The herald., 1896-02-05
Cleveland and the Correspondents

President Cleveland is not easily trapped.
Tom Fielders, an American newspaper
man, who has risen to the front rank in
London, was here for three weeks trying
had met John Chamberlin in New York,
and John had said to him: "Come over to
Washington. Tom, my boy, and will in
troduce yon to all the big people" "Can ]
get to see the presideut?" ''See the presi-
dent!" echoed the only Chamberlin. "why.
are chums. We will just run in and make
ourselves at home in the White House, and
perhaps MIR. Cleveland will ask us to stay
all night" This was very aluring and Field
ers, having lived SO long in Eugland that
he had forgotten the American tendency
TO jolly. took it all in dead earnest. After
reaching Washington 1t did not take him
long to discover that Chamberlin had been
stringing him a Bit He could get no nearer
tho president than the big door which Mr..
Thurber guards so faithfully-the dead
line over which none of the journalistic
profession dares to pass. Finally Amos
Cummings thought he could work it. With
Fielders in tow he marched into the White
House and literally rode over poor Thur
Der at the door Of the presidents room.
"Mr. President" said Amos, in his bland
est tone, s'this is Mr.. Fielders, former
constituent of mine, now living in
England, and he has come to pay
his respects TO you before the
opening, and SO did Fielders. With such a
cue the president would surely give him a
great talk on the war question. and what a
sensation the ''interyiew' would make in
the Pail Mall. "Oh. yes, Mr.. Fielders of
the Pail Mall Gazette" said the president,
as Amos and Tom looked at one another in
chagrin; and they talked for two or three
minutes about the weather, and the visit
ors sadly withdrew. Mr.. Thurber grinning
diabolically at them as they passed out.
= =
The Engli n correspondents think it a
great thing to bs able to get into the White
House at all. One of them was asked by
some friends to go along with them to one
Of the presidents receptions, and was
thrown into fiutter OF excitement. 'Do
you really think can get in?" he asked.
"Of course you can get in-anybody that
can walk can get in," was the reply. You
8 ,e. the English compare White House
affair to function at the queens castle,
and are amazed that the common herd are
admitted within the sacred precincts.
here year or two ago he was very anxious
to get in. on the floor of the senate and
house. " think can arrange it for you,"
said Tom Coak!ey of Tamnlanv Hall.
"You just leave it to me, I'll fix
it," Next morning Coakiey called
AT rurQlSS' notoi' '1tS ail figut,
he said; "I'ye seen the lord
high doorkeeper, and it's fixed as a special
mark of honor to you. At l l O'Clock sharp
we are to be admitted to the floor of the
house for fifteen minutes and at Il 80 we
are to go in the senate chamber" Sue
enough, this program was carried out to
the letter, and Furniss was so much pleased
that when he got back TO London he made
o big hit by writing himself up as the only
English journalist who had ever been hon.
ored by an invi alton to visit the floors of
the American houses of congress. This
gave him a great reputation in London,
where few persons know that the doors of
our congressional halls stand wide open
till fifteen minutes before noon and that
whoever cares to enter may do 30 without
hindrance.-Walter Wellman in Chicago
fTy.--