Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-04-14
BY FRED c. KELLY

groom spoke up. u ORDER COCKTAIL. One
agreed that cocktail would be just the
one cocktail, mind you! He drank it slowly,
and when it was all gone he handed her over
the cherry.
AZ wanted cocktail myself, she said.
3Ah, yes, he replied playfully; but cock
tails aren't good for little girls
3She frowned moment and opined, I'll
just bet you'll have the cocktail and the
cherry all the way through life.
That was the story.
sand now," inquired, show much of
that really happened3"
@Oh," replied the Senator, @there was
bridal couple opposite me, and he ordered only
one cocktail, because she didn't care for any,"
SOME of the most famous Depew stories
had even less foundation than that. For
political convention in Saratoga about man
Who went walking through cemetery eating
green apples and singing, 3Nearer My God
to Thee" There wasn't so much to that;
but it gave him another story which he later
told as one of the most distressing exper-
fences of his life. Briefly, it was that he
went back to Saratoga year after telling the
green apples story, and was surprised that
certain lifelong friend of his there was not at
the train to meet him. He inquired why, and
learned that the old friend was greatly vexed
with him about something, and did not wish
to see him. That excited Depew's curiosity,
and he declared that he would not leave
Saratoga until he learned what could have
estranged his old friend. Finally he got to
the man and asked him what was up.
Il wish you'd just 60 on away" said the
friend, sand let me alone. You've caused
en0a,oh fro,1h1o already
3But what have done?" persisted Depew.
SOh, you've done enough, and I'd hoped
never to see your face again. My wife died
last spring, and"
Eyes, and was greatly panied to hear of
it. Didn't write you letter of sympathy
at the timer" put in Cepew.
3My wife died." went on the old friend,
ignoring the interruption, 3and one of her
last requests was that her favorite hymn,
Nearer My God to Thee, be sung at the
funeral. l arranged everything with great
planned with such regard for her wishes that
/ had the satisfaction of knowing it was all
just as she would have had it, if she had been
here to look after the arrangements herself.
And then, when they started to sing Nearer
My God to Thee l thought of that absurd
story of yours that you told at the conven-
ton, and, in my half hysterica1 frame of
mind, began to laugh. laughed until I
had disgraced myself, my wife, and all my
friends. And you were the cause Of it all!
I never want to see you again!"
That was the story of the incident as Mr..
Depew told it, and it became famous. AS a
matter of fact, what had actually occurred
was this: The next time Depew visited Sara
toga after the convention, friend there re-
marked, @Do you know, went to funeral
the other day, and when they sang Nearer
My God to Thee I could hardly refrain
from smiling over the recollection Of that
fool story of yours"
That was the fact basis for the story-just
that and nothing more. The rest Mr.. Depew
3drempt."
SOME years ago, when crossing the At
- lantic, Mr.. Depew was in need of good
seasickness story. The only thing he could
think of was the yarn about the seasick man
who was asked if the moon had come up,
and replied that if it hadn't it was the only
thing that had stayed down. The story,
which was new at that time, had been told
to him as conversation between two men.
Mr.. Depew, however, supplied his own at
mosphere, and about all he lifted from the
original version was the cracker. He told of
a newly splced couple that went abroad on
their honeymoon, and what lot of hard
IL - IL. RI