The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-03-01
DIPLOMATIC DINING.
How Secretary CHEESEMAN'S Digestion
Was Saved ThroV~h a Ruse of His
Secretary.

From the Chicago Journal.
Washington, Feb. 1s.-The presentation
by the japanese minister of his emperor's
tokens of esteem to Mrs. Gresham will
probably be followed by a like action on
the part of China's diplomatic represen-
tative. The superstition that the Chinese
minister will follow the example of Japan S
representative is founded on several in
cidentS which happened during the last
year Of the late secretary's life. One OF
them is sufficient for illustration.
The Japanese minister had given a din
ner in honor Of Secretary Gresham. AS
soon as 1t became known to the Chinese
minister he concluded the interests of his
country, and, therefore, of himself, would
be well served by dining Secretary Gresh-
am. He did so. The secretary had q good
time at both places.
The Japanese minister, desiring to out
do his Chinese colleague In the diplo-
matic corps invited Secretary Gresham
a second time, and honored him with a
more splendid feats than the first. This
was followed in q short time by another
dinner to the Secretary of State at the
Chinese legation. This dinner not only sur
passed the one at the former legation,
but the last one given by the Chinese
minister. This was followed, in turn, by
another dinner at the Japanese legation,
and the rivalry continued with greater
frequency and more splendor until the
digestive organs of the Secretary OF State
were threatened with collapse.
1t Is a fact that he inquired of his pri-
vate secretary, X. M. Lands, whether the
first dinner had been rendered by the
Japanese or the Chinese minister. The
secretary's purpose in making this in
CURRY was to treat each minister with the
same respect, so that IL the Japanese dip
lomat had given him the first dinner, he
would see that the last one that he &C
cepted was from the Chinaman. Mr.. Lam
dis had forgotten. and he so told the sec
well, Landis," said the secretary, in
fatherly way, hunt up the invitation.
This is a grave matter with me- You
know it would never do to play favorites,
or even seem 10, as my accepting more
from one than the other-and right in the
midst mi Of In war to4 siS S be i1terpre,
me-
Lands spent the best part of the day
was fruitless. There was apparently
nothing but a long list of highly-spiced
dinners in store for the Secretary Of State
Il the entente between this country and
the two chief nations of the Orient was
to be kept out Of jeopardy. Happily, how
ever, so the story goes, the ingenius Lam
anese minister's attaches to a quiet 1T
tie dinner at Chamberlain's. After the
sixth course and the third bottle Lands
observed that the Chinese were great
EHow so?" quoth the Jap.
We'll" replied lands, take. them in
little things. Now, this series of dinners,
for instance, which you and John are Civ
ing the old man. You wouldn't have
thought of 1t had not John given the first
one"
''Why, my dear fellow" said the Jap.
you are mistaken, 1t was the Japanese
minister who gave the first one"
Surely you are Joking" said Lands.
ION the contrary" the Jap replied IT
was never more serious. was speaking
OF II to-day. You remember IL was Just
after Secretary Gresham returned from
Chicago and HIS Indiana farm. The night
after he came beck he dined with us"
Permit me-" said Lands, ito open
another bottle out of compliment for
your memory. 1t is truly marvellous
remember 1t myself. Pat I wanted TO see
II your memory was az good as / have
often heard the old man say II was.
Whether It was the wine or the compli-
nent, matters not The fact remains that
the Jap smiled happily for hours The
dinners ended with the next, ana the Sec
retary's digestion was saved.