Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1908-12-25
GR|D|ROA DINNER SK|I
Rocseyeft's African Hunt Target
For Washington Clubs ouips.
SHOTS FIRED. BEASTS R0ARED
Will. . Typewriter Clicked In the
Jungle the Auditor KEEP, Track Of
the pellsr Words With q Bell Punch.
President Greatly Amused.

Jungle the Auditor Kept Track Of
the Dollar Words With q Bell Punch.
President Greatly Amused.
The principal skit Of the dinner Of
the Cridiron club In Washington the
Other night was devoted 10 President
RoOss velt's African trip. The presi-
dent arrived nc the dinner at 1890
O'Clock. Shortly afterward the lights
were switched of and the rom left
In complete darkness. The president
Of the Gridiron club announced. I'VE
are now In darkest Africa" and the
room resounded with the roars aud
growls Of wild animals. Presently
the light came NJ with the lively an
nouncement from the dark. Sudden
sunrise IN southern senesambia." and
the guests at the dinner found tent
on which was the sign. The Lookout"
The tent stood In the midst Of trop-
teal jungle In front there were dis
covered an orderly In khaki and plth
helmet. a Zulu chief, who stood guard
with q spear. and q mysterious person
who wore a label. Auditor" and car.
ried bell punch.
The rattle Of n typewriter was heard
within the tent and then voice say
Ing. Here. secretary. take this" Then
followed "Scribbier's Magazine. New
York. Victoria Nyanza April LIST. The
lion Is a Wild and feroclous animal"
At that moment Il was discovered
why the auditor was In the party. He
registered each word with his bell
punch AID totaled the amount at u
dollar word after each sentence.
Thus the dictation which was going
on furiously in the tent sounded about
Ike this: The lion Is wild and fero-
cious animal" Eight dollars" shout
ed the auditor. 1t has soft body
and hard face" Seventeen dol.
lars" At Is the king of beasts. aud
Its daughter Is n princess" Twenty
nine dollars" The lion roars like dis
tant thunder" "Thirty-hve dollars"
but II Is nobody's business what It's
religion is" "Forty-four dollars"
This dictatlon by the man Ia the
tent OF n story for II magazine and the
thrifty spirit which prompted the plac-
Ing 81 an auditor 10 keep track OF all
the words used. at a dollar word,
caused tremendous laughter. Presi.
dent Roosevelt took the joke with
great delight. lie laughed immOder.
ately all through the skli
Dictatlon Of the story was stopped
by the shout FROM within. Walt
minute; will XII someihing" fol.
lowed by shot In the tent. The Zulu
chief who had been standing rigidly
outside the tent came suddenly 10 life
and dashed away. returning almost In.
stantly with small skin which he
held up and which was photographed
with elaborate ceremonies. IL was
identified az "bongo" by the man Ia
the tent aud Immediately story about
the bongo was dictated for the maya,
zine. while the auditor kept accurate
truck Of all words used. Another shot
brought IN "wLiiiiehurf." which was
described for the magazine after
new typewriter had been procured, the
having broken the other Two shots
were bred after the story Of the Whit.
iichGf was completed and the 2uiu
J brought In large elephant aud II
large donkey. These strange animals
shot In the jungle were described in
an Illuminating manner By the man 10
the tent after they had been photo
graphed and mounted
| Meantime the auditor had kept accu-
rate account OF the words used. Later
dispatch 10 the Lookout" was be-
/ gun. and the auditor started TO count
, the words In that at dollar word.
! but was told 10 stop. keep out" said
: the man In the tent. "You have moth.
ing 10 do with this. This Is my sal
airy" The dispatch to the Lookout"
! was much enjoyed. Its tenor was that,
while the writer had gone TO Africa to
avoid any semblance of interfering In
the Taft administration, still he had
! few ideas he desired to express and
perhaps 1t would be well for Mr. Taft
to heed.
Mr. Taft and Mr.. Roosevelt. who sat
side by side, were vastly amused. The
second typewriter broke down. with
loud whir. in the middle Of this dis.
patch.
Get me another typewriter shout
| ed the man In the tent.
There are no more typewriters, sir"
the auditor announced.
Then" announced the man In the
tent. u am going home"
| Oranan Annlas Ear Kim 8 a,Aard