The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-07-26
GHOSTS OF THE
CHIEF EXECUTIVES
Uncle Jerry Smith"Converses
with Them All, He Says.
WHITE. HOUSE CHARACTER
His Philosophy ofLife and His
important Position.

There is no doubt of that. Uncle Jer-
ry' knows it as well as anybody. He
has no false idea of his position, power
and perogatives. He is the duster-in-
chief. His insignia of office is one of the
long, turkey-feather implements a gener-
Gus government provides in great num-
bers. None of the ordinary colored folks
about the mansion where the Presidents
live can tell Jerry what to do. He gets
his orders from headquarters, and he has
3 lively contempt for newcomers.
Jerry is a fixture He has been in the
White House since Gen. Grants time.
In those days he was coachman and a
smart one. He was an imposing figure
on the box, with his crinky white mus
tache waxed TO points and his glorious
imperial waving in the breeze.
Now he is TOO old to drive the Presi-
Dental team, so he keeps the dust off the
pictures in the great East Room and sees
that the brass is polished until it shines.
He knows everybody who comes to see
the President with any regularity, and he
has the courtly manners of a cavalier.
To see Jerry make a bow, with a flourish
of his duster and to hear him say Ser
vice, subj is a liberal education in the
art of respectful attention.
Not that Jerry loses any dignity when
he bows and scrapes. Far from it. He is
a certain fixed factor of the government.
What would happen TO the affairs of
state If Jerry should retire is fearsome to
contemplate He had to be there, dis
creetly in the background, but not too
far back at that. to smile and bow at the
great men who come in, and to give them
a genuine Virginia welcome.
In the old days nobody's visit was COM
plete unless Jerry was In the corridor
theoretically busting, but in reality TAX
ing some of the cares Of incessant greet
ing from the shoulders of the boss up
stairs. 1t was impossible to lose Jerry.
Now that the offices of the President
have been moved to the squat little brick
building over on the state, war and navy
side Jerry has been reduced to purely do
:nestic functions. He only welcomes when
there are people IN for luncheon or din
rkr This may be said TO be a curtail-
ment of Jerry's prevalence, but In no way
lessons the regards for Jerry's services.
Jerry is popular. The great men like
him and after he has made his bow. pass
the time of day with him. Only last win
ter Jerry was at the market with his
basket on his arm, looking for a Sunday
dinner Senator Billy Mason. of Illi-
nois, came along, Totund ana jolly.
'Ieno, Jerry" he said.
Service. suh,' answered Jerry.
what are you looking so glum about?'
Deed. Mistuh Senator, this yere's a
mighty fine 'possum I'm regardin'-a
shorely mighty fine 'possum."
well, why don't you buy it?''
Quit your jokin'. Mistuh Senator, quit
your jokin' We all must have cornmeal
and hawg at my house, an in these yere
times there amt no 'possum, not any
a'tall.'
Senator Mason sighed. Il guess you'll
have to have II. jerry" he said.
Service, subj said Jerry ,as he put
the 'possum in his basket.
Jerry bears the same relation to his
work. in his own mind, as the old negro
at the Capitol who works in one of the
scrubbing gangs. This old man was put
at work before the war and he has been
there ever since. scrubbinS faithfully.
His name is David A year or two ago 1t
was decided to get rid of David. The
boss of the gang discharged him. David
looked up uncomprehendingly and went
on working. Next morning he was there
with his bucket and mop. He was dis
charged again. and again came back
Then the BOSS of the gang gave it up as
a bad job
He told sergeant-at-Arms Ransdell that
he couldn't discharge old David He
wouldn't be discharged. Send him to
me-" said .Ransdell, very firm.
David came tottering in. David. said
Ransdell in his best basso profunda voice,
1--WE have got TO put a younger man in
your place. You are discharged.
whats that Massa Ransdell?"
fsYou're discharged, tell you"
David smiled a smile of infinite wis
dom. He knew what Mr. Ransden was
irving TO do go along with your foolin.
Massa Ransdell. You-all am keepin me
from my w-uk" And he went back to
his scrubbing. and Is scrubbing Yet.
That's Jerry's case. If anybody should
try to discharge him he simply wouidnt
be discharged. Luckily nobody will try
Il. for. when he isn't busting, Jerry has
fine times looking after the Roosevelt
children. They all love him.
Jerry and Pop Pendel. the aged ush-
er who has been at the White House
since the time Of Lincoln. hold long con-
versations together. They know things
about that historic place that others do
not dream about. That isn't strange, be
cause they have been there Tor more
than twenty-five years-Pendel more than
thirty and there is much that comes under /
the r.otice Of two men like Jerry and
Perdel. They see behind things.
Take Jerry. for instance. He knows
what he knows That active old brain
Of his hasn't been given up entirely 10 the
problem Of busting all these years. Those /
ewes haven't spent their entire time
see rching out familiar couutenances from
among the throng. so the proper greet /
tnrs rnisht lie extended. Net bit OF
II. Jerry has secrets OF his own. He H.,
seen things. He has been there night
and day. When everything is dark and /
c,..et JERRY knows who comes down the |
stairs and wanders around the corridors.
Yes, indeed,
up to the time they tore the inside |
out of this we're mansion. said Jerry, |
- wasn't alone here when people thought |
/ ives al BY myself. Deed I wasn't ] |
know secrets abou. this place. Fou-aii !
reeSn-t Iau2h. The Old mans bin a
watchin round yeor nisht times for a |
good many Yeas Yassir
Il seen 'ern-the spirits. mean. They !
used to cone round we're an talk TO me. |