The National tribune., 1909-07-08

accommodate practice up to the three
mile maximum range of the rifle. Of1-
GERS interested in target practice pc
lieve that when appropriations are
made for increasing the present ranges
the possible further increase of the
range of the small-arm in the future
should also be taken into consideration
by affording longer ranges than those of
which the rifle is now capable.
Oscar Straus, ambassador to Turkey,
underwent an operation for appendlcl-
tbs in New York early Sunday morning.
Mr.. Straus was first attacked in Wash
ington last week. The operation was
performed by DIR. George E. Brewer.
The operation was entirely successful,
and the patient will be up in about l.
days.
Mr. Straus had expected to sail for
Constantinople last week. His physi-
clan expects that if the improvement
continues Mr.. Straus will befable to sail
for his post in two or three weeks.
Mrs. Taft is now able to ride about in
her electric car, and is delighted to get
away from the dead monotony of the
last few weeks of confinement to the
house. She will probably enjoy the
easy rides that she can take about the
Summer home of the Tafts at Beverly,
Saturday. Miss Helen Taft, Mrs. More,
sister of Mrs. Taft, and Master Charles
Taft, the youngest hopeful, accompa-
MED Mrs. Taft on the trip. President
Taft went with Mrs. Taft to see that
she had a comfortable trip, but VIII
return to Washington at once, as he is
forced to remain here until Congress
adjourns. Charley Taft has been learn
ing, under the tutelage of an expert
enced chauffeur, to run the electric car
which was purchased for the use OF his
mother, and has made such progress
that he was permitted to run the car
over to Fort Myer last week. or course,
he was accompanied by the chaffeur,
but he drove the car there and back
himself. He is very careful, and has
learned quickly. He will soon be per-
mitted to drive the car for his moth
er. Charley declares. however, that he
will not be quite happy until he is per-
mitted to run the big touring car for
his father, the car that is used to take
the President to the golf links, but up
to now the lad has not achieved happi-
ness, as the President is prudent.
Mr.. Roosevelt, who is making brave
effort to exterminate all the carnivora
in British Africa, is about to start run
on the graminivora by sending the crea-
lures home. The first consignment is a
pair of small African antelope, which
he sent to Mrs. Roosevelt. The little
creatures arrived in good condition, and
will be taken care of in specially ar
ranged quarters at Sycamore Hill.
The Marine Band concerts at the
Capitol on Wednesday evening are CIV
en- just the same as tho there was no
tariff on anything or any necessity for
one. The other evening the Senate was
41, eIn hrrr1-
cry, mad. There was scarcely United
States Senator who didn't look as tho
he had been dipped in a washtub of
salt water and not wrung out. Collars
were wilted, tempers We're peppery. the
lemonade that the Senate butler was
toting in was really the only cool thing
in sight, while the "butler" was reeking
with perspiration that made the lemon
ade fairly sizzle in the glasses the min
ute he lifted them to a desk. Senator
Aldrich, leader of his band, was out of
tune, and the music" drier than usual.
Outside Santelmann, leader of the Ma
rine Band, was looking cool and clean.
while his men, in fresh tubbed suits of
snowy white, looked cool and clean
also. Into the Senate Chamber stole a
few notes of THE Stars and Stripes
Forever" and out of the Senate Cham
| ber stole Senator Dolliver, the "big
boy'' from Iowa, and in his wake he
carried Senator Foster and Senator
| Overman and two or three other grave
and reverend" United States Senators.
They waltzed themselves out onto the
portico and found cool resting places,
and there they sat, so they did. till the
band concert was over. And they stood
| till the last notes of the last piece
| 1.-The Star Spangled Banner" had float
ed off into the tree tops and the feath-
-ers among Miss Columbia's war bonnet
then they sneaked back into the Senate
| Chamber as tho they had not played
hockey at ALL II like Santelmann's
leadership on a hot night better than
do Aldrich's,' remarked Senator Dolli'
yer as he took his seat.
/ Senator Stephen 3. Elkins, who is 6
4 pretty big man, mighty nearly the 800.
i mark, has thrown discretion to th'
winds and stripped off both collar ant
tie, and the silk coat he wears is jus
about as near nothing as he can get
Senator Dolliver strolIed into the Sen
ate Chamber the other day with hi!
coat over his arm. President Taft sait
the sun could do what the President o
the United States could not do, ant
that was to hurry Congress out of town
and it looks as tho the President is ;
prophet.
A prominent jeweler in Washington
has been missing pieces of jewelry, ant
finally two handsome watches disap
peared. His employees are all truste'
ones, he declared, and he though
! thieves must be at work. Inspecto
: Boardman said rats" and set to worl
on that theory. Some dummy watche
were put in a chamois bag. which ha
long strings trailed out, and left owe
night. Next morning the bags an
watches had disappeared. Hunt TO
them led to a rat hole and there wer
, the long strings trailing out of the hole
The burrow was Investigated, and ther
was the Jewelry, every piece of it. TIL
rats wanted the soft leather cases an
the buckskin in which the jewelry wa
wrapped up.
The band concerts on the new Pc
tomac Park, where the Marine Ban
:. played twice week instead of at tn
White House, as formerly, have com
I to naught since Mrs. Tafts illness. Sh
e established the music at this park, an
had the cutest little band stand erecte
there; at least ii was erected there {
= her request. and the Marine Band WEI
e there to play, shutting up the Viii
z House grounds to the public, as tn;
was the only public function ever he
c there. Just as soon as 1t was foun
that Mrs. Taft was out of the runnir
:. and would no longer appear at the col
X certs interest fell off till at the last tw
+" gatherings there were not SO poop
present, whereas there used to be 5.0t
y there and at the White House. 1t
now announced that the band concer
ind xrytI ha n