Omaha daily bee., 1903-05-31

In the library there was the handsomest
display OF American beauty roses we have
ever seen. There were flowers in every
room, but, as far as we were able to Judge,
the taste displayed was excellent-not too
much of anything.
Not n Hitch.
The dinner was served in courses, and
there was not a single hitch. 1t was prob
ably the most successful social junction
ever given in Kansas.
There were three Tuxedos in the party.
They were worn by Mr.. Root, Mr., White
and Judge Hook. The other guests wore
the usual swallowtail coats. There were
FIVE black ties and twelve white ones.
Three guests wore tied ties, the others
seemed to wear dickies. The president
wore a black tie, which he had apparently
tied himself. In the shirt fronts small
gold buttons predominated, with a few
pearl ones. (Both kinds three for a quar-
teri The standing and rundown collars
were about an even break. One man, Mr..
Loomis, had a stripe down his pantaloons
eve confess that we did not notice these
details; we got them from Old Bill White.)
There were four colored walters. The
first course was a fruit salad; fruit mixed
with cubes of toasted bread floating around
In II; then escalloped fish, served on half
shells, with brown bread sandwiches; then
sweetbreads on toast; then squads, with
green peas, with white bread sandwiches;
then spring chicken. with new potatoes and
asparagus tips. Somewhere during the
dinner a hot biscuit, small and delicate,
appeared on each plate. Then there was
coffee In regular cups, with cream and
sugar offered; then frozen egg nogg; then
shrimp salad.
(The president inquired here: Governor
Bailey, did these shrlmps come from Kan
sas?" the governor having said that the
bill OF fare was made up largely of Kan
sas products. You know how a preachers
joke goes; well, It's nothing to a presi-
dents joke; we all roared)
Then came brick ice cream, with straw
berries and little balls Of cocoanut. Then
cake and black coffee. There were stuffed
olives on the table and radishes in cut
glass dishes.
The chandelier above the dining table,
a fine one, was beautifully decorated with
trailing greens. These greens also APP
peared In the center OF the table in n
design. The dining room easily accom-
modated the seventeen guests. The room
Is a high one. with a hardwood ceiling.
Talked Easily and Naturally.
During the dinner, which lasted about
an hour and forty minutes, the guests
talked easily and naturally with those
nearest them. Frequently the president
addressed some one opposite him and
told n story, and how we all laughed
at the point! Still, some OF the stories
were good. 1 shall save them for private
use and say hereafter. "the president told
me an interesting anecdote at Topeka, -
etc. The president did me the honor TO
address me when he referred to Eugene
Ware, whom he complimented highly.
The presidents favorite swear word Is
by George!' He also says bully fire.
quently. Mr.. Root talked generally on
two occasions, and we laughed nearly as
much at his jokes as we did at those OF
the president, as he Is the most important
member of the cabinet and may be COM
PEELED to handle our war with Russia.
I don't say it because I was invited 20
his dinner, but Governor Bailey starts out
as though he will become the most popular
governor the state has ever had. He IL
popular in Topeka, and looks M well in a
plug hat as any OF the presidents party.
His bachelor dinner was a success. but he
confessed to me that he had q great deal
OF assistance from 1.-THE ueighbors." A
Topeka woman who is a professional
caterer 1--WE have forgotten her name) had
charge OF the dinner, and bossed things in
the kitchen. No wines were served, al
though the prohibitionists may complain
because OF a slight dash of rum In the
eggnogg.
or course there was a fine display Of
cut glass, and silver. mainly forks. few
spoons. Mr., Loomis, who sat on my right,
became tangled somewhere, and was short
a fork at the close. Dave Mulvane, on
my left, had an extra one, being thrifty.
so I quietly sneaked the extra one, and
passed IL over TO Mr.. LOomls. who COM
pleted the dinner without disaster !
watched the president when a new course
was served, as though II were a pleasure
TO admire so great a man, but in reality
I was observing whether he used a fork or
a spoon. Had he used a spoon where a
fork was called for by Edward Box, the
other guests, as loyal subjects, would have
Of course followed his example and risked
Mr.. Bok's rage.
To a man who puts on a dress suit only
once in several years, a function Is a task
it's a smart woman who can get me ready
under an hour. But the Topeka men attend
so many that they don't mind them. When
there is a corner stone laying at 5 and
dinner at 7 they change to full dress 80
quickly that I suspect they use an ap.
paratus like the hremen have at engine
houses for throwing harness on the FIRE
horses. Frank p. MaeLennan made q
quick change that could ave been accom-.
plished In no other way.