The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-01-29

II Judge Taft shook with suppressed
IN eatching the eye of the head of the
I'D lioh gave him a slow solemn wink and
,l9aaea across the table to where sat Paul
~ eon' struggling manfully but with in
Sin'.l' enl success against the embrace of
NJ, ,p,. pn i The President looked, and
tLen impulsively exclaimed:
Morton's Confession.
say Morton. what is the matter with
yeu9 You Rockwell, 1 never saw you in
TINS Tx before What Is it? own up Ike
man"
A blush suffused the rather boyish
countenance of. the navy chief Mr.
Hitchcock looked over his glasses with a
seoWi at the interruption, and then Mr.
Morton explained.
Wen L thought | might as well live up
to the part you gave me, so when South
efland and a few other friends in the
navy asked me to take a run down the
pay over Sunday l said yes. I'm just
naturally land lubber and there's no
living down the accusation. l was sick
from the time that diabolieal contrivance
left the navy yard until it got back
Thought was going to die.
Ihls confession caused such an uproar
that Judge Taft's new chair was in jeop-
ardy, and the last chapter in the land Of
flee frauds was consigned to oblivion.
There are four splendid story tellers
in the present cabinet and if the Presi-
dent be counted in, there are five. Mr.
Hay is good that when he was EN-
bassador to London even the English
were able to appreciate his jokes. Mr..
Shaw is the boast of the west, and as
raeonteur his rival is yet to be discover
ed Judge Taft is inimitabe and Mr..
Wynne had a fine schooling as president
of the G.'idiron Club and In the press
gallery. The President is aggreived If one
of these four comes to a cabinet meet
Ing not provided with a new tale
Much Jollyine.
Aside from the story telling, the mem
bers of the cabinet indulge in a good deal
of plain "joshing." Judge Taft has a way
of taking down Mr.. Moody when that
gentleman manifests a disposition to show
off his forensic ability by asking gravely
about the methods of instructions at Har-
ward. Judge Taft Is a son of Old Eli. and
is mighty proud IL it. The President.
however, Is from Harvard and invaria-
bly, goes to Mr.. Moody's aid, for the At
terney General is no match for the War
Secretary when it comes to "iollying.
When Mr.. Metcalf took his seat, Judge
Taft welcomed him solemnly and be-
spoke support in his championship of
Yale against the aggressions of Harvard
MI. Mtitdll Is Il dlt IHdif lppf Jul ii' -
coming t. be known as the silent man"
He has never advanced an opinion in the
six months he has sat at the cabinet
table and he speaks only when spoken to.
lie does not even enjoy the jokes, and
this must be relegated to the class domin-
ated by the Secretary of the Interior Mr..
Hitchcock disdains persifage and sits
like ramrod while Mr.. Roosevelt gets
off his latest best He is compelled to en-
dure the Presidents stories without pro-
test, but when one Of the other members
grows facetious. the Secretary of the In
terror makes no attempt to conceal his
Impotence. Mr.. Wilson Is Scoach and is
slow. like all OF his countrymen. But he
really tries to enjoy the feast of reason
and flow of soul prepared for him twice
weew by his colleagues Judge Taft
AYERS that il joke Is told by Mr. Wilson
slowly and with emphasis on Tuesday. by
Friday he will see the point and laugh as
heartily as the next. 1t is frequent
occurrence that Mr.. Wilson joins a
social chat after the meeting has adjourn
ed. and sometimes he will congratulate
Mr. Hay Mr.. Morton or Mr.. Shaw on
something said.
ShaW's Yarn.
"That was = good yarn you told. Shaw"