The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1910-09-16

who heard It laugh. too. or at least
smile. 1t was exuberant; choppy, If
you like; irregular, boyish at times,
rising to treble as If its creator was
having the time of his life at the mo-
ment of its utterance. Many is the
time that secretaries passing his door
stopped to smile at this melody of
merriment, and it issued forth most
often just at the time when one
thought that the colonel was in his
highest corner, ned at bay by his
enemies.
Former Governor Guild of Massa-
Chusetts took occasion the other day
before leaving for Mexico with the
American delegation which is to at
tend the centennial celebration at
Mexico City, to call upon Beckman
Winthrop, assistant secretary of the
navy. The result was a perfect flow
of laughter Guild has the mellow
clubfellow laugh. II is all of good
humor, comfort, enjoyment Of the mo-
ment. Winthrop's laugh is an utterly
wild, unrestrained sort that ripples
and splashes about as If the survivor
of the tennis cabinet didn't care a rap
for anything and proposed to amuse
himself as he chose. Winthrop has
hard time carrying on the traditions
of the former administration.
Secretary Knox, President Taft's
premier, likes a laugh now and then
but mostly then. The lips of the
secretary of state seldom emit rip
| ,,1A NtrlA hn ont 10 n
most stimulating one. More frequent
ly he sits and smiles, and his eyes do
not laugh at all. They fix themselves
on whomsoever is nearest as though
the levity of the occasion were merely
bait to draw out the other person
while the eyes scrutinized whatever
secrets of countenance might be UNI
yelled by the flash of merriment
The secretary of war, j. M. Dickin-
!, son, has raucous sort of laugh, al
though it is not especially distinctive.
II is much the same as that of any
big man who can take pleasure in a
funny story, but it does not always
indicate a mirthful temperament.
George Won l.. Meyer, secretary of
the navy, is not man of mirth. His
laugh is quiet one, such as would
not cause any head to turn in the best
ordered drawing room, but he has the
3 power of emitting it at the proper mo-
! ment. He can lean back in his chair
: from the knottiest problem, unwrinkle
: his forehead and give mirthful, amia-
4 able, little ripple which quite suits the
Z occasion
James Wilson, secretary of agrlcul-
|, ture, and grandfather of the cabinet,
+ has a nice, we'll defined, western Iowa
:. laugh when the idea strikes him. 1t is
S a very characteristic sort of uneuphon-
Y ious utterance. 1t comes forth unbid-
e den by circumstance, is not very loud
J. and depends entirely upon the secre-
S tary's inward state of being. He
laughs when he pleases.
e George w. Wickersham, attorney
= general, is far different from Bona.
0 parte, his predecessor, who often
= chuckled to himself whenever the
b popular voice happened to be lam
= basting him. 1t was quiet, confiden
), tial sort of chuckle, apparently not
r meant for other ears. Wickersham
t never laughs without conforming to
S the usuages of the American Bar as
sociaton and we'll defined rules OF
propriety and etiquette. He is full
|. of funny stories, however, and laughs
robustly on occasions.
G. H. Hitchcock postmaster gener
al, has a useful smile, but laughing
&c nf biS nrnp1inpnt phprp nt
u istics. Abandonment to mirth is not
i in his makeup. He would never think
! of letting himself go to the extent OF
giving an ungraceful and reverberat
y ing whoop.
Franklin MacVeagh, secretary of the
II treasury, has keen sense of humoi
) and enjoys telling stories as well as
+ hearing the anecdotes of others. He
INDUCES in pleasing little chuckles
l. that indicate his pleasure in the point
y that has been made in the story, but
e refrains, as a rule, from unrestraineG
s. hilarity.
Charles Nagel secretary of the de
partment of commerce and labor, has
- a purring laugh which much of the
- is good evidence of cheerfulness, but
at the same time, if he desires, il
IS often leaves his hearers in doubt as
3 to the depth of his mirth.
Richard A. Ballinger, secretary Of
= the department of the interior, has &
good fellow laugh that is we'll known
, in the circles of his friends. 1t has
;, been classed by some as politica
- laugh, and at times has stood him il
the good stead, but it is never uproar
ious. Taken as a whole, the laughter
of the present cabinet is more or less
Il strained and the president has but lit
i. tie competition when he gives way t.
mirth at meeting of the executive
h council.
- EQUAL TO LIES MIsERABLEs?"