196 POLITICAL LIFE-X 



But on this occasion Mr. Evarts surpassed himself. I 

 recall a series of witty repartees and charming illustra- 

 tions, but will give merely one of the latter. Something 

 was said of people's hobbies, whereupon Mr. Evarts said 

 that a gentleman visiting a lunatic asylum went into a 

 room where several patients were assembled, and saw one 

 of them astride a great dressing-trunk, holding fast to a 

 rope drawn through the handle, seesawing and urging it 

 forward as if it were a horse at full speed. The visitor, 

 to humor the patient, said, "That 's a fine horse you 

 are riding." "Why, no," said the patient, "this is not 

 a horse." "What is it, then?" asked the visitor. The 

 patient answered, "It 's a hobby." "But," said the 

 visitor, "what 's the difference between a horse and a 

 hobby?" "Why," said the patient, "there 's an enor- 

 mous difference; a horse you can get off from, a hobby 

 you can't." 



As to civil-service reform, my efforts to convert leading 

 Eepublicans by personal appeals were continued, and in 

 some cases with good results ; but I found it very difficult 

 to induce party leaders to give up the immediate and direct 

 exercise of power which the spoils system gave them. Es- 

 pecially was it difficult with sundry editors of leading 

 papers and party managers; but time has wrought upon 

 them, and some of those who were most obdurate in those 

 days are doing admirable work in these. The most serious 

 effort I ever made was to convert my old friend and class- 

 mate, Thomas C. Platt, the main manager and, as he 

 was called, the "boss" of the Republican party in the 

 State of New York, a man of great influence through- 

 out the Union. He treated me civilly, but evidently consid- 

 ered me a "crank." He, like Mr. Thurlow Weed, was 

 unable to understand how a party could be conducted 

 without the promise of spoils for the victors ; but I have 

 lived to see him take a better view. As I write these lines 

 word comes that his influence is thrown in favor of the bill 

 for reforming the civil service of the State of New York, 

 championed by my nephew, Mr. Horace White, a member 



