The Coolidge examiner., 1931-09-18
STAGE COACH
TALES
B y E. C. T AYLOR
The Congressman's Joke

- statesman and popular orator
of a century ago, has a keen sense
of humOr, and because of his dark
complexion, played a joke on an
ObSequiOuS tavern keeper one time,
that was often related up and down
the length of the National road and
at Washington.
Tom in his early days was a wag-
oner, a driver of freight wagon
trains along the great east-west
highway, and the rallying cry of
his friends in the campaign. that
elected him governor of Ohio was,
"Hurrah for Tom Corwin. the wag-
Oner boy !"
Because of his dark complexion.
Tom frequently was mistaken for
a negro by strangers. At that time
the race distinction was very much
pronounced.
Once, when he was a member of
congress, he passed over the Ma
tional road in chartered coach in
company with Henry Clay and 9th
er distinguished gentlemen. en- route
to Washington, D. C.
The party stopped one day at an
old stage tavern, kept by Samuel
Cessna at the foot of Town hill, in
place also known as "Snib HOl-
low" % miles east of Cumberland.
Md. Cessna was fond of entertain
ing guests and was particularly
anxious to cater to these distin-
guished travellers.
The tall form of Tom Corwin at
tracted his attention. He noted
Toms SWarthy complexion and
heard his companions call him Tom
and supposed he was the servant of
the party. Cessna had met Clay
before and knew him.
The party ordered dinner, and
then someone suggested drinks all
around to relieve the tedium of
travel and excite an appetite for
the expected dinner Cessna hur-
ried to his storeroom and produced
bottle of fine old cognac, the
tony drink of the old pike. The
finest drink of the day was brandy
and loaf sugar, lighted by taper
and burnt Popular tradition had
it that "if burnt brandy couldn't
save a man" in need of physical re-
Taxation, his case was. hopeless.
The jealous ola landlord pro-
duced this drink, and handed ii first
to the other gentlemen in Corwin's
party. After each of the others had
stepped up to the bar and been
served, Cessna, in a patrOniZing
way, offered a glass to COrwin, say
ing:
tom, you take a drink"
COrwin drank off the glass in an
humble manner and returned it to
the landlord with modest thanks.
The others in the party saw what
was transpiring and kept straight
faces.
Dinner then was announced and
when the party entered the dining
room, they saw that side table,
after the custom of the time, had
been set for their servant"
COrwin went over to the side ia
bic and sat down, while the others
gathered around the sumptuOuS
feast at tie main table. All by
himself in the corner. COrWin en-
loved an excellent meal Clay Oc-
casiOnally would call over to him:
tom, how are you getting On?'
Corwin would modestly reply:
Every we'll"
Dinners in those days were elab-
crate affairs, and this continued for
nearly two hours. When all had
satisfied their appetites, the land
lord produced cigars, and passed
them around to Clay and the 9th
ers. Then he took one from the
box and laid it on the servants"
table.
Take a cigar, Tom," Cessna said
condescendingly COrwin expressed
his humble thanks. and went out
side to light it.
Soon after the meal was over the
coach was ady to depart, and the
distinguished party said gOOd-by to
the landlord. Clay was the last to
appear, and with him was the "ser-
want"
"Mr. Cessna" Clay said, permit
me to introduce the Hon. Thomas
COrwin of Ohio"
1t took the fiabbergasted landlord
a long time to recover. and when
ever Tom Corwin passed through
after that, he was given the best
in the house.
"a. 1881 Western Newspaper Union)