New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-04-16

AZ INTERESTING UHITE house EPISODE.
Dinner il over at the White House. but the PIes-
dent and his Private Secretary. the ladies' OF the
household having preceded them to the drawing
room lingcf little as is their wont, over their Pc
An exquisite hot il III front OF dr Cleveland,
while large luscious cusiard stands within easy
reach of Lamont. Neither of them speaks until
both Pies have consumed and then the Phi
yate Secretary. after ringing for more Pie.
breaks the silence.
at occurs to me Mr. President" he remarks
"that yon were vigorously renewing your youth
like first class eagle, this afternoon"
al don't seem to catch the drift of your observa-
lion" REPLIED Mr. Cleveland "What do You mean,
Dam by talking of my having renewed my youth !
Don't be mysterious
"Well. | mean" explained Dan. that | saw
Won this afternoon when possibly you thought you
were quite unobserved, go out into the yard behind
the White House and turn three distinct somcr-
sadlts And when you had done turning SOM
ersaults you threw your hat in the air, danced
what took to be weird Buffalo jig. and then
having executed neat handspring you walked on
your hands across the yard and emitted loud tri-
umphal crow. Am right Mr.. President Was it
you that was engaged in these frisky exercises or
was it some other man y
a was the man, who got mp the spectacle you
have SO truthfully described" Mr.. Cleveland con-
fessed But you are greatly mistaken, Dan, in
drawing the inference that | was renewing my
youth like the eagle or any other bird, when was
thus cutting up behind the White House"
sThcn why the somcrsaults. the handspring s
the rnipation IF brand new silk hat and the rest
of the performance ?" respectfully but earnestly
inquired the Private Secretary. "Werc you not
renewing your youths You surely do not wish me
to conclude that what witnessed Of
Jefcrsonian simplicity with the stick in it y
"Dan," exclaimed the President "you have
earned my confidence and you shall have it, | am
aware that my conduct behind the White House
this afternoon is liable to be miscOnstrued. For it
didn't mean renewal of my youth and it didn't
mean Jefiersonlan simplicity with a stick in it.
The somersaults and the other jubant exercises
to which you have referred were simply the ont
ward and visible emblems OF the Joy which
reigning in my bosom because of my deiverance
from the exceedingly bad hole into which had
managed TO thrust myself"
@O-Of course-certany, yes. yes. see,' said
the Private Secretary, "you were celebrating your
release from the hole into which the Senate had
driven you, in the matter of your appointments
That was n pretty smart trick you played, Mr.
President in order to escape that terrible hole.'
"rm glad Dan, to hear you say that you regard it
as pretty smart" remarked Mr.. Cleveland.
49, there can be no dOnbt about its smartness."
Dan went on " but are you not afraid that playing
it was seriously injurious to your health ~
"Seriously injurious to my health, Dan, how
whyG ~
"Well | thought explained Dan "that con-
sdernG how corpulent you have grown and how
small was the little end of the horn from which
You emerged, that y0u must have been compressed
to within inch of your life. Are you sure, my
liege, you did not sustain internal injuries /"
"Dan7 broke in the President, pass the Pie and
let's change the subject" Dan bowed acquiescence
and passed the Pie. As he did the Marine
Band began to play the sweet music of the ballad
Public Office IS q Public Trust and Garland who
happened to be passing beneath the window of the
dinmg-roOm. softly whlstled winning nocturne
whose burden was Reform.