Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1931-11-06
STAGE COACH
TALES
The Congressman's Joke
by E. C. TAYLOR

me @VuE ES88n18n joke
TON CORWIN, famous Ohio states
= man and popular orator Of cen
fury ago. has a keen sense Of humor,
and because Of his dark complexion,
played joke on an obsequious tav
ern 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 wagon
er, driver of freight wagon trains
along the great east-west highway,
and the rallying cry Of his friends in
the campaign that elected him gov
ernor Of Ohio was, -Hurrah for Tom
Corwin. the WAGNER boyl"
Because Of his dark complexion
Tom frequently was mistaken for q
negro by strangers At that time the
race distinction was very much pro-
nounced.
Once, when he was a member Of
congress- he passed over the National
road in q chartered coach in company
with Henry Clay and other dlstin-
guished gentlemen, en- route to Wash
ington. d. C
The party stopped one day at an
old stage tavern. kept by Samuel
Cessna at the foot Of Town hill. In a
place also known as -Snib Hollow"
Is miles east Of Cumberland. Md
Cessna was fond Of entertaining
guests and was particularly anxious
to cater TO these distinguished trav-
elers.
The tail form Of Tom Corwin at
tracted his attention BE noted Toms
swarthy complexion and heard his
companions call him Tom and sup
posed 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 hurried to his store
room and produced q bottle of fine
old cognac, the stony" drink Of the
old pike. The finest drink Of the day
was brandy and loaf sugar. lighted
by q taper and burnt. Popular tradi-
ton had 1t that "if burnt brandy
couldn't save q man" In need Of physi-
cal relaxation, his case was hopeless
The Jealous old landlord produced
this drink, and handed 1t 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 patronizing way, offered a glass
to Corwin, saying:
TON, you take a drink"
Corwin drank off the glass In an
humble manner and returned 1t 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 a side table,
after the custom Of the time, had been
set for their servant"
Corwin went over to the side table
and sat down, while the others gath
cred around the sumptuous feast at
the main table. All by himself in the
corner, Corwln enjoyed an excellent
meal Clay occasionally would call
over to him:
Tom, how are you getting on2"
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 sat
sfied their appetites, the landlord pro-
duced cigars, and passed them around
to Clay and the others. Then he took
one from the box and laid 1t on the
servants" table.
Take cigar, Tom," Cessna said
condescendlngly. Corwin expressed
his humble thanks, and went outside
to light 1t.
Soon after the meal was over the
coach was ready 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"
"AIr. Cessna" Clay said, permit
me to introduce the Hon. Thomas Cor.
win of Ohio"
1t took the fiabbergasted landlord
4 long time to recover, and whenever
Tom Corwin passed through after
that he was given the best In the
house.
,a 1891. Western Newspaper uniouN