The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1912-12-12
Bx THE DOWAGER.

| Inc agile, alert, ana eVer-younS Assist
ant Secretary OF State celebrated his
SEVENTEEN birthday not long ago. and
everybody said, who would have
thought it," Yet, to have passed the
years he has in the government service,
| to have enjoyed the many experiences
that have been his, and to have acquired
the store OF knowledge which makes him
so Invaluable, he could hardly be
younger.
! Happily, his years interfere neither
with Mr.. Adees duties nor his pleasures.
He is the keenest man in the Dep e
ment of State along certain lines, the
! last appeal in certain cases; and every
summer he quits his desk and goes for
bicycling tour in some unfrequented
| part OF Europe with the zest and enthu-
siasm Of a boy. The Consular General
at Berlin, Mr.. Thackara, and his wife,
Gen. Shermans daughter, whom Mr..
Adee knew as a girl. are his companions
| on these jaunts, and the three OF them
have a great time.
Mr.. Adee began his diplomatic career
in 1870 when he was appointed Second
| Secretary of the Legation at Madrid.
He was still there in 1873 when that old
Roman, Caleb Gushing, came as minis
master the Spanish language. In 1871
Mr. Adee was appointed to a clerkship
in the Department OF State. where he
has remained continuously ever since, be-
ing advanced to his present position from
that OF Third Assistant in 1856
A witty society woman calls Mr.. Adee
the eighth wonder OF the world" Where
he comes in the list of wonders is OF no
consequence; he is n wonder. He knows
every rope in the Department of State,
no is familiar with the history of our
foeign affairs, and all of the traditions
connected with our diplomacy, he has the
laws of precedence at his tongues end,
and can back up his decisions, whether
social or official. by numberless prece-
dents.
With the diplomatic history and tradi-
tfpns of other countries he is as familiar
as with his own. Moreover, he can in
terpret the rules. written and unwritten,
governing diplomatic affairs in such a
way as to give offense to no one. He can
even send A new Congressman, swelled
almost to bursting with his own impor-
lance, away defeated but happy, and he
makes the social way of the women new
to official life smooth to their unaccus-
toned feet.
Now and then an ambitious hostess will
bring him a hard nut to crack. II it
is too hard, impossible. he advises the
rest cure, as when woman high in the
official world brought him dinner list
and asked him TO separate the guests
into proper couples and then arrange
them according to their rank. 1t could
not be done. on that list were officials
whose relative position has never been
fixed and who have been fighting about
it ever since the beginning of the gov
eminent, all of which Mr.. McAdee ex-
planned.
That is all very we'll" said the host
ess, but what am to do! My invita-
lions are all out"
1t was then that Mr.. McAdee advised
the rest cure. GO to bed" he said,
and stay there until after the dinner,
and never try to mix up people in this
way again"
With the death of Ransdell, another
Of the veterans passed on. To provide
a new Sergeant-at-arms for the Senate
was a simple matter. but no one can
replace dear old Dan Ransdell in the
hearts Of his friends. He will be missed,
sincerely missed, and not soon forgot
ten. A devoted and dependable friend,
a fair and open enemy, an efficient man
Of affairs, Col. Ransdell left record
behind him that it will be difficult to sur
pass. The most determined OF men, the
thing, he was yet one of the gentlest and
most considerate.
An early exhibition Of his determina- |
ton was his enlistment in the Union |
army. His father was a clergyman, a.
dyed-in-the-wool Baptist, an ardent |
Democrat, and a violent opposer of the |
war. He forbade his son to join the I
Union forces. but he forbade in vain. |
Unable to gain the consent Of his father, |
he enlisted without it, and with the |
of his rife became a fierce
and valiant soldier. Always In the |
thickest of the fight, he never got a |
scratch until nearly the close of the
war, at Reseca, when he lost his right
hand and forearm
The last time saw Col Ransdsn he