The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-07-10
Epist|es to St. Paul.

Shriners like fun, but AL G. Field, the min
strel man, thinks they had their share re-
Gently at his expense. Theodore L. Hays
said yesterday that Field was the host Of
the Ohio delegation that journeyed to the
grand conclave in Texas last month. The
trip to the Lone Star state was made In his
own palace car. Thinking to make his guests
comfortable. Just before leaving Columbus
ne mad handsome bath tub put into the car,
ana dilated upon the great delight 1t would be
10 get up every morning and take a plunge
before breakfast The day that the trip to
the South was inaugurated AL was late in
arriving at the car. Before him party of
Shriners who were unable to make the trip
called to bid their brothers bon voyage. The
porter Of the car. delighted with the furnish
1ngs. showed the party through and dwelt
lovingly over the bath tub. while he explained
what a great inventive mind Mr.. Field was
possessed Of. By ruse the porter was sent
out of the car. and in less time than it takes
to tell 1t that fine bath tub was transformed
into tub filled with 300 pounds of cracked ice
upon the top Of which rested snugly sundry
cold bottles. containing what the Shriners
call "Zem-Zem." Nothing was said, and the
next morning, rolling along toward st. Louis,
the Dig minstrel man awoke. The bath tub
was uppermost In his mind, and he repaired
TO the compartment at once. Lifting the
haf-melted Ice and the cold bottles floating
around. The porter was summoned. and
what the minstrel man didn't say to that
ebony-hued young man was not worth men
tion1ng. Then the porter explained that 1t
must have been done while the men were in
the car at Columbus. Field saw the Joke
and said nothing. 1t got noised about In st.
Louis when the train arrived. and that even
Ing when the party pulled out the Mound
City shriners kept AL uptown while COM
mittee again loaded the bath tub. At Dallas
the story was told and again AL was caught
by his fellow Shriners. He was getting mad
by this time. but the joke was maintained
with added persistency even on the home
trip Field and his bath tub got to be
standing joke. After many trials and tribu-
lations he arrived home at Columbus and,
telling his wife Of the pranks that he had
been the victim Of, vowed that he was 60
ing to get good bath at last. Going into his
own bath room, the genial AL was nearly
knocked for a twister. There before his
very eyes was his own bath tub, within the
sacred portals Of his home. filled to the brim
with Ice and wine and onions, carrots, cab
bages and other vegetables. The victim
rubbed his eyes thrice to make sure that he
olont nave the bath tubs which had been an
eyesore on the trip At this critical stage
Mrs. Fled came to the rescue and told her
hege lord that his fellow Shriners In Column
bus. who had heard of the bath tub affair.
mad prevailed upon her to let them stock It
with the ice and other stuff. AL has survived
the shock. but says that the next time he
takes trip Of the kind special porter and
paddock for his improvised bath tub will
be essential features
OF course it would be unkind to give his
Of
sey found 1t necessary yesterday to ask that
he be excused from acting as officer Of the
day. In making his request, he explained
that 1t was with no intent to shirk his du y.
but he said there were pressing reasons why
he could not appear. 1t was explained that
he would have to give good and sufficient
reason or his request could not be Crane
WELL" he said, "it will be Sunday and
there will be a large number of visitors on
the ground no doubt. My uniform has rot
come. l can't wear my dress suit. These
duck trousers are all that possess, and 1
can't say that l want to be on parade all 6ay
In pair of sailor ducks tucked in a pair Of
leggins''
Adjt. Catlan studied the problem over for a
few minutes and decided the reasons given
were good and sufficient and the captain will
not be visible today. After the captain hal
taken his departure the adjutant mumbed
something under his breath ab3ut the lac.
that duck trousers, whether soiled or clean.
might be the real thing in some of the hot
climates that are staring the Fifteenth in the