The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1908-03-20
"MY BROTHER BILL"
Being Intimate Stories Told to Rob
ert l.. Dunn by Henry, Horace
and Charles Taft.


You know my brother Bill gets Q
lot of fun out of life," said Henry
Taft to me one day. while Charlie
is printing the A. P. dispatches and
some advertisements in 1.-THE Times.
Star" out in Ohio, Hold is making
undergraduates unhappy up in Con-
necticut, and l am here in New York
trying to convince the court of ap-
peals that it is wrong occasionally
Bill is playing the part of Walking
Delegate for the White Mans Civil
zation. He's got duck suits and fur
overcoats, low shoes, high boots, and
spiked mountain climbers, pith he'll
NETS, silk hats, and caps with ear
muffs. When he goes to bed at
night he writes down where he is
likely. to be the next morning; so
that he doesn't have to call the bell
boy, the ships steward, or the car
porter to ask DO you mind telling
me where l am this morning.
"You know Charlie tells me that
must have been a radiant occasion
in Hardin when the very formal
committee tried to do the honors in
French. They were all the local dig
nitaries, and they showed up at the
train in full regalia and great enthu-
siasm There were about twelve Of
them, mostly princes and generals,
and Immediately on presentation
they began to make a sort of syndi-
Gated speech of welcome in the sort
of French they speak in Siberia. Lit
tie Charlie calls 1t bull French.
Brother Bill smiled--it must have
been easy-and listened, after whis-
pering summons for General Clar-
ence Edwards, who was a sort of fly
ing squadron for such an emergency.
When the twelve had cleared the
last barrier and were pounding into
the wire, Edwards arrived.
Tell them, General said Bill,
that I say this is a wonderful coun-
try; that I deeply appreciate their
presence here this morning; that on
my return to my own country 1t will
be my first pleasure to inform my
of the profound courte-
sy shown to visiting Americans in
Siberia Tell them again that this
s wonderful country; thank them
Up one side and down the other; tell
hem anything else you can think
d. but don't say anything about
Port Arthur rthe Japs or the lwar.
That must be a rather sore spot
Edwards spoke eloquently for
fifteen minutes in beautiful French,
With bows on both sides after rhe-
orical period; then the honorary
,raybeard of the party said, address
ng Brother Bill
'Excellency, We spik by you, for
We onnerstand you very well; but
We no onnerstand obese ganllemun.
IN you will now please spik wit
,e, an say wat do you think how
hey Japonaise and they war
Taft and the Mule.
"A little thing like working Fred
arpenter, HIS secretary, so hard that
arpenter had to be left behind in
Europe doesn't bother my brother
ill in the least" observed Charles
!. Taft, the eldest of the four
but he is VIGOROUSLY kind
18th animals. They tell me little
iory of the last time he was in the
hilippines, which has to do with
ule. He had been on an inspection
lip for several days, riding an army ;
ule, and one day after very hard ,
de out from the capital of a pro- s
nee the party were about to sit ,
own to sumptuous dinner the {
and SO on had provided,
hen one of the officers saw Bill 60 {
g off down the hill to where the I
)rses were tied. I
/" Mr.. Secretary, lunch is just I
ady, you know g
Yes, l know; but I'm going to
It lunch for my mule. He has done |
me rather hard work this morning t
ID l want to see him filling up be- I
re I take my turn. y
He was insistent about it, and
% boys were sent mile away to a
t grain for the mules lunch, then Il
e party sat down. Ia
Some one asked him why he rode Il