The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-07-02
oldest man on earth But even the NOR:
bid feeling which Mr.. Hay. experienced
over tha knoxie ive THAT the flood Of years

was sweeping down upon MN uiu NOV p,g
vent him from having his little joke on this
subject. He had been ailing one. time. and
friend made bold to ask what the trouble
was. ,
Il am suffering from an incurable dis-
ease" answered Mr. Hay. braveIy.,
from making further inquiry; but he told
the story to many of his associates nearly
all OF whom were acquainted with Mr.
Hay, and the report soon spread arouhd
Washington that a deadly disease held
the Secretary OF State within its grasr
One intimate acquaintance or MI nay
determined to find out the nature OF the
Secretary's aiment and addressed him one
day with the remark;
d have been told that you are suffering
from an incurable disease. Is it irne'
1T is said Mr.. Hay In sad tone.
What is the inourable disease?" then
asked the insistent acquaintance.
-Old age" exclaimed Mr.. Hay with
chuckle
With President Roosevelt Mr.. Hay was
existed cordial friendship and confidence
that was never shaken. The keynote OF
Mr.. Hays character was loyalty. HOW
ever much he may have differed with his
chief in matters Of policy, the world never
heard OF 1t, and once a course OF oction
State Mr.. Hay set to work to carry 1t out.
regardless of what his previous views as
to it's wisdom might have been. He was so
with Mr.. Mckinley, as with Mr. Roosevelt.
and no younger man ever cared more TOT
an elder who was not a near relative thah
Theodore Roosevelt cared for John Hay.
To Mr. Hay Mr.. Roosevelt was constant
delight. He enjoyed immensely the Presi-
dents enthusiasm and activity; ana re-
tunred from many visit to he White House
overnowing with the good M, nature wnioh
the President engenders. Mr.. RooS'vel
especially did not realize how frequently
his joyful way OF looking at things commit,
nicated itself to his Secretary OF state ana
drove away the depression from which the
Secretary 40 frequently suffered.
Most European visitors to Washington
have been astonished over the ease with
which they were able to obtain audiences
with the Secretary of State. They found
him cordial and sympathetic, very humane
great man. not so bowed by the cares OF
Office that he could not find time or inclina-
ton to chat with them upon any common
place subject which might he brought up
In the conversation. As foreigners found
him 40 his fellow countrymen found him.
Mr.. Hay was simple in manner, jovlal ut
times, ready to appreciate a good tory
and always able to tell one as good or
better.
Yet the air of dignity was never absent.
1t was an indelinable something that I'M
pressed the observer. even when Mr.. Hay
was in his most unconventional mood. he
was regarded as the best story teller in the
Cabinet. not because his stories were better
of his colleagues, but because they were
always appropriate and scored point. HIS
sense of the humorous was very greatly
developed. Those who knew him we'll
found him consistently simple and dirnc',
IA ready to take as to give advice, willing
to be unconventional If the circumstances
permitted. kindly. oonsiderate and thought.
full. and above all decidedly human and
ready to overlook faults in others when
they were committed honestly.
To those who we're not Of his station, In
tellectually, socially or officially, MIR. Hay
was particularly agreeable. Nearly every
messen ger at the State Department has
some story to tell Of his generosity and
thoughtfulnees.
1T seems like the good old times have
come back. said one messenger on Christ
mas Eve when he had received as all his
coworkers had, substantial recognition
of Mr.. Hays appreciation. Extremely
sensitive himself. the great Secretary OF
State was consistently careful not to injure
the feelings Of those with whom he was
broIug ut In contact, and the wonder OF it
Is that man as i'll as he must have been
for the past four years was able to refrain
from showing irritation on many oc-
casions.
A little incident will serve to indicate
his goodness Of heart and how 1t panied
him II he inadvertently caused distress
to the feelings Of an acquaintance. Ono
a story with so much point and cleverness
in it that one Of his callers rega rded it as
too good to be- lost. So he sent 1t to his
newspaper, and on the following day told
Mr.. Hay that he had printed it. Mr..
Hay had an understanding with the news
paper men, with whom he frequently talked
in a confidential way. that he was not to be
quoted in the public prints. and he coldly
reproved the correspondent, who left the
Secretary's office feeling very much hurt.
This occurred on q Saturday On the
caived this note, written by Mr. Hay:
NY DEAR =: am sorry i I seemed some
paragraph. and was little annoyed at being
quoted, but ough, 10 have remembered
and kept my temper, Please excuse me.
and reflect that, If made you uncomfortable
t?r a moment; ! made myself so for all day.
Yours sincerely. JoHS HAY.
In addition to his ability to tell humorous
stories, Mr.. Hay was noted for his aptness
of his friends have claimed that, like Ma
caulay, he was always able to finish out n
quotation Of any literary merit which
some ono else had started. Frequent at
tempts were made to test MIR, Hay in
this regard and it is said that he was never
Shakespeare stood him in good stead on
many occasions when an appropriate
quotation was needed. Oae morning he
had been reading political address
by Elihu Root and was very much i'm
pressed with Mr.. Roots argument, "Oh,
exclaimed, paraphrasing the quotation
denins herb, "ok, the insane root That that
steals way our reason"