Page:The autobiography of a Pennsylvanian.djvu/113

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THE WAR

with whom he corresponded and who saw to the publication of some of his articles in European magazines. I spent a couple of days with him at Cedarcraft, where Bayard Taylor entertained us, although the poet spent most of his time in discussing his Picture of St. John, just published, and in painting a picture in oil on which he was then working. Calhoun invited me to a luncheon which he gave to one of the daughters of Governor Curtin. He started A. Wilson Norris, afterward Auditor General of the State, upon his career, giving him the opportunity to make his first public address. Grant, when President, appointed Calhoun Pension Agent in Philadelphia, in which office he had to give a bond in $600,000. Among his bondsmen were Ario Pardee, Simon Cameron, John F. Hartranft, Bayard Taylor, and I persuaded my grandfather to go upon it for $30,000. I attended to the preparation of the bond and together Calhoun and I saw Simon Cameron at his home in Harrisburg, a white-haired, erect old man, who blandly signed the paper to the extent of $50,000 without the faintest suggestion of any sort of return or obligation. Men began to say that Calhoun would be the next Republican candidate for Governor. Then trouble began. Norris became a bitter enemy. Captain Singer, who had been to him an obedient and even servile Achates, quarreled with him about a woman and Singer married her. Cameron withdrew from the bond and Calhoun was compelled to find other security. It began to be whispered that his name was not Calhoun, that he had never been in the Union army, that he was a rebel spy among the prisoners in Libby. The Grand Army expelled him from its ranks and he retired to Georgia, where he edited a fiery paper and again encountered troubles. Many years later he lived in New York and wrote stories for the periodicals. I leave him as one of the mysteries I have encountered in life and as a reminiscence of the great struggle.

Somebody suggested the idea of holding a convention of the literary societies of the city. As president of the Ban-

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