Gen. Wilson, Teetotaler

GEN. WILSON, TEETOTALER

Story Told of a member of the Coal Strike Commission.

Brigadier General John M. Wilson, chief of engineers U. S. A., who is one of the members of the coal strike arbitration commission, has had an experience somewhat unusual, certainly to an army officer, says the New York World. He was obliged to refuse to take a drink with two presidents of the United States. At the close of the long and fatiguing day of Cleveland's first inauguration General Wilson, then a colonel, was waiting in the White House to receive the president. "Well, colonel," said the president, "we have had a hard day, and I think we got through pretty well." The colonel assented. "Then," said the president, "let's go and take a quiet drink together." Colonel Wilson followed him into his chamber, and the president proceeded to get out the ingredients when the colonel said, "I am sorry I can't join you in a drink of whisky, for I have never drunk spirits and never mean to do so."

The president looked rather surprised and said: '"That is queer for an army officer. Here, colonel, are apollinaris and ice." So the colonel drank the health of the president in a modest quencher.

The colonel's duties in like manner called upon him to arrange for the inauguration of President Harrison. On that occasion he again waited for the president to enter the White House. The president led him into the same chamber and suggested that they should take a drink in honor of the occasion. Colonel Wilson was then obliged to tel of his experience with Mr. Cleveland, and as there was no apollinaris on tap he drank Mr. Harrison's health in a glass of Potomac water.