Rensselaer Republican, Volume 16, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 December 1883 — A Witty Retort. [ARTICLE]

A Witty Retort.

Belford is the red-headed, redbearded, red-nosed Congressman who has represented the great State of Colorado all alone for years in the Lower House of Congress. He was once counsel for the defendant in a Denver case in which Secretary Teller’s brother was counsel for the plaintiff. The case was an interesting one, and both were excited. Belford Was rather personal ini his reply to Teller's opening speech. He made the jury and the audience laugh’ at some of Teller’s peculiarities. Teller said nothing. When he came to close, however, he devoted a few minutes specially to Belford. “Gentlemen of the jury,” he said, “my brother here, Mr. Belford, has been seriouslv cou- ’ ’ s rwenfiy'”bn "the subject"iff religion. The other day he carried his fears and hopes to an old Baptist minister, his life-long friend. After a long conversation his friend said to him that he seemed to be in a very hopeful state. So well advanced wae he that the good old man thought him worthy of baptism. ‘That is the first ceremony upon admission to your church, is it not?’asked Belford. ‘Yes,’ said the clergyman. ‘And how will it be administered? 1 asked Belford. ‘As is usual in our church,’ said his friend, ‘by immersion.’ ‘Then,’ said Belford, very sorrowfully, ‘I must stay outside; I could not consent to disappear so long from public view-.’ ” Belford, had to join in the loudest laugh of that day.—Correspondence Philadelphia Record.