The National tribune., 1906-07-05

night was about to depict the scenes
from the wedding festivities in Madrid.
when the party from Dorchester House
entered their box. A graceful figure in
black. relieved by a touch of gold lace
about the bodice. quietly dressed. and
wearing very little. If any. jewelry, Mrs.
Longworth at once quietly took her seat
in the full glare of the house. A spon-
taneous round of applause greeted her
appearance. At the sound MIR. Long
worth promptly obliterated himself. Mr..
and Mrs. Reid kept themselves well in
the background. AS if half embarrassed
by the cordiality of her reception, Mrs.
Longworth bowed gravely and then
looked around quickly as If in search
of support. None was forthcoming. The
unstudied gesture seemed to call forth
another and louder burst of applause
Mrs. Longworth bowed a little stiffiy
and very graveIy. Then sudden smile
lit up the gravity of her face and show
ed the white CLINT of her teeth. That's
Teddy Roosevelt right there exclaimed
an American behind me. who seemed to
have been waiting for il. Then the
lights were lowered-one cannot help
thinking somewhat to Mrs. Longworth' :
relief-and from behind the dim figures
of her husband and of the ambassador
emerged from their obscurity."'
There are some things that puzzle a
fellow who has been taught TO regard
the oath or an obligation as a sacred
thing The other day I was in the Ju-
venilc Court for brief period, and dur
ing that time the oath was admins
tered to seven juveniles. Five of them
were ordered to hold up their hands
and take the oath at the same time.
"The OATH" Now, the man who was
t,n .-1
1t pronouncing, in all probability-talk-
cd in his sleep. through his sombrero-
any old way but an Ineligible one. The
words of what should be a solemn thing
were ratified off in a monotone under
tone, with absolutely no infection and
less meaning. One of the youngsters
said when he dropped his hand when
the rest did, Gee. but can't that man
talk fast? What'ell was he sayin' off
Wat was we a-doin' of it for?" Now
then, what good is an oath to a kid like
that when he doesn't even know what
has been said to him? 1t is a roaring
farce. It is a criminal thing, because
he is expected to tell the truth, the
whole truth, and nothing but the truth
so help me, God" Now. suppose he
doesn't tell the whole truth? Suppose
he doesn't tell the truth at all? Sup
pose he stands there and simply lies
Can he be held responsible? He has
not heard, and so. of course. has not
understood the nature of the thing n
was holding up his hand for, and hear
ing the words so irreverently pronounc-
ed. they have made no impression OF,
him at all. This sloppy don't-care-a-
nental-anyhow-way of administer
ing the oath is common in all courts
from highest to the lowest, and isn''
worth shucks as binding obligation
That is the opinion of this writer.
Think of refusing a seat at the Presi-
dents table because you simply will moi
conform to society rules and wear g
dress suit.
John Willis. of Glasgow. Mont. was
invited by the President the other day
to take dinner with him. Willis de-
clined, and gave as his reason that he
did not have dress suit.
"Oh, that needn't worry you at all,
insisted the President
"It makes lots of difference, Mr.. Pres
ident," answered Willis. II know what's
proper even If 1 don't always do the
right thing. Besides, don't like dress
SUITS
You'd be jast as welcome at my ta-
BILE If you came In buckskin trousers. >
was the cordial response of the Presi-
dent.
I'm sure that's true" went on Will
lis. but guess I'll eat at the downtown
hashery where I'm bunking."
Willis and the President ranched to-
gether years ago and grew to be fond
of each other.
Thomas e. Waggaman is dead. II he
had died three years ago he would have
died a rich man, respected and loved
t.,r 81. lie. 10 h,tt
cially by the poor. He lived three years
too long. Financial losses overlook him,
and then 1t was found that he had lived
a systematic lie so far as his wealth was
concerned, and that he had taken in
trust many many hundreds of thousands
of dollars from poor working women,
giving them no security but his word,
which up to that time had been un-
questioned, and when the break came
he had beggared them. 1t was one OF
the most pitiful stories of modern days.
He had been a trusted member of the
Catholic Cathedral Board, and had man-
aged to make way with many thousands
of dollars of the money to the extent OF
crippling the work of that vast institu-
ton. He had also got hold of funds of
many Catholic schools and charities, for
he was trusted by everybody. and these
funds disappeared in the general wreck.
1HeSe CdtTOnc INSTITUTIONS got most Oh
their money back, however, but the
poor wash women, women who do jani-
tor work. who sell newspapers and who
live by the hard labor of the hands los,
their little hundred or two, and never
got 1t back. In some way Waggaman
did not happen to be pushed very hard
as a criminal, and was permitted to go
to little old tumble-down cottage
which he owned in the country, and
there he died last week, Of cancer.
The Waggaman art gallery in his lux
urious home in Georgetown was one of
the show places of the country. In it
were many old masters, yet all these
articles went for song. There is only
one paliating thing in the whole dis
graceful business. Waggaman died a
poor man. He did not loot to keep
himself. He had not one penny to call
his own when he died. He was a kind
hearted man. he did a great deal of
philanthropic and charitable work, and
1t IS believed that it was his love of ap-
probation which led him to make such
disastrous financial calculations. He al
ways believed that his real estate hold
ings would appreciate, and that ne
would be able to come through all right
and nobody lose. About 1000 people
who would have said masses for his
soul three years ago will not say them