The Washington times., 1904-07-16
LITTLE STORIES OF WASHINGTON LIFE
THE PRESIDENTS BACKBONE
(The Committeeman's Story.)

paragraph TO show Fabyan. but Fabyan
had gone West.
The next time it turned up Senator
Dumble had said az banquet that the
President had no more backbone than
a chocolate ecIair The Senator. who
had reasons OF his own for not wish
ing to adopt the founding, promptly
called on the editor and enlightened him.
but that did not stop the paragraph.
II went West, young man" and over
took its father Fabyan IN San Francisco.
where. al dinner. he heard the host
OF the evening say to his wife:
i hear that Secretary Fumble went
so Tar as 70 say that the President had
no more back bone than a chocolate
eclalr- Very bad taste in him. don't you
| think so?"
IT wasn't the Secretary, I am sure"
inufmured Mr. Fabyan, Gemurely. Il
khow hiw quite well, and he would
never say anything like that OF his
Official superior"
After that the paragraph seemed to
20 20 sleep for awhile. but II was
pIoDaDly travelling somewhere al that
lLne- Tor IN the middle Of the next
campaign II turned up in the shape of
q cartoon presenting the candidate who
was an old friend Of the President whose
os,S yOLS Iad 9een aspersed, as the
authof or the offending phrase: and the
campaign ms.nag gers, who had been fr-y-
/ ing to recot opposing factions. looked
! al the picture Of the candidate Ia A
( pastry-cook-s uniform, and svore.
Here. this Is getting TO be roo much
I or a good thing, said Tarbel. and he
showed the paragraph 10 Stevenson
who sent chaser after II in the form
/ OF an interview with the candidate
/ denying that he ever said any such
1 thing. But the ReXt thing they heard
/ Of II was when the editor-in-chief went
/ 70 dinner and heard IL retailed "a
All n FFal DE- i.
self at his own table.
| 'Umph! said Tarbell, clipping the
/ paragraph from the "SquawvilIe Mr.
ror." and the You Bet Sunaower -
| looks as II the poor man would go
/ down 70 his grave as the author Of a
I chocolate cellar eplgramr'
] Meanwhile the campaign managers
/ were scratching their heads. for the
/ story mad cropped ur IN the home coun-
/ ~ ~ the President. and spread Ike
/ quitch grass. Il threatened 70 parable.
/ the famous BuTchard ALTERATION In its
: power Tor harm. Peace societies took Il
up and ministers preached about il. They
| wished 20 know what the candi date had
/ against the delicious and inf4Ocuous
! chocolate eclair. and insinuated that ne
preferred raw beef On the eve OF cleo
| ton the Fabyans came back from their
| Western tour. and after = was all over
/ Of theirs. dropped in.
We'll said he, I'VE showed you IN
] der"
You did" said Fabyan
THE only thing that bothered me"
! went on the cOmmitte enan. half Ioc0se-
| ". was that fool story about the Pres
| ident having a backbone like a choco-
I late cellar, which they persisted IN lay
| ing on our doorstep. Only for that we'd
have had such walk-oveI that We
could have gone through the campaign
/ in hammocks."
Mrs Fabyan looked at her husband.
| He nodded. She told the story
! Christmas" said the committeeman.
! You see said Fabyan gravely, "a
/ fellow may be not unlmpOrtant fas-
tor IN a campaign. even If he IS a mere
] Democrat. a resident Of tie District OF
! Columbia, and the political equal OF
idiots women. and lunntics."
You may not believe this story, but II
is true. ! was Tarbell."