The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1901-01-03
TWISTS In SPELLBINDING


Governor woodruff In Kansas
Town-Pnrade Up the Street Like Il
Minstrel sho1v-Best Ram Mt a Wed"
ding Am Introduction by Mark Ham
ma.
The campaign orator out of a job sat
on the sofa in the hotel corridor and Ia
mented that there hadn't been a
change of admnistra ton, that is to say
of republican administration, because
then, as he confded to the reporter,
you seeI might be having the fun and
excitement of hunting for an office,
whereas Mckinley has really nothing to
give out. / had good deal of pleasure
out Of the campaign and 1 should like
to keep 1t up. Perhaps it was because
it was my first experience in stamping
that l managed to extract d great deal
Of pleasure out of it, and l confess I oc-
cupied the center of the stage just long
enough to want some more of it.
The most amusing experience l had
was, | think. in a good sized city in
central Kansas. | had Travelled all day
to beach there and it was about six
O'Clock atnisht when the train pulled
into the station. There seemed to be a
great connection a the station. A
brass band was hurting great sound
waves against the sides OF the station
and the throbbing of the locomotive
couldn't be heard at all. l looked for a
visiting delegation of firemen or some
sc 1t, oil INC
our way to the platform. | carried a
big grig and little one and I had some
difficulty in getting down the steps. /
yelled into the brakemans ear, asking
him what was going on He said he
guessed some patent medicine man was
having a send-off or a blowin. l
looked about with a good deal of inter-
est. The platform of the station was
damned and there seemed a goodly pro-
portion of solid citizens down there,
One man came up to me and asked If
I was the speaker who was to talk
there that night and I said l was, He
shook hands with me after l let my
grips fall to the platform and I tried
to ask him some questions, but the
noise of the band was too much and 1
gave it up. Presently others came for
ward and I could see by the lip motion
that I was being introduced to them
one after another.
"All the time I kept looking for the
firemen's parade, or visiting lodge or
a travelling fakir, or something like
that to account for the band | wanted
to get away and go to a hotel. made
motions to that effect, and the first cit
lien shouted in my ear that they would
take care Of me. At last there came a
soft place in the music and | mentioned
that we were having quite a concert I
wanted to be agreeable, and the first
citizen said that they wanted to do the
right thing. l responded by saying that
it was quite a compliment made an
other attempt to break away, but
failed, and then during another soft
place in the music I was introduced to
the county judge, several Of the clergy
men of the town and some of the lead.
ing members of the bar and Of the local
board of trade.
THAT band kept on tearing the air,
and some of those western bands are
the greatest atmosphere rippers on the
face of the earth-nothing but a lorna
do can beat EN-, and / kept growing
impatient. The first citizen saw that l
had had enough of coou-song well
come and at a signal the Sousa march
part of the entertainment began Then
there came nod and another signal
and a hundred small boys started UP
the street. Then there came a gorgeous
drum major | started to move one
side to let the rest of the procession go
by but the first citizen put his hands
behind me- gave me gentle shove and
by various motions conveyed the idea
that l should fall in. | thought he was
going along and | picked up my grips.
Somehow or other l found myself swept
INTO the parade. and as we swung
around the corner and into the main
street it dawned on me that I was it;
all this was for meand the noise had
been so great they they could not ex-
plain 1t to me and, besides, it was evil
dent that they wanted to give me a
surprise.
Now the committee of reception had
got ratified, it was plain to be seen.
they neglected to take my grips And
20 we swept up into town in great style.
FIRST there was the small boys escort,
hen the drum major, then the band
With it's cloud-piercing shafts Of noise,
hen I came, in division all by my
elf. The committee of preachers
Judges, lawyers and business men re- ,
NAMED behind at a distance Of a hun !
red feet / made a noble figure trudg- ,
ng into town with my head up, chest
brown out, eyes to the front and car
ying two grips while the populace
we're two deep on the sidewalk The Sc
ret A,came out later. My name is
7 come from New York and
NOW Governor Roosevelt fairly WE'LL
ave a smooth face and am about for
y; the committee thought 1t was Lieu
enant-Governor Woodruff of New Y
york state that had arrived and, of e
curse, there had to be some painful
explanations on both sides. At last '
1ey could see the joke and when they s
ound that I was amused about it there @
as good laugh all around and I real c
had a better meeting because of it. \
didn't have any brass band escort to e
le station next morning. 1 told the n
ommittee they might as we'll save the h
Expense. 7
During my speaking I usually told a :
DRY about an Irishman named O'Gra- "
y. Il was u bowling sood story.
as speaking in a small Nebraska a
)wn when / first told it and / was de- h
n hpWa II mako in sta nj hit