davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington herald., 1909-03-05

old woman standing on his porch
You spikka IngIees?' she asked Lit
tie but the French Canadian patois IS
spoken al Murray Bay
NO" answered ''d'sieu TAFT" as the
natives Up there call him; we want
nothing to-day" She did not understand
Shaking his head vigorously. he re-
peated: 40 want Then he went back
70 his papers. In about FIVE minutes a
shadow fell across his table, and this
tine q one-eyed man with farm truck
was seeking his attention
We'll. what have you got?" qUeried
Mr.. Taft. IN his easy tones.
"ChIckee. peegee tpigeons)- pota-
toes" began the man The Secretary
laid down his documents and went over
10 the vendors wagon There he pOked
around amoGg the stuff. but he did not
find anything that he liked. and so he
called 10 Mrs. Taft TO come and tell the
man in French that there was nothing
doing"
The Washington herald., 1909-03-05

IN the construction
Of the 2 q n a m a
Canal He himself
declares he does not
know exactly how
he happened to go.
He awOke one morn
ing with the feeling
that something va S
going to happen He
got Up, dressed, had
his breakfast, and
his CUSTOMARY morn
ing chat with his
wife. and prepared to
vo Gau-, Torn ON
The Washington herald., 1909-03-05

could not conceal
One Of those asso-
ci&ted init m ateIy
with him in the days
when he wore the
judicial eTmine has
said. He was Judge
Taft in the court
house, but Bill Taft
away from there. "
His interest in young
men. particularly in
young lawyers, was
s u o Wn frequently.
The Law school Of
which he was dean
The Washington herald., 1909-03-05

spirit Of The joke and agreed 10 earn his
money.
The President was led into the upper
reaches OF the trout stream. and after
while the guide announced We are
/ lost IN the aIl-day effort 10 recover
their bearings the guide and Mr. Taft
( tramped through tangled UnderbrUsh.
climbed over fallen trees. waded through
marshes: bat Mr.. Taft would rot get
tired. The guide held out doggedly until
finally night came on. Then he suddenly
found his way into camp.
! The conspiring friends were waiting to
receive Mr.. Taft, prepared TO triumph
over his discontinue and exhaustion.
But he swung into camp calling for a
square meal in a hurry. He admitted
that he was a little bit tired, but he was
as cheerful as ever Behind him tottered
the guide-a veritable wreck. The con
spirators gave UP. anC allowed thst Mr..
Taft was as tireless at play as he was
al work
| The picture Of President Roosevelt on
horseback. leaping six-rau fences. or
ganoping al breakneck speed over hill
The Washington herald., 1909-03-05

labor Il was most interesting 10 watch
the simple. sympathetic air with this
large and important person settled down
10 discuss the domestic tr.bulations OF
the little yellow women Of the tropics.
IN washing. for instance" continued
SIR Taft. their methods are unneces-
sarily laboriOus though picturesque to
watch They 20 down to the river hanks
Oh. Just crowds OF them. and you can't
imagine what i sight il is-and beat the
clothes with sticks Well the clothes
are fine 10 look at when washed. but it's
hard on their longevity a Tueful
smile-"and besides, it's a hard way OF
working. especially when you consider
that they could import things that would
make life much easier.
Dignifed on the bench, Mr.. Tafts Sc
date manner was tempered by a sugges-
tiCn OF kindliness and charity that he
The Washington herald., 1909-03-05

Mr. Taft IS Ger
tainly a very big
man. said one. max
ing a gesture that
implied q large Ci--
Gle as he spoke.
He is that. an
swered the other.
We have certainly
had a considerable
sphere Of American
infU e n C g in our
midst recently
And yet they say
the Chinaman has
no sense OF humOr.
The Washington herald., 1909-03-05

Tafts dresses Up the
back without missing
Il single eve. and the
things he could tel
yeu about bringing
ID a baby would
make up z successful
series Of sunday
newspaper features
PHI Taft was Just
brought I'D that way.
N r Taft left
Washington 20 spend
a quiet day with the
cid folks at AIiIIbury.
Ma SS and or, reach
The Washington herald., 1909-03-05

and dale, IS familiar
10 everyone. You
never saw such a
picture Of Mr.. Taft,
though. and there is
Just one reason for
this. lie never did
such a thing. The
PTesident-eIeCt has
too much compass
sion for the horse TO
expect him 20 leap
six-raii fences and
jump rivers with
more than 80 pounds
up. Mr.. Taft aiwavs
The Washington herald., 1909-03-05

ating jokes In regard
10 the beasts which
Taft rides
While ne vas gov
ernOT general Of the
Philippines Mr.. Taft
made a long and
tedious journey Up
the mountains TO
Bengat. The depart
ment at Washington
knew Of the trip. and
Bir. Taft reported By
cable direct TO Sec
retary OF State Root.
arrived safe and
The Washington herald., 1909-03-05

Taft. the former
governor gene ra I
Taft was Just the
sort Of man the Fill
pinOs needed 20 re-
.c ellie them 70
American rule His
big human qualities.
his strength. and
even his cOrpulency.
enGesred him 20 the
natives.
The simple-heaTted
C children Of the
Orient had b ce "a
chilled by the dig
The Washington herald., 1909-03-05

fisherman by ex-
treme sportsmen who
make u science of
casting the fly. He
is not so good a
fisherman as Grover
Cleveland was. He
has been thought TO
resemble Cleveland.
allowing for the diff
ference N ages, by
superficial observers.
But there is little OF
real similarity be
tween the two men.
In this resDpet Mr..
The Washington herald., 1909-03-05

Judge Taft was con
. vinced that the Of
fenSe was due m0Se
% ignorance than 90
. criminal intent. and
he suspended sen
tence- Come back to
me in six months.
ne said 10 the de
. fendant
The Philippine wa
I was on when the six
4 months expired. The
young fellow who
had been convicted
appeared p efore g
The Washington herald., 1909-03-05

Taft Is much ike Cleveland: He does
not Ike 10 dictate his letters to ste
nographer and always does as much as
possible OF his particular correspondence
with his own hand. Like the writing OF
Mr. Cleveland. that of President Taft is
in small. feminine hand that would sug-
gest anything but the big man behind it.
His autograph is in enormous demand.
and lie is good natured about giving it.
The Washington herald., 1909-03-05

alignment. IN SYM
pathy, evi d tIy,
with its captatin.
who was manifestly
badly ratified. The
trOublr proved con
tagious. for the Off
Ger OF the day. vino
rode BY Mr. Taft.
also became coBfus-
ed. spurring this way
and that and giving
hystericaI and con
Trajectory ord der 8.
The Secretary ua-
derstood at once
The Washington herald., 1909-03-05

o. Il. AT unleS Wn6n
he Is on the subject
he seems a big, en-
Jhusiastic boy. TN
spoiled by the carK-
ing cares Of the
world he may. pre-
viously. have been
discoUrsinS on some
political q u G stiO n
which has left its
mark Of worry about
his eyes and mouth.
but Just let someone
remark
saw z great game
The Washington herald., 1909-03-05

that could be paid 10
any human being.
when ne was asked
bis opinion Of Mr..
Taft. Capt. Seth has
the plainsman's ret
icence Of speech. He
could not gush II he
tried.
What Is Il about
Taft that you ike %
he was asked.
He hemmed and
hawed before he
q n 8 " cred. He S
simply all right Hes
The Washington herald., 1909-03-05

ditiOns Of life of the
native woman.
Her legal rights
are. perhaps. greater
in the islands than
are those of tie
American woma.
ne once said in an
Interview
Mr. Taft then dis
cussed the tasks Of
the women. and cx-
pressed his regret
that they did not
use more modern ap-
plianceS IN their
The Washington herald., 1909-03-05

Is near Lst1 a. G-A-
one al a joke on
himself No pOmp0s-
3ty; 10 demag0gue.
An incident illus
trates this lie was
seated on a shaded
b bench overlooking
the St Lawrence
River one day, his
mind deep in some
war papers which
the government had
forwarded him from
Washington. Look
ing r1n ne espied an
The Washington herald., 1909-03-05

Attll- y lt " = -
Ter man writing AZ
this time had % say ,
"8Ir. Taft sits or
the I'D with the ar
Of ore who is used 70
Il. attending 20 mat
tcrs of import. As
acting President,
acting Secretary Of
State and Secretary
Of War. ne is keep
Ing Up an appear
anCe in line with
past performances.
He has been attend
The Washington herald., 1909-03-05

enemies we're men
who wanted 10 shirk
their duties as civil
iaus or 70 relax the
severity Of military
discipline in respect
20 their favorites.
8Ir Taft doesnt
Ike a shiTker. and
he viii not play any
fsvorites IN official
matters. though he
is ono ~ the kindest-
hearted men in the
world.
tn #h~ vr.5T7r s-r- rr
The Washington herald., 1909-03-05

deliver at the open
ing OF the First Na-
tional A s s 2 m bly,.
After he had visited
Manila and had de
livered his frank.
outsp0ken message
10 the islanders. he
put 81 ali his time.
from n Mia "a
VladivostOk. writing
his huge report on
all that happened in
the far Eastern isl
ands, and, SO far
vvas 4-4- ~e-o-- g.,
The Washington herald., 1909-03-05

neighborhood Of your
ear. have you?'
Charlie gazcd into
space. his counten-
ancc depicting that
profound melan-
choiy that comes TO
the juvenile consci-
ouSness upon the
realization of the ut
ter futility Of all
mundane effort.
Observing this AIr.
Taft said. on. We
wont bo rso hard on
The Washington herald., 1909-03-05

Perhaps il was when Justice Harlan.
who halls from Kentucky. was looking
around Murray Bay for mint and some
OF the things that 60 with it that Mr
Taft told this story
Justice Harlan used TO have a sort OF
valet down South before the war. you
know" said Mr. Taft. He was a
darkey, and his name was Jackson. Jack
son never used the first person singular
he always said we and ne had an eye
for ths health Of Afsrse John g" (here
Mr. Taft pointed at the 1ustice) and he
believed in moderation. Wei. one night
Marse John came home in the rain. He
vas drenched and felt he needed some
thing. He knew there would be a pro-
test, but he called out; Hey. you.
Jackson. I'm wet 70 the skin and cold
al through; bring me something TO warm
ne Up
Jackson went OF wagging his head in
protest, bat came back with toddy.
That's a powerful weak drink for a
nan Ike me- said Marse John.
It hain't raore'n moderately strong
jackson admitted 'Yo' see. Marse John.
I kinder lowed as how We was taperin'
Off
The Washington herald., 1909-03-05

and looking over the parade ground,
said:
Never mind major that's only human
nature. We won't let triaes bother Us.
Not many days later this same major
was joUneying northward with Mr. Taft
and was standing on the rear platform
with the Secretary. Who was making a
speech 20 a small but enthusiastic crowd
In this beautiful state Of Iowa, Mr.
Taft was Saying. when the major. hav-
ing more regard FOR precision Of state
ment than fer TIE Secretary's feelings
leaned forward and whispered very audi
bly,: South Dakota. Mr.. Secretary
South Dakota. We've been II South Dd-
kcta the last four hours"
While Mr Taft was governor general
u the Philippines he made "a great many
The Washington herald., 1909-03-05

fail az ttAF AttN LAac-L
he cannot spare the
time. When at his
summer home at
Murray Bay. Que
bee. he plays golf
for three hours every
morning
One day, after
making the rounds
Of the links at Chevy
Chase. Mr.. Taft at
tempted 20 comply
with one Of the Gus
toms Of the place
and stepped ON the
The Washington herald., 1909-03-05

manages to sit his horse II he happens
to become fract.ous. for he has learned
the art Of riding from men who are
among the worlds best riders-the Unit
ed States army's cavalry When Secre-
tary OF War, Mr.. Tafts orderly. who
usually accompanied him on his rides
was a horseman surpassed by none. he
could ride any horse that ever champed
bit; he could ride standing up, lying
down. or any way in which a horse can
be ridden.
Mr.. TAFT was always delighted to watch
his orderly while doing stunts on his
horse, although he never attempted any
Of them himself He has always been
perfectly satisfied To take his morning
and evening gailop on the fiat. To horse
back riding Mr.. Taft attributes a redUc
ton in his weight. and this exercise and
the fresh air ne gets constitute the prin-
cipaI reason for his adoption Of the sad
die as a recreation.
Taft loves horses and probably knows
enough about them TO suit his own
ends, but it is not likely that he viii ever
have the distinction enjoyed by Mr.. Root
Who is credited with owning the finest
horses in Washington, where fine steeds
for every purpose are to be seen in the
streets every day.
The Washington herald., 1909-03-05

A-- - G --aA y = q
gigantic stature But
the re n c n guid s
os G IN ada who
know how 70 FISH
and catch them. do
not worship Taft as
they do some OF the
trout experts who
invade the woods.
One day when he
had been out for two
hours with his guide
whipping a Cana
dian stream. Mr.
The Washington herald., 1909-03-05

fairs of the islands certain officer was
ordered to sail from his easy bertb la
the United States for duty IN Luzoa. OF
course. the officer was not anxious 10
20 and Immediately set 90 work in Wash
ington all the Influence he could bring
20 bear 10 relieve him 81 the unpleasant
task set before him But after al the
wire-pulling had been exhausted he was
finally referred % NJ. Taft So. one 90
the officers friends called upon tho gov
.ernor general and advanced several good
excuses. finally playing his trump card.
as follows,
You know this is an awful climate for
a white man" he declared. 1T is hot
and il is unhealthy. The colonel cannot
stand IL here Why. you know he Is Fat.
He weighs more than 20 pounds. It
would be an absolute punishment TO
bring him over here"
Yes" said Taft. thoughtfully.
Further than that ne would be in
danger OF his Ife here-a fat man Ike
that"
Taft took thoughtful survey OF his
own huge frame. and. turning 70 the aD-
plicant. with a quizzicaI smile. asked:
Did Taft dieg'
The colonel went 70 the Philippines.
Toward the end Of his career as a Fed
eraI judge. a young man was convicted in
his court of violating the postal laws.
The Washington herald., 1909-03-05

Judge Taft with the laconic introduction.
I've come
Z see you have" said his honor. but
what can 10 for you?"
Judge Taft had nearly forgotten the cir
cumstauce, but it was recalled to his
recollection by attaches Of the court
Then he put the young man through an
examination IS to what ne had been doing
in the probationary period, and received
satisfactory answers.
And what are you doing now he
asked.
4 am trying to set into the army" was
the answer
VIII they take vOu?~
i think so. but I told them couldn't
enlist until I'd seen you.
Well" said Judge Taft you show
yourself to me with Uncle Sans uniform
on and You needn't come after that
! The boy enlisted and MS sentence was
remitted.
The Washington herald., 1909-03-05

Riding on horseback IS one OF Mr.. Taft's
chief pastimes. On account Of his size
his friends always have made commiser-
The Washington herald., 1909-03-05

"Charlie." Mrs. Taft was once over
heard TO say at table, you haven't OBJ
served that there is a conspicuous tract
Of ground in the
The Washington herald., 1909-03-05

IN the peaceful and benevolent assimila-
ton Of the Philippines nothing has ever
been so potent as the personality Of Mr.
The Washington herald., 1909-03-05

Robert Lee Dunn. who Travelled as pho
tographer with Mr. Taft around the
world. tells Of Mr. Tafts bravery under
pain. It was at a review Of the troops
at Fort Smelling. MINI. Says Damn:
Mr. Taft was very thorough with his
review. It was not mere formality With
him by any means. he inspected every
thing down TO the pack train with great
care. when the review was over he
climbed into a motor car. and-though
il was a piping hot day-put on an over
coat. Turning Up his collar. he gave The
word 10 start
"One moment. please" said the cam
era man.
All ri7bt answered Mr.. Taft. but
please be q,-ick. and turning toward The
comera. he tried 70 smile. Il was the
ghsstliest attempt 10 appear al ease that
I ever saw: q weird. heart-rending effort
and without a vestige of the j0yOusness
that We had seen in his countenance the
night before. We only looked and Won
dered. for none Of Us knew Of the mortal
agony the Secretary was enduring behind
that courageous mask
Some thirty minutes later, when Mr.
Taft had reached the house OF a friend
where he was q guest. a bulletin was is
sued stating that though the Secretary
was then resting easily. it would be ueces-
sary TO cancel all Of his immediate en-
gagements. He was suffering from pto-
maine poisoning. a bit Of fish having done
the mischief. and. as the Secretary said.
the larger the corporation, the greater
the capacity for pain"
The Washington herald., 1909-03-05

There is absolutely no false pride aboot
Mr.. Taft. He can see himself as others
even tire cartoonist-see him, and laughs
The Washington herald., 1909-03-05

Mr. Taft. in the Philippines. preferred
n ride mule, because, he explained. q
horse usually saw him first and mutinied.
but the mule would stand IL a couple 81
days before showing he preferred rot 10
be ridden He once kept a formal and
gorgeous dinner waiting until he made
sure that his hard-worked mule had been
fed
The story. much 10 the credit OF his hu-
maneness. was known 10 a Minnesota
mayor whose observation Of mules had
been limited 10 the smaller breeds. He
asked Mr- Taft how big his mule was
ooh" Indicating the lowest button or
his vest, about so nigh weighed about
10 pounds. I should judge"
The mayor had the ray Of light which
missed Judge Harlan.
Mr. Taft he remarked solemnly, =
believe you're a natUre-faker."
So he was. too. for the mules he rode
in the Philippines We're big and mighty
beasts.
Mr.. Taft's first visit TO Panama, in tbs
year 1865. is an event which viii never
The Washington herald., 1909-03-05

At one place OF. tour as War Secretary
Mr.. Taft was inspecting a cavalry post.
a company rode b. in somewhat broken
The Washington herald., 1909-03-05

sound after riding 100 miles muleback'
Secretary Root replied Ike this;
Congratulations on your health. How
Is the muller
The Washington herald., 1909-03-05

Taft returned with a fine basket of fish.
His friends were congratulatiRg hlm- on
his skill. The suide said nothing. Taft
smiled genislly when they asked how
many he had caught. He waved his hand
at the guide and said:
The squadron under my command
caught twelve fish"
The man who after being duly TN
pressed with the size Of Mr. Taft forms
the opinion that he IS not athletic viii
find himself sadly mistaken Once there
WAS a gentleman OF this sort, who
thought it would he huge Joke 10 in
yeigle the genial Taft into a game OF
golf under the broiling sun of the Phil
ippine Islands. When. after Mr.. Taft
had set the pace in following tie hail
over nine-miIe course. and was then
traiIed by his friend for fve-mile walk
to a plantation house on the mountain
side to get refreshmeut IN a cup Of tea.
the joker was a saddcr. but a wiser man
He found Mr. Taft as strong and fresh
and smiling as a sea-shore breeze. while
he himseIf-well, the joke vas on him
with vengeance. for ne was forced 10
lay abed the next day.
Those familiar with the Taft home are
agreed that Mr.. Taft IS "house broke
to an ideal degrce. He can hook Mrs.
The Washington herald., 1909-03-05

him. I guess he likes fixing I'D about as
much as I do. I'm NEST despondent. too.
with all this clothes changing every time
a function comes along
one OF the shadows upon the life Of Mr..
Taft was his enforced absence from this
country upon state business when his
mother died. Between mother and son
the strongest bond Of sympathy and love
existed.
This can best be illustrated. perhaps.
by an incident that happened at Havana
at the time when Mr. Taft was there to
straightep out the affairs OF the turbu-
lent little republic
Mr. Taft stated a newspaper dis
patch Of the day. sat In a small room
overlooking the sea He looked tired and
worn Many men crowded about him.
most OF them correspondents for Ameri-
can newspapers.
When the crowd ef writing men had
arranged themselves in a rough semi
circle in front Of his desk. Mr. Taft
beckoned 10 the representative OF Bos-
ton daily. on the outer edge Of the crowd
TO come around and sit beside him I
am anxious that this young man should
hear everything, he said. in explanation
Of his partiality. He writes for the onIy
paper that my mother reads. and ike
her To know what I'm doing down here.
There was something fine in the uncon-
sciousness and simplicity Of the mans
speech and attitude Of mind"
Two Cinnamon in Shanghai were dis
cUssing the President-elect's visit TO that
+ place after the departure e the Tai
The Washington herald., 1909-03-05
"O-o-oh. WHliei'

"O-o-Oh, Wiliei'
Il was the voice OF William H Tsft's
brother calling Tor him from the window
Of his room at Yale In the '7gs, and it
sounded sweetly. clearly. and homely on
the quiet and studious air. But II aws1l-
ened such a multitude Of echoes as nature
has provided in no other spot and al 10
other era Of the human race.
''0-O-O-o-oh. W-i-Il-e-e-e-e-e"'
From all the other windows round
about a chorus of 400 voices took up the
yell with a gOrgeousness Of variety al
most deafening and wholly humiIiating.
That was the last time any OF William
H. Tafrs family ventured 10 call him
Willie" within a radius OS ten miles OF
Yale Undergraduate opinion had showed
itself TOO overwhelming in disapprovaI.
His name became -'BiIi--fust plain BIZ
and 10 Yale ever since BIZ he has re-
manned.
The men who most frequently called
Taft BIZ during the Yale days we're the
members or his clsss-'7S On the day OF
I his inauguration as President Of the Unit
ed States they are going 10 have a class
meeting al Washington, where. after
more than thirty years. the whooping
/ school-fellows OF those vocifeyeous DAYS
viii call Up with him what remains Of
the youth that was then SO gloriously
green.
The native Filipinos fairly worship N-.
Taft. They have way Of calling him
''Santo," and they think in order 10 be q
I c,rea+ man - 49,
The Washington herald., 1909-03-05


being completed when he left Berlin
three weeks later that he used most Of
the thirteen days Il took 10 cross the At
lantic in finishing the work. Mr.. Fred
Carpenter, his secretary, had been left
behind in Germany for a two weeks va
cation Mr.. Taft wrote out the report
IN l0nghand.
Mrs. Taft. once seeing him laboring
over this document said:
VIII why on earth don't you quit?''
The big man looked up with a laugh:
'@Well. he answered. its a good policy
TO make your reports extra long. 50 folks
won't read them and find out your mis-
takes"
Somebody asked him then Il that rule
applied 10 the Presidents message. and
he merely shrugged his shoulders and
laughed again
The Washington herald., 1909-03-05

Il was not often that Judge Taft showed
anger. but when he did there was nothing
haif-hearted about it. A man who had
The Washington herald., 1909-03-05

ing 10 more subjects of great interest
than fsll TO the lot Of most Americans
when an ambassador Of q foreign
power. having in mind the making Of a
point for the mystifcation Of other for
States into his confidence he calls not
at the State Department. but at the War
Department. knowing that when ne is
speaking tn Secretary Taft he Is speak
ing 20 the President
The Washington herald., 1909-03-05

President Taft was once fishing with a
cause he could outdo the most vigorous
The Washington herald., 1909-03-05

When Nj Taft Travelled from Seattle
90 the Philippines his time vas much oc-
cUpied in preparing the speech he would
The Washington herald., 1909-03-05

Occasionally when in Washington IIr.
Taft PLAYS golf at the Chevy Chase Club.
That he does not do SO oftener is due
The Washington herald., 1909-03-05

Mr.. Tafts first visit TO Panama, in the
year 1865. is an event which viii never
be forgotten by those so vitality interested
The Washington herald., 1909-03-05

The native Filipinos fairly worship Nr.
Taft. They have way Of calling him
''Santo,' and they think in order 10 be g
great nan IL Ar,,e--
The Washington herald., 1909-03-05

Two Cinnamon in Shanghai were dis
cussing the President-elect's visit to that
place after the departure e the Taft
The Washington herald., 1909-03-05

SIR. Taft's favorite pastime Is golf. and
he IS never too tired 70 play the game
or 70 listen % any interesting discussion
The Washington herald., 1909-03-05

Although Mr. Taft IS tireless. and al
though fishing is cne CT his favorite
pasumes. he Is not regarded as an expert