Page:The autobiography of a Pennsylvanian.djvu/191

 in dead earnest, with the possible exception of MacVeagh, the real directive force was Barker, a not altogether wise, but sincere and vigorous personality, up to that time in every way successful and ambitious to do some broad and important work. He had been corresponding for several years with James A. Garfield, of Ohio, about the tariff, had often told me that Garfield was the man to be next elected to the presidency, and he started out with the expressed and determined purpose to use every effort in this direction. With this view MacVeagh was not in accord. At this time there was a banking firm in Hazleton, Pa., doing business as Pardee, Markle & Grier, in which Ario Pardee, the millionaire, supplied most of the capital and W. A. M. Grier was the active partner. Through the advice of Barker, with whom his firm had many transactions, Grier had become a client of mine. He had been elected a delegate to the National Convention, and we both did all we could to persuade him to vote for Garfield. We went to Chicago in a style likely to make some impression. We had a special car and all of the concomitants. Others on their way to Chicago, learning that we were comfortable, came into our car to spend their time in our company and enabled us to proselyte. Among them were Robert G. Ingersoll, big, good-hearted and jovial, and Stewart L. Woodford, then District Attorney for New York and afterward Minister to Spain. Ingersoll was opposed to a third term, but Woodford necessarily favored the nomination of Grant. Woodford, being in the camp of the enemy, was inclined to be silent.

“Come, cheer up, man,” said Ingersoll. “Don't be so solemn.”

“I am not all the while making a noise,” was the reply.

“Oh,” said Ingersoll, “you remind me of the old farmer who loaded up a pig and a sheep to take to market. The sheep went along quietly, but the pig kept up such a squeaking that the farmer got angry. Finally he said to the pig, “Look at that sheep, see how nicely he goes along.” “Yes,” 12