arrested me.
They were SO anxious to get Booth
that they shot at anybody or any
thing, and just took chance ! might
be the man.
"I'll never forget the day poor old
Mrs. Surratt was hanged. The eXecu-
ton was to take place on the parade
grounds of what is now the Wash
ington Barracks. Three friends and
myself figured we'd see it best if we
went to the Washington channel in
my boat The wind was blowing a
gale, but we were determined. Just
as | got in the boat the wind caught
her and away l went, leaving my
friends on the shore. but carrying
their coats along. They yelled, but 1
was helpless, so / just did my best
to keep going. 7 wanted to see the
hanging. But before l would get her
Strengthened out, another puff boWled
my old tub clean over. BY the time
L got back to shore with the boat and
my buddies coats the hanging was
over.
Lapses Into Sleep.
Down to the-oh. what am irving
to see-you know-down to the-the-
th--" a peaceful sleep stole quickly
over the old man, lying so still and
pale on the sheets. His breath was
coming more slowly momentarily. and
relatives jumped to his side. They
felt for his pulse, but before they
could count it the old ship chandler,
spinning his last yarn, opened his
eyes. smiled and said;
Where was 1? Oh, | was goin' to
tell you about the cannon at the Navy
Yard. You know. those sticking I'D
in the ground by the gates We used
to make EN-. Called em-called EN-
somehow | can't think so we'll Oh,
what did we call them? Dahlgrens s
pop bottle that's it. And they
weren't much better'n pop bottles,
either. Shoot about 3 miles at the
most. They'd usually plunk harm.
lessly in the mud and boys'd go out
and dig 'em up.
Guess I'd better hurry now. SO
next | started in to build centrifugal
sand machines to use i'm filling in the
Potomac flats
Il was the first to get one in opera
ton and the first to finish my con-
tract. Then Leland Stanford and lot
| bid me on the next contracts, and
naturally Col. Hains-old Peter C..
! Hams the points named after-had
! to give it to them.
Got Bonus for Work.
But they didn't have any machines.
| so Col. HainS told 'em I'd build them
In quick time. | made four, and they
| gave me bonus of 800 for finishing
| the first one under 100 days l also
built the first gravel and sand ma
| chine to be used on the Potomac
| River, and started a corporation to
| supply the city with the sand it need
| ed in its building program. Finally
I went into the business of making
| flag pole"
Yes, SIR Last armistice day l was
busy maxim an S2-foot pole for
| Boiling Field. 1t wasn't so many
years ago l could still take care O.
| myself. But I'm through now-I
haven't much longer. And somehow
don't mind. The pain. Its very bad,
| and l suffer great deal. And, you
| see. there's lot younger than me-
| Some older, too. But I've lived a
! long while. Oh. yes, about the poles
| DO YOU know the pole on the Lii
brary of Congress? I made it, Have
| you seen tHe pOleS on lne House O1-
| fee Building? I made them. Matter
of fac, | made about 10 out of
every 20 poles on the Government
buildings in my day. And 1 guess
that's bout the end-my-story. Just
say I'm survived by my widow and
six children-Mrs. George Ses, Mrs.
George Zimmerman, William Sum
mers, Mrs. Albert Buechler, Mrs. A.
T. Sparrow and Mrs. William Etchi-
son. Three others died"
Once more the dull eyes We're shaded
| by heavy lids, and the gray head on
the pillow seemed at rest The story
was, done, and the obituary. it seemed
was ready for release. Softly the re
porter reached for his hat and tip
toed past the still form on the bed
The door creaked violently on its
hinges as it was opened. The old
ship chandler opened his eyes once
more. beckoned the reporter again tc
his side. and. as he fell into deer
| sleep at last. whispered:
An don't forget my grandchildren
20 of 'en. And four great-grand
children. Two others" A daugh
ter finished the story for him. The two
others had died.