The Washington herald., 1912-03-05
LATEST GOSSIP OF
FOREIGN CAPITALS

The feat OF President Failieres, who
on New Years Day. without cessation
shook hands with his guests from $3.50
in the morning until midday and again
from o'clock ultil late in the after
noon, equals the record of President
Taft, who. at least on one occasion, un-
derwopIsa handshal<ing ordeal beneath
which an ordinary, mortal might have
succumbed. One occasion. as we all
know. is on record when. after shaking
hands with 100 women, President
Taft plaintiyely Inquired how many
more deputations there were 10 come.
Three hundred women" was the re-
ply. whereupon he excused himself on
account of pressing Official business
NJ. THEIRS. when President of the
French republic, on one occasion. when
receiving several hundred visitors from
the provinces. had to undergo an or
deal even more severe. Handshaklng
commenced at noon. in many instances
not the perfunctory greeting OF official
reception, but the hearty grip of good
will from tho ,countryman's muscular
hand. Small wonder that such enthusi-
asm soon became too much for the
little statesman with the big head.
who on the approach OF each new guest
WINGED more and more at the sight OF
the NhOHC NlhSp
would intensity that agony. which
finally compelled him TO plead sudden
indisposition and to retire to his phi
yate apartments.
Worse even was the experience that
fell to the lot of his compatriot. Eugene
sue, the famous author OF the Wander
ing Jew" whose novels a generation or
two ago were so very popular. Once. on
his birthday, a deputation OF working
men waited upon him with an address
of congratulation, to which he replied in
terms so felicitous that the enthusiasm
Of the party broke through all restraint
In tumultuous succession Of vice-like
grips the luckless authors hands were
clasped and wrung until he writhed in
agony and shouted for assistance. Then
only did his admirers realize that their
oxuberance was not altogether appreci-
ated, and with many apologies they re-
tired somewhat crestfallen-
Kings and other ruling princes, in this
one respect at least. are much better on
There is no handshaking at court recep-
tions, only bows and genuhexions. mi
nutely prescribed by the court chamber
lain. This. by the way. also has the ad-
vantage OF keeping the ''hol polloi''
from coming in too close contact with
the SdCieu pSi6Ohan1y VI hle EuieE anu
his consort.
Few hand-shaking records bear COM
parison with that OF the late President
Mckinley. At a public reception held
at the White House during his term OF
Office, he exchanged handgrips with no
fewer than 4.S0O visitors. The magnitude
of this feat can be better realized, when
one considers that the reception lasted
only an hour and three-quarters. and
hot haA 20 ha GaA al
every three seconds. II can excite no
surprise that such arduous functions are
shirked at times. II is known of Zach
airy TAYLOR. who was inaugurated as
President in 1879 that once at least, he
shrank from the ordeal He had under
gone one days reception with all due
formality. gratifying each Of the several
hundred guests with a Presidential hand
shake, when ne was told that a similar
morrow.
This had TO be avoided at all hazards.
Pleading indisposition. President Taylor
appeared wrapped in a voluminous cloak.
and. closely surrounded by n number OF
friends, took up his position with his
back to a thick curtain hung in a some
what dim light The usual hand-shalz-
ing was carried through TO a successful
And yet, the President had
had no part In II. Behind the heavy
curtain a man had been concealed. whose
arm was thrust through an opening. To
each visitor, in turn, from beneath the
folds OF the Presidents cloak. a hand
was offered which none outside a small
circle suspected OF being other then that
of Cen. Taylor.
Now that King George and Queen
Mary have returned from India, they
have decided to give sittings for the ofii-