The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-07-08
SOME SIDE LIGHTS
Humors of the Convention
Caught From Day to
Day.
New York Times.l


St Louis. July Sin a black al
paca Jacket, William j. Bryan stepped
out of the Jefferson. and Immediately
the swarm of photographers who were
swapping prominent men held him up.
BRYAN assumed an agreeable smile,
and posed. Just as the picture was
taken the inevitable man who wants
the honor of shaking a statesman's
hand, came up and made the ineVita-
BILE speech, beginning:
"Mr. Bryan, | voted for you twice,
and I should be delighted to have the
opportunity, etc.
This man had a little five-year-
girl with him, and Bryan took the
little ones hand. Instantly the de-
lighted photographers sent up
shout:
Hold her hand, Mr.. Bryan"
They yelled frantically, at the
same time getting their cameras into
position again. Bryan looked resign
ediy at the big crowd that had gath
cred, and took the chiId's hand again
while the photographers snapped him.
Then along came a new batch of
photographers, imploring the Nebras-
kan to take her hand again, and so for
five minutes, surrounded by the
laughing crowd, he stood grasping the
hand of the little girl who seemed
pleased at the attention she was get
ting, but frightened at the shouts or
the photographers.
I'm glad my wife isn't here" said
Mr. Bryan, when he was at last releas-
ed from his captivity. Holding a
girls hand this way for five minutes
I'm a public screet!"
John Sharp Williams. who is to be
the temporary chairman of the con-
vention. has been in st. Louis for the
past week. When he came here he
registered at the Inside Inn, the inn
mense caravansary inside the Worlds
Fair grounds Yesterday when some
of the political leaders desired to get
into communication with him they
went to the Inside Inn. only to learn
that Mr.. Williams had paid his bill
and left the place.
The hotel people did not know
where he had gone, and it was only
after several hours of inquiry that
those who were hunting the minority
leader got track of him. They To-
Gated him in a boarding house on
Washington avenue.
When asked what had induced him
to take up his quarters in such an
out-of-the-way place. Mr.. Williams re-
piled:
well. you see, boys. / do want to
stay here until the convention is over,
and | felt / had to economic little
to make my funds last through next
week"
While the headquarters of Senator
Cockrell are next to the New York
Headquarters in the Southern, the
great gathering place of the Missouri
politicians is the Laclede. which is to
the Missouri Democrats what the
Hoffman House is to the New York
Democrats.
There are circular writing desks
around the pillars in the Laclede ro-
tunda, and just above them is a sign
which reads:
Don't put your feet on the desk
Thirteen Parker men from New
York, including ex-senator Hill, loom
ed up at the clerks desk in the South
ern Hotel and registered. AS they
did SO verybody looked at the clock.
1t was exactly 13 minutes past 6.
"Gee' said Southern delegate, as
the party travelled over toward the ell
cvator eff Hill can overcome such
thirteen hoodoo as that his luck must
have changed. Wait for the balloting
and see.
One feature of life in st. Louis is
little staggering to the wayfarer from
New York On the great broad stairs
of the Jefferson leading up from the
lobby to the floor above. pretty girls
and their escorts sit all day long
watching the surging crowd below.
The stairs are used as regular re-
cognized vantage ground from which
to view place of amusement, the
lobby being the show. Some OF the
girls sit there for hours at time,
guessing at the identity of the polltl-
clans below. When one couple go
their places are taken by another