Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-18
By James Hay. Jr.
VICTOR MURDOCH, the
" auburn haired insurgent
f.~.. Ko-.o, %o11o rs H. G~.%

from Kansas, tells of his first
venture in the hotel line in the national Capt.
tai.
When he arrived in Washington as new
Congressman, he felt that he had the earth
in a sling and that money and expenses were
minor considerations Accordingly, he went
to the most exclusive hotel he could find and
took an elaborate suite of rooms.
So gorgeous we're his surroundings that,
when Mrs. Murdoch appeared on the scene,
she asked him what the charges were.
"Oh, don't know" replied Murdoch un
concernedly. Il guess they're all right"
"At any rate she suggested, you d bet
ter 60 down and ask the clerk"
A few minutes later he returned, rushed
into the suite like cyclone, and began to
throw things into the trunks. Then he
stopped long enough to telephone for bag
gage man:
1--we figured it out!" he shouted as he
slammed up the receiver. Its costing us
we stay here. And we're going to move in
minute"
Jesse L. SUFFER-, who works in the Post
office Department, took a trip last fall
through the mountains of Kentucky. One
day he came across an old mountaineer and
began to question him about the people in
that section. The following is the conclud
ing part of the catechism:
do the people out here do much drink
ing?"
''Only now and them
How often do you kill man out here?"
Only once"
JAMES WILSON, Secretary of Agriculture,
knows pretty much all there is to know
about trees, vegetables, and soils; but he
does not shine as a French scholar. Accord
ingly, he was at disadvantage when he pre-
sided at dinner at the Cosmos Club where
many of the speeches were delivered in
French.
All the speakers were distinguished SCI
entists, and they dwelt on subjects of an
abstruse nature. Naturally, when their re-
marks were in French, they were puzzling to
the Secretary.
Finally, a particularly demonstrative
Frenchman began to talk about fields and
vineyards and how to improve them accord
ing to modern methods. He was applauded
several times, and when he came to his per-
Grafton, which was full of long words and set
off with many powerful gestures, the hand
clapping and cheering grew so boisterous
that MIR. Wilson thought it incumbent on
him to join in the demonstration of approval.
AS he got late start in the handclapping, he
WAS Stlll 1t IIlC vi
had quoted down.
DO you know exactly what that fellow
was saying?" asked friend of the Secretary
when the Frenchman had taken his seat.
Moo, not exactly" admitted Mr.. Will
son; "but 1 applauded because everybody
else was doing it, and wanted to be polite"
He was saying explained the friend,
THAT you were the best Secretary of Agri-
culture in the world"
IRVING C. NORWOOD is a great baseball
fan, and is an expert in all the slang
phrases known to followers of the game.
At one of the closing games of the season
played in Washington he sat next to a little
old man who, perched gingerly on the edge
of his seat, watched every play with breath
less interest. At one stage of the game,
runner tried to steal home and was called out,
although the decision was close one. In
few moments, however, it was noticed that
the catcher, after tagging the runner, had
dropped the ball.
During the dispute that followed among