Sam Houston's Breakfast
The following is from the " Victoria Advocate " [Victoria,Texas ] Saturday,April 21,1877.
On a recent business trip to Houston I had for a traveling companion a well-known merchant of this city who told story after story of early days in Texas. One struck me as worth preserving:
" When my father first came here ", said the merchant, " he settled in Houston --then the capital of Texas. I was put in a grocery and provision store under a strict and parsimonious boss.One morning, just as I had swept out, Tom,Gen. Houston's body servant, came into the store.Looking round he spied a fine ham ---a rara avis in those days. Having asked the price, he said he would take it and the president would callaround and pay for it. I felt proud of my sale, and calledthe attentionof the boss to it as soon as he came in.
" Did you get the money ? " he asked quickly.
" No; but President Houston is coming round to pay for it . "
"President the devil ! Did Tom say he would see it paid ? "
" No, sir. "
" Then you are a fool. Now , sir, you go straight to the president's kitchen and bring me that ham, unless Tomwill say it shall be paid for."
I started off,very much crestfallen, and not liking the job before me. But Iresolutely walked into the president's kitchen. Tom was there. I saw myham lying there with a few slices cut off it, and seizing it,told Tom, unless he would undertake to see that the money was paid, I must take it back.
Tom cogitated a while,and then said : "Young man, take back yourmeat. The General is a mighty good master, but a mighty poor paymaster, and I don't keer to violate myself with his debts."
This was enough for me. I left with the ham in my hand. Going around to the gate I had to pass the front door. There stood Gen. Houston, the President of Texas, with a pocket knife in one hand and a toothpick in the other." My little man," says he, in his superb manner, " tell your master I am under great obligations for a most delicious breakfast, and would pay him, but I really haven't got the money. The fact is,young man, Texas is very poor , and as her president, I share her poverty. "