The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-08-09
and swan back.

ten-thousand-word dash. eh?''
I am q pretty rapid writer, and accept
ed the challenge; but. Lord save us! I
wasn't in it for an instant for the Presi-
dents method left me not a loophole to win
through. The essay on Cromwell he did
with his left hand. the Introduction with
his right, and he dictated the bear story
and letter to old "Bill' Sewall simultane-
ously to two stenographers. who sat on
either side Of him. By actual count had
put down 2.6s3 words. when the President
arose and announced that the time was up;
his 10000 words and about 5000 more were
ready for the printer. and had to con-
fess myself ignominiously licked
"An aboard for the Sylph," my host cried
cheerily, land, by the way. Jenkins. this
Sylph business is confidential go aboard
of her incog.. dressed as an ordinary jacky.
They say I keep her for my own pleasure
and comfort, whereas, as matter OF fact,
I have her here Just to keep myself in
physical trim to met the exactions of my
office. What I need more than anything
else is exercise and from II to every day,
without anybody but the Secretary OF the
Navy and the captain being aware Of It.
I 20 aboard, polish up the brasses. swao
the decks, heave the anchor and oil up the
engines. do not want this to get out. so
please don't print word about tt-that Is,
not before next Sunday"
I promised faithfully not to betray the con-
nCenC0 mus ItPOSSu ia iiioS uAo 10 N0 hAoS y
than kept my word, for at this writing 1t
is now the Sunday after the one referred
to by the President.
We drove down to the pier, where / ex-
pected we would be met by a launch. but
there was no such idea in the Presidents
mind: moreover. there was no Sylph in
sight
..Mr, Moody" said the President to the
Secretary of the Navy, who turned up at
this moment, and. pointing to a small fiat
bottorned rowboat hitched to the dock,
You get in the stern and steer. Jenkins
and will row you out to the yacht. I've
had her stationed down at New Rochelle
this morning. 1t will be q pleasant little
| diversion.
| There was nothing to do but fall in with
| the Presidents ideas, and although the
place where my spine usually repoaes was
| now filed with an aching substance that
| resembled calve' s-foot jelly more than any
other solid known to me, I bent to the
| work in hand. and, az far as am aware,
did not materially impede the progress OF
our craft by my handling Of the oars.
Great, isn't lit" cried the President, en-
| Enthusiastically. after he had pulled steadily
| for five miles.
| Its sublime" gasped.
"oar inspiring" said Secretary Moody,
who il quite dab at nautical jokes.
| WINNING HIS WAY.
| It was midday when we drew up along
! side of the Sylph, and for the next two
hours the presidential party was every
| where. The main brass pinnacle was pol
| ished untii-it shone like purest gold; the
! deck was swabbed until the planks be-
came perilously thin for heavy persons to
| walk on: the anchor was hove and
{ weighed and weighed and hove until the
cables sizzled in the water with the heat OF
their friction with the cardboard sfrakes. the
capstan was reefed and double-reefed until
It could be reft no more; the starboard
gan was rubbed down until It almost cried
for mercy; the main hatchway was slewet