The evening times., 1900-02-03
DINING NEXT TO KRUGER.
GInm Companion. Although the
Guest OF Honor.
oFrum the New York 75mrs)

tFru1u the New trh I1WnS)
Having had the pleasure Of some small
preyious acquaintance with Sir Henry
Loeb. I left my card at his tent and had
the honor Of being invited 10 dine With
him On nv arrival al the tent. ! found 10
my surprise that / had been awarded The
unexpected favor cf sitting on one side Of
President Kruger. who was. Of cCur=e ,he
chief guest of the evening. The only eX-
planation / could ever suggesl TO myself
for this distinction lay in the supposluon
that the President who was much out CT
hun1or. had made himself so imp easant
10 the other members OF the conference
that | was put beside His Honor in order
70 act as a sort of buffer. The dinner was
hardly. | should say. a social success. Then,
as always. Sir Henry Loeb was the most
courteous and considerate of hosts
But all the courtesy and consideration
in the world cannot make a dinner 90 OF
pleasantly when the chief guest maintains
a glum silence. and refuses 10 answer any
question except through an interpreter,
and declines 70 follow mp any subject OF
conversation thai may be started. On my
being introduced to the President he ac-
knowledged the Introduction in a sort OF
cultural grunt. Undismayed by this Tecep-
ZION. ] thought it my duty to make some
effort 10 enter into conversation with my
neighbor | knew it was the custom among
The Beers to wish each other good appe-
tite" at the commencement of dinner,
and So in my best German. / made the re-
mark Herr President, gut appetit. His
only reply was to call out to the ntsrpTe-
ter as l was informed to ask what the
mar was saying, and being told, IA
yored me with another grunt, even more
cultural than its predecessor.
With this effort my own limited conver-
sational resources were exhausted, and ]
contented myself for the rest of the dinner
in studying the physiognomy of my taci-
turn neighbor. The impression left on my
mind then as on later occasions, was that
if had ever to write play in which the
leading character was that of a stage hyp-
ocrite of the Chadband order | should ad-
wise the actor of the part, If such thing
were possible. TO get himself up to resem-
bic Dom Paul. In saying this, | have no
wish to accuse the president of any moral
turpitude of character. Ny experience in
life has led me TO the conclusion that self
conscious. deliberate hypocrites are one of
the rarest products of human nature. No
man. | am convinced. can, a rule, prove
a successful imposter unless he has first
of all grown to believe in his own impOst-
ure. and if he does so believe he is not,
whatever else he may be- delibeate hpyo-
critic. My only reason for recording the
advice l should give TO the hypothetical
, actor of the leading part in my imaginary
play is that ! know not how otherwise to
convey my recollection of the appearance
of man destined to exercise an important
| influence on the history not only of South
Africa but of the British Empire. The
heavy jowl. the thick folds of flesh under
| lying the massive chin, the oily, unwhole-
some complexion, the small pig-like eyes,
| the scant greasy hair, the large coarse
| hands, the huge f1abby frame, the thick
sensuous lips the ill fitting shabby black
| suit, would all secure for the actor of such
| part as contemplate rounds Of applause
on his entrance upon the scene.