Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-04-29
ONE ON THE INTERVIEWER

The most artistic tanning that ever go
| at the hands Of man whom had selected
as the victim of an interview" said a Chi
casa correspondents, happened out In the
| town of Boreas about year before the
worlds fair. "A man came along to one OF
the big hotels by the name of Jephson.
saw his name4on the register and said l to
myself in ;nyScrafY tone: My boy when i,
comes to a matter 81 memory you're four
ply wonder. fhis iban registers from Lon
don and his pame Is Jephson. Jephson's a
peculiar name, but I've got 1t all tabled
down all right. There was a chap who was
along with Stanley in darkest Africa on
that last big expedition of the African ex-
plorer. and Jephson distinguished himself
This is the boy. I'll bet myself that I'm
the only hotel reporter in Chicago VINO re-
members that such a fellow as Jephson ever
nved. III lust get some hot talk out of
MIN about the partition of Africa the land
grabbing propensties Of certain nations,
ETC.
Il sent my card up to Jephson. and he
sent back word for me TO come right up.
| found him a bright Scotchrrlan with a
Scotch brogue that you could cut up into
strips He was laxative. too. l didn't go
r1ght ahead and tackle him on the subject
OF mis- African experiences, but permitted
MIN to drift into general talk for a while.
He was very much interested in Chicago.
he told me. 1t was his first visit to Chicago.
ana there were lot of things about the
town that he wanted to know about. Now.
knew Chicago like a book, and for a
straight hour l answered Jephsons ques-
lions about Chicago, he making elaborate
notes in d book while l replied to his
queries. At the end of an hour | pulled UP
suddenly with the reflection that WASH t
making much Roadway toward getting an
African talk out of my man. So ] conclud-
ed to wade into that subject.
Ihere's whole lot of Chicago said l.
a in cd q no d
die of Africa
Then I waited for his face to light up
with a superior smile over his profound
knowledge of Africa But it didn't light up
at all.
g is that so?' he asked me- Well, just
ten me something about the environs of
Chicago, will you please?
Il wanted to be obliging so l went ahead
and told him all / knew, which was con-
siderable. about the suburbs of the big
town. When I came to a pause, l walked
In boldly and asked him:
how long do you suppose it'll be before
the English succeed in subjugating the Sou
dam
He looked at me bankly
m sure L haven't the least idea he
replied. Never paid the slightest attention
to that subject. The English are doing
SUCH a lot of subjugating work all over the
world, yknow. that 1t is pretty hard to
Keep track of it all But. l say, where did
you say this Englewood place is, and what
cars do you take to-
Wait a minute said l. Aren't you the
Jephson who made that last trip with STAN
ley into equatorial Africa?
why, no., my man replied. How did
you ever get hold of such an idea as that
But, hold-come to think of it, there was a
chap named Jephson-A. l. Montenay Jeph-
son, think-who went along with Stanley
on that trip. Die think l was that Jeph-
son.? r"
I decidedly did, said l.
He smiled amiabiy
very natural idea I suppose he said.
But Great Britain is full of Jephsons. I'm
IN the employ of the publishers of series
or guldebooks myself, and I'm over on this
side to prepare a guide to the United States
IN anticipation of Il great amount of Eu-
ropean travel to the worlds fair. And I'm
greatly obliged for the information voI'va
given me- Now, where did you say that
park was that
But was already backing out of the
room on the double"