Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1896-02-15

to be true story concerning a new
member of congress who had been a
farmer all his life, but who managed to
get through a state dinner without
making any blunders, because he care
fully watched the others, and did ex-
actly what they did with every utensil
and with every edible. From the out
set he was very much interested in q
tiny silver hay fork a. the side of his
plate, the likeness of which he saw
the other people use for their raw oys-
ters. He did the same and was so far
all right, helping himself to salt with
very small gold spade provided for
the purpose. 1t reminded him of the
tool h. nad employed many time to
dig potatoes with, save for the metal.
OF potatoes themselves, mashed, he was
presently helped TO portion, and he
found that his fellow-gucsts utilized an
instrument, the like of which he was
also supplied with, to push the vegetable
upon their fork. Subsequently he
learned that the instrument was called
a "pusher," but at the time it seemed
10 hiI,. nothing more or less than q
diminutive hoe, in the exact shape of
which Il was undenlably constructed,
But there was one utensil that made
him extremely nervous, inasmuch as he
could not imagine for what purpose
it was intended, and he was carefully
guarding himself against a possible
error. For course after course he
watched his fellow guests to see when
they would bring the curious tool into
play. 1t was not, however, until the
asparag IS came on that he saw an emf
nent diplomat who sat opposite him,
pick up The silver hay rake from beside
his plate and employ it to convey the
vegetable to his mouth 1t is said that
he afterwards remarked to friend:
IF were going into farming for dim
ner table, why don't We have thresh-
ing machine to make the beefsteak ten
der and moving machine to clear off
the crumbs?"
That man was new to all of the pomp
and dazzle of society at the national
capital, but it is safe to assume that
he will never destroy dolly nor shat
ter any costly chinaware, nor mistake
napkin for handkerchief and carry
it away from the table in his pocket
He keeps his eyes open and iecnly OBJ
serves others. When boy he probably
learned the aphorism TO "do as Romans
do, when in Rome"
Although affairs of state are never
considered at state dinners, very many
important national matters are dis
cussed and settled at private dinner
parties, where three or more leading
members of great political party
gather around a table in the dining
room of senator or cabinet minister
and discuss subjects of grave moment
while they eat and drink and smoke
their cigars. 1t was in Senator Cor
mans dining-room one night in Juno,
1898, that the fare of the original WI
son bill was determined. And, in 1890,
Senator Evarts, of New York, quietly
invited "just few senator's" to dinner
one evening, cautioning each one to say
nothing about it, as it was to ha "a
strictly private and select affair" 1t
was genuine surprise party to every
senator, for, when all were assembled,
every republican member of the senate
was present. The newspaper men knew
nothing of it. And it was then and
there that the republican senatorial pro-
gramme was agreed upon with relation
to the Mckinley bill. SMITH ID Fry.