Year: 1874




and entertaining anecdotes. Like
most people of this sort, he has to be
seen and heard to be fully apprecia-
ted. To a very capable face, in the
way of comedy, he adds the slow,
quiet utterance, where the sentences
seem to lounge out of his mouthS
that contributes two-thirds to the
entertainment,


lie set the table in a roar the other
night by giving an account of his
first dinner party in Washington
He had emigrated to Oregon when
boy, and before the great protection
ist had made us acquainted with the
"eendustries of the countree," and
had never seen a steamboat, a rail
road car, or swallow-tail coat until
he left Oregon for Washington, a
Senator. Shortly after his arrival
here he had an invitation to dine with
the Judge Advocate General, Joseph
Holt. He called o caucus of his
friends to advise with them what
should be done under the circum-
stances. The r. S. V. P. in the
corner puzzled him amazingly. He
thought, for while, they represent
ed the bill of fare, and meant roast
ed, stewed veal and pork. His friends
enlightened him, however, gave him
the proper information, and wrote
fer him response accepting the po-
lite invitation. In addition to this he
was informed that brass-mounted
swallow-tail, with q white choker and
lavender kids, were absolutely indis-
pensable, and that the servant would
not let him into the house without
them. To accomplish this, as the
Senator wished to get civilized as
rapidly as possible, he repaired to a
secondhand clothing store, kept by
Moses q Son, two distinguished He
brews, and stated his want. The
obliging child of Israel said he had
exactly what the Senator needed--a
claret-colored coat made for Mr..
Lincoln, but not taken because it was
o "leetle to large in the shoulders,
you see,"


"Shack, you prings down dot
coat, cried the house of bondage to
his son. II keeps him, you see, in a
schmall pox by himself"


The coat was produced. Nesmith
says that he keeps it as a relic, as he
is satisfied that it was a garment left
over by the late Wing party. He
has no doubt but that Henry Clay
went his thousands on ''nary par" in
that identical swallow-tail. It was
very narrow in the shoulders, with
puffs, and ran down the rear, mar
rowing in the most extraordinary
manner to the small of the back,
where two brass buttons glittered at
you like bayonets on military guard,
over that region liable to be assailed
in case of o scrimmage.


Visiting a store in search Of gloves,
the dapper little clerk asked him his
size. The Senator was very much
embarrassed by the question, but
supposing it referred to his stature,
replied five feet eleven. The man
smiled incredulously, and said he
meant the size of his hand. The
Senator responded that he never had
measured his paw, but he guessed he
could try on some gloves. Whereup-
on the clerk handed him an assort.
inent, and the Senator proceeded to
pull on the delicate fabric, and tried
some eight or ten before he found a
pair to suit, and then he punched the
clerks head for his impertinence in
proposing that he should pay for oil
he had tried on.


Fully equipped according to the law
Of etiquette he repaired to the house
of the eminent jurist on Capitol Hill
at seven o'clock p. NJ. Ringing the
door-bell, in few minutes he wal
asked for his name, which was giver
on a neatly written card, done at thu
National Hotel by the card-writer
and the guest was then conducted
across cold porch into a dimly-lit
cold parlor. Here he sat, wondering
how It happened that he was among
the first guests, and getting chilled
to the bone, for it was n very colo
night. In few minutes he wal
joined by the Judge Advocate Gen
oral in most extraordinary dinner
dress, consisting Of a gown and slip.
pers, the last very much down at the
heel. The chilliness Of the room
seemed TO be increased by the en-.
trance Of the host, who is generally
as cold as an icicle, but on this occa-
sion seemed to be the North Pole
After q few minutes conversation the
host invited his shivering guest into
the library, where warm fire made
them more comfortable.


For an hour the two discussed the
condition of the Union, but Nesmitf
saw no guests arriving, and heard nj
rafting OF dishes, or rather, no pre-
paration for q feast.


From eight till nine they dwell
principally on our foreign relations
and yet no dinner.


From nine till ten the conversation
was desultory and miscellaneous, nnt
yet no dinner. Nesmith, who all hi
life had been dining at noon, had ab
stained on this day, and now founC
himself hungry enough,to eat his host
He could not help thinking, whill
looking at the Judge Advocate Gen
eral, that he would like to take lit
tie Holt on the half shell or Holt il
a roast, or, better yet, Holt baked ant
basted. Eleven o'clock came, ant
while Nesmith tried his best to tall
the host seemed TO draw within him
self, and might have been taken fol
bronze statue but for the monosyl
liable eyes" and "No" that dropped