Rensselaer Journal, Volume 12, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 July 1902 — Too Energetic with His Pen. [ARTICLE]

Too Energetic with His Pen.

There used to be a picturesque North Carolina mountaineer named Wiley Shook, in the capitol, says the Washington Post He was a doorkeeper, or something of the kind, and his quaint sayings and his blue shirt made him quite famous. One day he wrote a long letter to a newspaper, in which he scored President McKinley rather severely on the civil service question. The letter was so clever that it attracted wide attention. “Who is Wiley Shook?” asked the president, speaking to Senator Pritchard. “He is a constituent of mine who works at the capitol,” said the senator. “Well,” said the president, “if any friend of mine attacked you, I wouldn’t keep him near me.” Senator Pritchard needed no further hint and ShooK was literally shaken. He went back to North Carolina, -where he became a deputy collector. He is now in trouble again, for he has written a letter personally attacking Senator Simmons, and the latter has demanded his scalp. Mr. Shook seems to be entirely too energetic with his pen.