River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1899-12-21
ARE TRULY MODEST.
Americas Great Men Reflect Credit
Upon the Nation.
They Are Home-Lovers and Devoted
30 Family Life-Lessons to De
Learned from Their Expe-
m and Successes.
TspeciaI washlngton Letter.l

I1RVN%1A " 1AtAtA WI
This is the story of an %eyentful day
in the national capital; a story which
ought to have been told long ago. 1t
is a little story Of personal experience,
and yet it may give the reader an in
sight into the way things are done,
and an idea of what manner of men are
those whose regulations are world
wide.
On February is, 1899, l received a tel
egram from the managing editor of a
Philadelphia newspaper, saying: Il
am coming to Washington on Wash
ington's birthday, bringing with me a
party of young ladies, and we would
like to be introduced to Gen. Miles;
also to the president, if possible"
/ went to army headquarters, and
showed the telegram to Gen. Miles,
who said: Tell your editor that l will
be here in my Office at noon, on Feb
ruary %, and | will be glad TO meet
with him and his visiting friends.
They must be prompt, however, as |
have other engagements for that day,
and cannot wait for them unless they
are acre on time"
Very soon thereafter a telegram was
sent to Philadelphia saying: The ma
jor general commanding directs that
you shall report at army headquarters
promptly at noon on February %,
with your escort"
Fastening then TO the white house,
j called upon the president, who said:
although no business will DE trans
acted on W~ashington's birthday, and
the government departments will all
be closed, I shall be here attending to
many matters of important business,
and will be pleased to receive the Wis
itors.''
Ten minutes before ~ o'clock the
Philadelphia editor, with a party of
IL young ladies, walked into the war
department building, and were escort
ed to the office of the distinguished
soldier, who greeted them very cor
daily. He told them a story of his
last visit to Philadelphia, when. stand
ing upon a balcony with Admiral
Schley, they could see several hun
dred ladies and gentlemen. Gen. Miles
said to the admiral: "Schley, if you
were as young as Hobson, and would
blaze the way, we could go down there
and have the pleasure of kissing a lot
of pretty girls; but / guess you won't
blaze the way" The general said that
Schley replied: mo, l am not anxious
to kiss the girls, but if you viii blaze
the way, | will follow you"
The young ladies heartily enjoyed
this informal manner of greeting, and
laughed merrily as the general told
the story. As we were arising to de-
part Il of the young ladies walked
up to the general and said: Il have
here n of your photographs, and
would like to have your autograph
upon it,"
AS Gen. Miles sat down to write his
name on the photograph the editor
said: There is a girl who viii blaze
the way for her companions" The
general smiled as he wrote his name,
and when he arose, he kissed the young
lady, and then each of the girls came
in for a kiss, which the general gave
them in most hearty style.
We then called upon Admiral Schley,
who received us very graciously; par
ticularly because the Philadelphia peo-
pie had only recently raised upwards
of $4,000 by popular subscription, and
presented the admiral with a beau
tiful sword. l told the admiral that
Gen. Miles had told us the story
about blazing the way, and that he
had kissed all of the GIRLS The hero
of Santiago replied: "Miles shan't out
do me in gallantry," and he kissed the
girls, too. Mrs. Schley came out of