The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-05-04
GOVERNORS DINNER.
By One Who Was One Of the
Seventeen.
IRON the Atchison GIobe.l


Welt. Possibly readers of the Globe
will be interested in knowing how the
bachelor governor entertalns.
The governors residence is probably
the handsomest home in Kansas It
was built by a man named Bennett,
breeder of Percheron horses, at a cost
OF 5000. But the woolly-legged Perche-
ron horses were too slow for Kansas;
they reminded people of oxen, and Ben
nett was compelled to sell his hle
house The state bought it for $4,000.
Governor Stanley was the first COVER
nor to occupy it. The last legislature
made an appropriation for fixing it up,
and the improvements were completed
only a few days before the presidents
visit.
I arrived at the house at z o'clock,
with William Allen White. A crowd or
people surrounded the place, and police
officers were busy keeping them out OF
the yard. A colored boy wearing
white coat received us. and we hung
up our hats and overcoats in the hall.
We We're the first arrivals but Judge
Hook, Judge Johnston and Mort Al
I baugh came Immediately after US. They
had heard down town that the presi-
dents train was an hour late, and, in
stead OF dinner being served at 7:l5, as
/ intended it was SIS when the guests
sat down.
The governors private secretary. Iar-
~ Bone, lives with him. Mr. Bone and
his wife come from a country town
about the size of Efingham, and, COM
ing from a country town ourselT, we
were very proud of them, the house
looked so nice. The governor was not
there; he was down at the station,
waiting for the president, and Mr.. and
Mrs. Bone did the honors.
Every room of the mansion is finished
in a different hard wood: it is said that
the library was finished in walnut by
workmen from the Pullman shops in
Pullman, Ill. The floral decorations
were extensive, but in excellent taste.
There was trailing green stuff every
where, and vines growing over the
mantles, from pots or the thing below.
In the library, there was the hand
soonest display of American beauty roses
we have ever seen. There were flowers
in every room, but, so far as we were
able to judge the taste displayed was
excellent; not too much of anything.
The principal rooms down stairs are
the enormous hall, the double parlors,
the library, and the dining room. The
guests sat in the back parlor, convers-
ing good naturally. Every electric light
was burning. from cellar to dome. Dur
ing a pause in the conversation, I re-
marked:
What an opportunity for the lights
to go out!"
Within two seconds. every light in the
house went out, as they have a habit
of doing. Then there was genuine ex-
element Mr.. Bone rushed to the tele-
phone, and called up the electric light
Office. Mrs. Bone began looking for
lamps but there was not one in the
house. The light fixtures were double,
for gas and electric lamps, but the
guests struck matches. and discovered
that the gas had been turned off. Final
ly, an old lantern from the cellar was
found by a servant, and one little red
candle; the candle looked as though it
had done duty at some time on a birth
day cake.
The president was expected every mo-
I ND DIN 1nr II
and his wife felt. The lights had been
tested by the electric light people that
afternoon, and pronounced perfect. (The
cause of the trouble probably was over
| loading the fuse leading into the house:
1 too many lights burning.) Mrs. Bone
/ sent q servant hurriedly to a grocery
store for candles Another servant went
to a neighbours to look for coal oil
/ lamps One neighbor came in, a Mr..
Frost, to be Synpath etic. But he made
matters worse, by looking out the front
door every minute, and saying, There
they come noWl" although they didn't
come for twenty minutes.
Finally, away down the street. cheer
ing could be heard: the president and
his party We're approaching; no doubt
this time. What would the governor
say when he drove up, and found his
mansion dark! This question was on
every lip. Every other house in the
neighborhoOd was brightly Illuminated,
4 but the governors mansion, where the
/ PRESIDENT was 10 De entertained was
dark. The cheering came nearer rapid
ly; the streets were lined with people
for miles. At last the cheering broke
out in front of the house, but the house
was still dark The front door opened
during the confusion, and Governor
Bailey's voice inquired quickly: What's
the matter with the ights?'
Harry Bone, private secretary. met
! Governor Bailey and President Roose-
4 Welt at the front door, carrying the lit
! 10 cd aInff n his RIGHT hand
It was the only light in the house. Mr..
/ Bone explained the accident. and said
that there was an electrician in the
garrett The governor and president
hurried upstairs. followed by Mr. Root,
secretary of war; DR.. Rixey, Mr. Butler.
president of Columbia university and
other notables.
Imagine the state of things. if you
I can: we cant describe it. Occasionally
/ a guest would strike a match, and Mrs
Bone and the servants could be seen IN
/ hurried consultations, but there were
no lamps, and no candles. The presi-
dent and members of his party were in
their rooms, dressing for dinner, as
/ best they could, without lights
An orchestra was stationed some
where in the house, and it began play
/ ing Red White and Blue the play
ers being unable to see their music.
/ Suddenly there was a flash, and the
/ lights came back as quickly as they
/ had departed. The guests were delight
ed. and talked about the incident with
much interest. It so happened that all
/ the guests were standing in the back
parlor in circle. We had almost for
gotten the president. when the governor
suddenly appeared in the room with the
president 1t happened that I was the
first guest introduced, although I had
planned to be the last. Mr.. Roosevelt
said few words to each guest, as in
troduced. and seemed especially inter
ested in each one. He completed the
circle, and stopped where he had start
ed Then he began a rapid flow of con-
versation with different gentlemen; it
happened that stood by his side for 20
minutes. or until dinner was announc-
ed He is not quite SO large as we had
expected He weighs probably 100
pounds; he is probably five feet six or
seven. He is thoroughly tanned, from