Evening star., 1898-10-24
Mr.. FRYE WAS AN OYSTER
Something Dropped at Saturdays Session
of the Peace Commission.
What II Was Mrs. Frye is Not Able to
Tell Her Read

Mrs. VIM. P. Frye. who accompanied her
husband to Paris, is writing some bright
and readable letters from there to the
Lewiston (Me.) Journal. The following is
from her last letter:
PARIS, October 6.-Last Saturday at the
first meeting of the joint commission 1
think something dropped; what, 1 do not
know. Mr.. Frye seemed very savage, but
was a perfect oyster.
think he might have told me something.
don't you? So that 1 could have told the
Journal and the folks at home.
Mr.. Mack, the Associated Press man,
says he was never in a place before where
he could not find a loop hole. He is almost
,, mind to go home and give it up bad
job-"too secret. altogether" and l think
so too. A man ought to tell his wife just a
little bit, but L cannot get word.
Monday they had a long session, at the
close of which the Spaniards demanded and
secured an adjournment to Friday-why, 1
do not know, but a newspaper man told me
| that the president, Senior Rios was terribly
busy cabling to Madrid. Whether any de-
mands had been made by the chairman of
Cur commission (as he suggested) remains
to be seen. 1 don't believe they will have
many more recesSeS.
Chairman Day is quite a meek-looking
man, talks little. does not express his 0pin-
ions openly, but is gritty clear through,
and will not put up with a great deal of
fooling from any Spanish senor here Tues
day General Merritt reported to our COM
missioners, and the day was spent in hear
ing written reports of his officers and his
statements, the latter continuing through
Wednesday.
General Merritt is fine soldierly looking
man, six feet. we'll proportioned His face
has a ruddy hue, showing the effects of
Manilas warm sky, good honest face,
pleasant to look at. General Merritt says
that there has been very little sickness
among his troops-or had been when he left
though for three weeks the heavens open
ed wide. and the waters poured upon the
his soldiers.
Tuesday. accompanied by our ambassa-
dor, Mr.. Porter, our commissioners were
presented to the president of the French re-
public. Mr.. Frye says he is a large, very
fine-looking man, with a wonderfully me-
lodious voice Mr.: Day. our chairman, read
Mckinley, then gave it to him. whereupon
he replied in highly complimentary words
He talked a little in English. He is
sportsman and while hunting in England
picked up this little. His father was a tam
ner and he learned the trade. 1t is said
here, meeting as he has diplomats from
slipped. said or done other than the right
thing. His wife is not at all his equals
plain in features, large and badly gowned
and not very acceptable to the French gen.
try.
Tuesday, reading in the paper that Ma
dame Iarnot, Wlfe OF the former president
of the republic, was to be buried from the
Church of the Madeleine, near by, l, with
another lady, took walk out to the pro-
cession. 1t was really worth seeing First
came carriages containing bearers and
priests, next carriage, or kind of plat
form built up high containing all manner
of funeral wreaths-pieces of all shapes and
colors, followed by the hearse, open, and
the coffin hidden by orchids and other rare
kinds of flowers from friends.
The three sons of the deceased came
next, on foot; then the ladies of the family
in close carriages, following them the min
listers of the government members of par
liament, etc, etc; company of soldiers
and lastly, servants of the family - all
riages We're gay in their silver mount:ngs
horses gaily caparsoned. The people stood
with uncovered heads as the coruege
passed
Madame Carnot was very much beloved
by all.
yesterday, Thursday, by invitation from
Mr.. Porter. our ambassador, We took a
tally-ho coach ride to Versailles The day
bowled along merrily, visited Grand Tria-
non, Petit Trianon, took lunch, then visited
the palace, where we spent a couple of
hours, returning home in season for our
o'clock dinner.
The dinner given us Wednesday evening
by our ambassador was an elegant affair
In the center of a table around which were
seated tWenty-four, was a magnificent ar
rangement of ilowers-roses out of whose
cLnters came electric light, the bI!1 of
which was about as large as a th,Elbie,
giving very fine effect. The dinner was
OF eight courses, well served, all Americans
there, and We all enjoyed it very much