The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-07-02
rRr SsFK. sUNDX Y. J0EY 2. 1905

Oldest man on earth" But even the NOR,
bid feeling which Mr.. Hay experienced
over the knowledge that the flood OF years
was sweeping down upon him did not pre-
vent him from having his little Joke on tnis
subject. He had been filing one time, ana
a friend made bold TO ask what the trou''e
was. ,,, liz
Il am suffering from an incuraole dis
ease" answered Mr.. Hay, bravely.
A sense OF delicacy prevented the lriehd
from making further inquiry; but ne soiu
the story to many Of his associates nearly
ali Of whom we're acquainted with Mr.
Hay, and the report soon spread ar9u nid
Washington that deadly disease held
the Secretary OF State within its grasp.
One intimate acquaintance OF MI. my
determined to find out, the nature OF .ms
Secretarys allment and addressed hiih o'e
day with the remark:
Il have been told that you are sunerihs
from an incurabie disease. IL IT true'
at ls,- said iii. Hay In d sad tonc,.. ....,
"What Is the incurable disease'' theh
"Old age exclaimed Mr.. Hay with
With President Roosevelt Mr.. Hay was
on the best of terms. Between them there
existed cordial friendship and eontidenc &c
that was never shaken. Inc keyhots VI
ever much he may have differed with his
chief In matters Of policy. the world never
heard of It, and once a course OF action
was determined for the Department OF
State Mr. Hay yet to work to carry II OUT
regardless of what his previous views as
to 1ts wisdom might have been. He was 30
with Mr.. Mckinley. as with MIR. foose'ssl..
and no younger man ever cared more LOT
an elder who was not near reiatN9 Una"
Theodore Roosevelt cared for John nay
To Mr. Hay Mr.. Roosevelt was oon ptali
delight. He enjoyed immensely the presi-
dents enthusiasm and activity; ana re-
tunred from many a visit to the White House
OVERLOOKING with the good nature winch
the President engenders. Mr.. fooseVeie
especially did not realize how frequently
nicated Itself to his Secretary OF state ana
drove away the depression from when the
Secretary 40 frequently suffered:
Most European visitors TO- Washington
have been astonished over the ease with
which they were able to obtain anhiehoes
him cordial and sympathetic. very humane
great man, not so bowed by the cares OF
Office that he could not find time or Mclina-
ton to chat with them upon any common
place subject which might be brought up
In the conversation. A foreigners found
him 60 his fellow oountrymen found him.
Mr.. Hay was simple In manner, jovial at
times, ready to appreciate good tory
and always able to tell one as good or
better.
Yet the air Of dignity was never absent
IL was an indefnable something that i'm
pressed the observer even when Mr.. Hay
was In his most unconventional mood. he
was rega rted az the best story teller IN the
Cabinet, not because his stories were better
or more quantity told than those OF some
Of his colleagues. but because they were
always appropriate and scored point. ms
sense Of the humorous was very greatly
developed. Those who knew him, well
found him consistently simple and direct,
as ready to take az TO give advice. willing
to he unconventional If the circumstances
permitted, kindly, consderate and Thought,
full, and above all decidedly human and
ready to overlook faults In others when
they we're committed honestly.
To those who were not of his station. in
tellectually. socially or officially, Mr. Hay
was particularly agreeable. Nearly every
messenger at the State Department has
some story to tell OF his generosity and
thoughtfulness.
1T seems like the good old times have
come back, said one messenger on Christ
mas Eve, when he had received. as all his
ooworkers had. a 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
brought in contact, and the wonder of 1t
Ia that a man az i'll as he must have been
for the past four years was able to refrain
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. One
day Mr.. Hay told to some newspaper men
a story with 80 much point and cleverness
In it that one OF his callers regarded 1t as
too good to be lost So he sent it TO his
newspaper, and on the, following day told
Mr.. Hay that he had printed it. MIR.
Hay had an understanding with the news.
In a confidential way that he was not to be
quoted in the public prints, and he coldy
reproved the correspondent, who left the
Secretary's office feeling very much hurt.
This occurred on q Saturday. On the
following Monday the correspondent re-
ceived this note. written by Mr.. Hay
. PEs sss ;Gs,y # sf" sss r..
paragraph and wasa little ANNOYED at being
quoted but ought to have ave rsmsmbered
and and kept my temper. Please e1cnse me.
and reflect that II made YOU uncomfortable
for a moment, | made myself so for all day.
Yours sincerely. JOHN HAY.
In addition to his ability to tell humorous
stories, Mr.. Hay was noted tor his aptness
in applying familiar quotations. Some
of his friends have claimed that, like Ma
caulay, he Was always able to finish out n
quotation OF any literary merit which
some one else had started Frequent at
tempts we're made to test Mr. Hay in
this regard and it is said that he was never
found wanting. His familiarity with
Shakespeare stood him in good stead on
many coca sions when an appropriate
quotation was needed. One morning he
had been reading a political address
by Elihu Root and was very much i'm
pressed with Mr. Roots argument. -Oh,
the man who steals away our reason, he
avClaiyped DaraDhraAinQ the quota tiOn
from Macbeth applied to tho witches mad
dening herb. "Oh. the insane root that
steals way our reason"
Mrs. Hay acquired a fortune from her