The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-01-17

be amiss to remark that one gentle- man. to whom I related the interest ing incident. told me. not in conf- dence. that. in his opinion, the Gener- al was in the exuberantly happy con- dition of How come you so?" and was not entirely responsible for tell ing tales out of schooI."
 reprImanded him severely on the spot. for sueh biasphemy and called his attention to the fact that the Gem erai was from Birmingham and ac- companied by quite an array of re- spectabie citizens. Judge Weakley be- Ing one from that Dry Tortugas.
 "where every prospect pleases
 And only man Is vile"
 and 1t couldn't possibly be that the General had induiged In any liquid viands under the disapprosai of Judge Weakley or the .Gentieman from Ohio whose rigid morals cover Birmingham like the waters cover the great deep"
 No, it's q violent presumption! an unkind inuendo!
 TeiIlng The Truth.
 I undertook to put this gentleman straight and asked him if hesrecollect- ed the historical incident of the Father of the Country. ignominously confess ing. when a boy, to the truth.
 He said he didn't know that the coun- try had a father and had great doubt about a boys telling the truth, 1t was very unusual, at least.
 As gently as could. and as feel lngiy. I related pr. Weem's story of George Washington.
 The gentleman quickly responded. Some ofiiclals may be like George in taking no pay for public service. but If George made 1t custom to speak the truth. he shore wern't like those fellows'"
 But" he continued, If you want to cram me with that story about the hatchet, I don't believe darn word of It. it's not natural--no boy Is going < to voluntarily bring on a licking"
 l assured him that the story is true in every particular except that old man Weems had a peculiar way of interpreting a blessing" and happen ed on this ,wise-the boy cut the tree and the old man was looking at him! which the boy detected through some Secret Service he had established among the young niggers on the plantation.
 The Early Secret Service.
 The Secret, Service inaugurated, as you may say. by an embryo Chief Executive, because of great good to the country in after years. In the hands of the President in protecting the public against honorable grafters.
 Now" said | ito set back where we left .off-George did cut the tree, the old man was peeping at him, the little nigger saw tine old man and he ran and told George while the old man was cutting hickory. George knew that 1t would be adding insult to>in1ury to prevaricate-"what's pre- varicate?"
 "Goodness. graciousl Have got to be your historian and dictionary, too? Well to prevarlcate is to--why you do 1t all the time--to prevaricate Is. to 'dlstngeniously' undertake or some thing like that, or, may be, 1t is a highly commendable effort /among Honorable Lawmakers to discredit the Secret Service Agency.
 Oh, If our honorable men would only Keep the eye skinned" so that the devil himself could catch 'em it would be "an assurance most dearI" 'Now, again." said I. i've will get back to the Rhodes business--The Gen. eral was not drunk-couldn't be, com. ing or rather going from Birmingham. The general Is an editor. he gene- rates and knows public sentiment. He was cognizant-"What's cognizantf' "Oh. the deyll!-He was cognizant of public opinion and he knew that Judge Taft is an intelligent gentle man and well informed as to Public Opinion, not only in the North and East and West, but also in our beau. tiful Southland and the General made up his mind that he'd forget he .is an editor and tell the truth one time-a
 Judge Weakly "and them" were so