The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1906-06-06

M y statement that
Mr.. Hay in his
later life was ashamed of these early
efforts has been often refuted. He was
a retiring and modest man about all
his work, but he was not ashamed. of
Little Breeches," ''Banty Tim" and
the rest. and was always just a little
proud of "Jim Bludso," 'wlo," he said
in a letter. lis a friend OF mine" Then
he added:
Il shudder and hide in the cellar only
when the boy with the small knicker-
bockers is mentioned"
Quite a while before his death there
We're frequent stories Of Mr.. Hays
failing health. though he seemed in a
robust condition.
To a friend who once congratulated
him upon his excellent appearance he
said, with assumed WEAKNESS, "Ah,
yes, but I am suffering from an incura-
BILE disease"
The friend. surprised. expressed dis
belief, but Mr.. Hay insisted his mala-
dy was hopeless. The friend said per-
haps it was not really SO bad, and what
was the disease?
"Old age replied the secretary.
Colonel Hay was once the subject of
a cane presentation and stood while
the spokesman of the donors made Il
speech that ran into an elaborate ora
ton.
A friend afterward commented to the
diplomatist on the length of the speech.
YES" replied Hay. ''he didn't want
me to have the zane till l really needed
it."
One day ut a cabinet meeting some
one made the statement that one of
Colonel Isoosevelt's former rough rid
ers had got into a shooting scrape and
had been Jailed as a result. Turning to
Roosevelt. Hay asked softly:
MI President, doesn't that create a
vacancy somewhere in the government
service?"
The secretary of state talked freely
to newspaper men, but did it with the
distinct understanding that he was not
!, to be quoted. A correspondent of the
New York Journal broke the rule and
I quoted what Colonel Hay had told him.
As a result the newspaper man was
asked to explain. He said it was due
to a misrepresentation OH his part and
that if he had understood he "wouldn't
, have done it for the world"
l "Not for the World, but you did it for
the Journal" flashed back the secre-
: tary, but with Il smile that showed all
was forgiven.
, At the time Of his marriage Colonel
Hay vas asked how long his honey
. moon would last.
\ "Why." he responded. II expect it to
; last the rest Of my life"
1t is not generally known that Colo
mel Hay was admitted to the bar, but
: such is the case. though he never prac-
ticed. After he had studied law the
? required W years lie went to Chicago
r to be examined, where he appeared be
g fore Il committee of distinguished law
yers. They paid no heed to him when
! he entered the room. but went ON with
! a vigorous discussion in which they
r had been engaged. At last one Of the
lawyers, turning to him. said:
Mr.. Hay. what would you do if Il
client should come to You with such a
case as this?' and proceeded to de-
scribe Il complicated legal case.
\ sV ShnNIl nSE fnvs ~ psn%oiViyNr f,r, ~
$50" promptly replied Mr.. Hay. "'and
4 tell him to call tomorrow"
I "Mr. Hay. you are admitted" said
|; the gentleman. and with Il hearty laugh
. from all present the proceedings closed
At a meeting Of the Ohio society in
t New York given in his honor Mr.. Hay
bewailed the fact that he could. not
claim the honor Of being Il native son
He said:
Il am Il nan without a state. | was
born in Indiana. l grew up in Illinois,
I was educated in Rhode Island. and
there Is no blame to that scholarly COM
munity that l know so little. l learned
: my law in Springfield and my politics
: in Washington. my diplomacy in Eu.
: rope. Asia and Africa. l have Il farm
In New Hampshire and desk room in
the District OF Columbia. When l look
!. to the springs from which my blood
descends. the first ancestors l eve,
Z heard Of We're a Scotchman who was
half English. and a German woman
who was half French. OF my imme.
diate p~rogenitors. my mother was from
3 New England. and my father was from
the south. In this bewllderment of
origin and experience l can only put
4 on an aspect of deep humility in any
gathering Of favorite sons and confess
that l am nothing but an American"