The Washington herald., 1908-08-16
JUDGE TAFT AT PLAY
How Candidate Spends Days at Hot Springs

During these summer DAYS the guests
OF the famous Homestead Hotel at Hot
Springs. Va. are getting daily glimpses
Of the lighter side CT the big American
whose presence has made that spot the
summer campaign capital Of the Repub-
iH-zn National Committee. From now Un-
tH the middle of September. except for
seui-occasiOnaI conferences with party
leaders. William Howard Taft intends
I to play.
As in the War Department IN Wash
fiHgton they called the huge candidate "a
steam engine in trousers" SO. on the other
hand. no one can Play harder when he
sets about T. For the first time in many
years. school now doesn't keep for
+ him Diplomacy is put away IN moth
balls. and the mornings study Of the
vzeiehing-machine at the bath house j.
/ the most serious daily business To say
he IS enjoying ir Is putting il mildly He
has hard work % keep from putting on
weight al the mere thought of IT. He
doesn't play IN his dress clothes. either
a suit that viii carry him through
I driving rain, a uegIige shirt minus coilsr
( and cuffs. and heavy boots. complete his
attire for q long tramp over the hills OF
/ the golf links. getting tone for the
I coming struggle IN the fall Virginia air
agrees with him. and no farmer reaping
{ his clover field IS having half as good a
time as the candidate when the open
I country IS around him and the scent OF
I the clover blossoms and uew-n0wn hay
in his nostrIs-
[ Over his breakfast lIr- Taft reads the
II rewsrapers-a big pile OF them-and when
I a pervas,ve churkIe comes from his shell
! tered corner OF The hJr.e dlning-room II IS
/ a safe wager that he has hit upon a par
f -icularly rich cartoon Of himself Moth
ing. perhaps ia The days round gives
+ him more solid fun than the newspaper
{ fcaricatu-es- They have" he said once.
I "a fatal faculty Of making me feel small.
and the man who can do that IS a true
Z friend Of mine" Those who have ever
I seen his study IN The Taft Washington
{ house viii remember the framed cartoons
. Originals hanging on the walls These
. were all presented 20 him by the cartoon
. lists themselves. and are among his most
1 valued possessions The largest Of these
. he shows 10 near friends with great eUsr7
Il pictures the President and himself in
an automobile NJ Roosevelt IS chauf-
feu-. the speed e at the limit. and the
highway behind then, Is strevn With the
wreck Of matter and the crash of worlds.
the fragments appropriately labeled. The
President Is demanding rs there any
. thing ahea6. Bu2'
This ability 10 see 't1e other side 70
enjoy a Joke on himself IS inveJerate in
1i-. Taft He has only smile for the
soIom Solo- who thinks his doings are set
n the music Of the spheres. and he IS
probably one Of the nine living men who
are not OF the belief that their lives
would make valuable books. On his re-
turn from making an address. shortly be
fore his nomination some one asked:
How did the speech Eo@'
We'll" he answered. nobody threw
anything AT me. and I learned carly in
. life 70 count that as a success"
Golf IS the i-variatIe mornings pro
rra--e. TIE game begins as soon as
breakfast is over and eighteen holes are
played without a stop He likes 10 win.
but a bad shot doesn't disturb his equa-
riuity- a certain guest OF the Springs
was accustomed when he fooled and dug
Up the turf % explode IN picturesque pro
family one DAY this gentleman was play
irE IN advance OF Mr.. Tafts game Here
and there on the course the cut grass
had been raEad together and burned. and
the hlackeued and blasted spots caught
the attention Of one Of the ladies' who
was watching the play.
What are those burned holes n the
tCrf2- she asked
On. said AIr. Taft. those are places
where s. missed a baU~-
The remark was passed around, and
the profane soIfer had 10 reform or be
laughed OF The links
Nothing Qieases the Republican Candi-
Gate more than 20 prevail on Mrs. Taft
. 10 come out 10 the links with aim and
witness his prowess- On such occasions
his incorrigille appreciation Of the ''s-niI-
ing side" Of life mandates the whole
green One day she looked az her watch
and found IL later than she thought
Gracious" sEe exclaimed. we must
hurry back VIII, or ve'u be late TO
luncheon.
For goodness sake Nellie. dor'tI-' he
protested II do love this Irresponsible
ity- Let's Just drift-we've got 70 bump
Up against the shore soon enough Don't
let's rs know there IS any such thing as
q calendar OF a CIocEmaker in The world
What's the use2"
Every other afternoon NIr- Taft rides
horseback. using his mount a great black
horse he brought with him from Wash
Ingto-- On account Of his weight. he
rides only every alternate DAY This
question Of his av6irdupois is a constant
subject for his own wicticisms. One day &
newspaper stated that 8Ir. Taft Pur7osed
10 attend a Virginia horse sale. with &
view 10 the purchase Of a S1.OO0 saddle
horse for his own use He read the arJi-
Gle with a critical eye
Jus. as though ] could afford a S1.3o0-
horse ne said And" he added. what
self-respecting animal would agree 70
carry me around for any sum Ike that
When I want a mount, get a thin
friend to buy Eim for me Then I have
tie joke or L5s horse.
On another occasion. one OF the news
papers bore the headline. Taft TO retire
70 background n summer campaign