Page:The autobiography of a Pennsylvanian.djvu/437

 assembled in the Vicksburg Opera House and Lee and I made addresses. Among those who were on the programme was Jack Crawford, the Texas scout, a glib man with some oratorical and literary ability, whose hair hung down on his shoulders, and who has become a stock figure in soldier demonstrations throughout the country. He haunted the steps of Mrs. James L. Pennypacker and wrote a poem in her honor which he sent to her. We returned home by way of Chattanooga.

One day, on going to the hotel in Vicksburg, I was told that a couple of ladies had been waiting for several hours to see me. This was their story: They had been informed that I was a friend of Senator Quay and therefore they had come from an inland town in Mississippi to shake my hand only to show their appreciation of him. When he was a penniless young man he had drifted to the South and their father had shown him some favor and rendered him some assistance. Years rolled by and their father went into the rebel army and was killed and the family were left in distress. They appealed to Quay. After the election of Mr. McKinley Quay went to him and said:

“Mr. President, there is one thing I would like to have.” “What is it?” said the President.

“I want to name the postmaster in the town of Meridian, in Mississippi.”

“You shall have it,” said the President, glad to get off with a favor of so little consequence. But trouble arose, the politicians in that state had made another disposition of the office, and the President sent for Quay and said to him:

“I am sorry, but the situation is such that I can not give you that postoffice at Meridian.”

“Very well,” said Quay quietly, “but be good enough to remember how many votes Pennsylvania has in the next national convention, and how few has Mississippi.”

The widow of the old rebel soldier was appointed Rh