Paragons of Patience.

Auckland Star, Volume XXV, Issue 30, 3 February 1894, Page 3 (Supplement)

Paragons of Patience.

MrC. G. Leland, in his recently published memoirs, tells the following yarn of Mr John W. Forney, an eminenb American politician, for whom he at one time worked as managing editor of the 'Philadelphia Press' :— It happened once that for a week the Republicans were kept from resisting or retaliating by their leaders, until the Democrats began to disgrace themselves by excesses. Then all ab once the Republicans boiled over, thrashed their foes, and attacking the Copperhead clubs, threw the furniture out of the window and—inadvertently perhaps—also a tew Copperheads. _ Jusb before they let their angry passions rise in this fashion, there came one night a delegation to serenade Colonel Forney ab the office. The colonel was grand on such*occasione. He was a fine, tall, portly man, with a lion-like mem and a powerful voice. He began— IMy frieuds, fellow citizens, and republicans, you have this week acted nobly.' Cries from the crowd: ' We hey ; "we hey.' • You, when smitten on tho right cheek, turned unto the oppressor the left.' 'We did ; we did.' ' You are beyond all question models. I may say with truth, paragons of patience, long-suffering and humility. You are— Christian gentlemen !' 1 We air ; we air.' While this was passing, a greab gloomy thundercloud of the Democratic enemy gathered on the opposite side-walk, and as the colonel lifted his voice again there came a cry— 'Shut up, you d d old Republican dead duck !' That word was a spell to raise the devil withal. Bang ! bang ! bang ! went the revolvers of the Union men in a volley, and the Democrats fled for their lives down Seventh-street, pursued by the meek, lowly and long-suffering Christians—like rabbits before wolves.