The sun., 1908-12-13
ON fHE GRTDIRON
DARKEST, AFRICA" FOR
! A DINNER FROLIC.

Psesident-eltck Fast aud :yioel President
elect Shermahn were among the guests
{ az the annual fall dinner Of the 6ridiron
Ck,b tonight, and the club had fun with
them and gave them an opportunity
u net back at their hosts. There were
n,hny more prominent characters among
~ a2o people who sat ide&h.at the tables
inttlfe ballroom OF the New Willard Hotel.
These included members of the Diplo-
iuhtio Corps, Cabinet officers. Senators
add Representatives, Governors OF States
add outlying possessionsi fnanciers. edi-
tdfs and politicians, 49, ..sa ,.-f
3Of course the dinner was one round OF
mbrrlment from !tRetinoment the electric
ridiron flashed upon the entering hosts
ada guests until the festivities were ended.
President Roosevelts who attended g
dinner OF tho. Boone and Crockett Club
earlier in the evening, was late IN arriving,
Hh eat at thesright hand Of James 8.
Henry, correspondent of the Philadelphia
Ptess, the president of the club. Vice
President Fairbanks sat at Mr.. Henry's
left and MIR. Taft and Mr.. Sherman re-
spectiyely flafiked the men they are to
etIcceed in Office $ p -1it-- a'i'a ..5 ..
When President Roosevelt arrived. at
about 1880 O'Clock. the principal skit
ofithe evening was performed. This was
devoted to MIR Roosevelts prospective
African hunting trip. The lights were
sysitched of and from the gloom came the
voice Of President Henry, announcing:
1--WE are now in Darkest Africa, while
rohrs and growls of wild animals were
heard on every side, Then the lights
caine up with the announcement, Sudden
s,inrise in Southern Senegambia, and the
elests found before them tent which
wAs the Sign "The Lookout" The tent
stbod an a tropical jungle. In front
there we're, discovered. an orderly in khaki
and pith helmet, Zulu chief who stood
e,iard with "a spear and q mysterious
person ryhp-S+ones "A label Auditor and
carried bell punch. ~. > -
Fhe rattle Of q typewriter was heard
WAhin the tent and then "a VOICE saying:
s Here, secretary, take this, Then fol-
lofed 'Scribbler'sS Magazine. New York.
victoria -Nyanza. April first, The Lion
IL h wifd and fe-ocious animal At this
mbment, ,saityVas discovered why the
auditor was in the party He registered
sakh wo4a @fa his bell punch and jotted
tbe amoHnt, at dollar n word, after each
sshtence. THUS the diotation. which was
gdng Sn,fysiously in the tent. sounded
about like this. -. ,.... g ., ~
tThe Lion is wild and ferocious ami
mai" Eight aoIiafs, ~ shouted the
Auditor. 1T has IL soft body and hard
& faSo" "Sevonpesn dollars!" 1T is the
king of beasts and it's daughter js n
pflncess." "Twenty-nine dollars. sThe
lioh roars-iks distantth thunder, Thirty
{ fxA dollars sSButit is nobody 3 business
wiat rs TShr;nn-fs y sForty-four dol
ihs' -
This dictation by the man IN the tent
ofla story for a magazine and the thrifty
-rf-;t x,hioh nromntsd tbe niao;np Of an
-. - ~ teonk II all the vorda
tiakd. aSts dollar aiwogd' caused tremen-
deus laMghtes
III sho,,t NJ from ~ nv s6th;n !. swat = minute,
-, .,I.-,s su.s ~,
Flh kiii soine'hlhe' ,ohoweu eno'
i4 the tent. The Zulu chief, who mad oeen
stAnding rigidly outside the tent. came
M -, Sns,ant,v wi,h a ANAL akin
We aiinosV ias'aey ~
w4icn ne heia up anu "p'o" "aS pi'o'o-
+ gfhphed with elaborate ceremony. II
waS identified as a ~bonRo' by the man in
thA tent, and Immediately a story about
ShA "boaao- was dictated for the ma Razine
while the auditor kept accurate track Of
All words used. Another shot brought
II; n wHif3eI,uff. which was described Tor
thk magazine after a new typewriter had
b1en secured. the strenuous diotation about
fhb sbonro' having broken the other
T6o shots we're fred after the story Of the
wkifiiebaff sifas com pleted, and the Zuiu
bfbuRht in a large elephant and large
IiSznkev. These strange animals shot in
s lhS Jungle were. described in an illuminat-
iuk manner by the man in the tent after
they had been photographed and mounted.
adconnt of the words 7dsed. Later a
despatch TO the Lookout was begun, and
fhe auditor started to count the words
ipsthat at a dollar a word, but was told TO
stop. :.
fKeets b1ti" said the man In the tent
sou have nothing to do with this This
amy salary" -.
The dSspatch, to the Locke VI was much
etiioyed. It's tenor was that while the
wliter had gone TO Africa to avoid any
seRnblaffeA I'd interfering In the TAFT
Administration. still. he had few ideas
hedesiFed TO ex pf4ss. and dperhaps it would
be- weip fora Mr. raKt no heed them. The
dehpatchSs followed President Roosevelt's
etfle ana ,hristled With phrases he uses.
TIE second typewriter broke down with
loud whir i'm the middle OF this despat tch.
sGet me another typewriter" shouted
thh man in the tent. .af. 81 ~.
sTheSA are.no more typevriters, SIR"
ihk auditor announced