Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-04
NATIONAL TOPLINERS
By James Hay. Jr.
TOHN BARRETT, director
} of the International Blu

| IOHN BARRE11, director by jane!
of the International Blu
reau of American Republics,
now has a thorough knowledge of the mean
ing of the word ''stung" as it is used in
popular sense.
| One of his bureaus principal duties is to
promote trade relations between this coun-
| trv and the Latin-American Republics, and
Mr. Barrett does everything in his power to
make good on his job. Not long ago he had
| new idea. He turned to the bees of Mexico
as means of increasing business between
| the United States and that country, and put
out bulletin. According to the printed
pamphlet, Mexican bees were the best bees
| that ever buzzed They were docile. They
| were affectionate. Finally they were sting
less, biteless, and warranted not to sting the
baby.
All this information was widely distributed
among bee fancIers and honey producers OF
the United States
The other day Mr.. Barrett received this
letter:
DEAR Mr.. BARRETT am a Missouri
farmer, and | seen where your trade bulletin
said that Mexican bees stingless. | sent to
Mexico for some of these bees. You are liar!
d OBERT WICKLIFFE WOOLLEY, the
~ writer, found it necessary not long ago
to take trip West. On the dining car of
| the train he saw that he had in his pocket
ten cents in change, his smallest banknote
| being one for fifty dollars. He handed this
| to the porter, who went to the end of the car
| for conference with the conductor.
I'm very sorry about this, said the con-
ductor standing in front of Woolley and
toying with the big bill; but we haven't
the change for fifty dollars. Well just take
your address and send you the change"
Woolley calmly reached over and took
possession of the banknOte. You've got
nothing on me" he said. "I'll take the adj
dress of the railroad and send the price of
| the meal"
SENATOR BAILEY believes that the old
discussion about whether Lord Bacon
wrote the plays of William Shakespeare can
be the cause of a lot of humorous talk, and
in substantiation of this he tells story
about Joe Blackburn, formerly Senator from
| Kentucky, and more recently member OF
the Panama Canal Commission.
Blackburn and Dick Wintersmith, wit
well known in Washington, gave dinner to
lgnatius Donnelly, who was great author
| ity on literature and argued that Bacon
turned out the masterpieces of Shakespeare.
Blackburn called on Donnelly for his
usual speech on the subject, and the other
diners listened to it in patience.
I'VE have heard your argument with
great interest," said Wintersmith at the con-
cusion of the speech; but Joe Blackburn
and know that Shakespeare wrote Shake
speare's plays"
"How do you know it," asked Donnelly.
1--WE have definite information about it,
replied Blackburn. 1--WE were there when he
did it.
Gentlemen" said Donnelly, you SUR
prise me immensely. The plays Of Shake
speare were written about three hundred
years ago
At that, Blackburn turned to Wintersmith
with hopeless look and remarked sadly.
| Great heavens, Dick! How time does fy!"
SPEAKER CANNON knows a lot about
poker and he makes no secret of it.
Henry B. F. mcfarland. formerly Com
missioner of the District of Columbia has a
face that always wears Il smiling, bland ex-
preston. Mr. Macfarland might witness
the burning of Rome without changing his
expression at all.
One night he sat opposite the Speaker at
banquet.
| Mr. Cannon Turned tn the man on his left