The Washington herald., 1913-05-15

This little tale has nothing whatever
to do with craftsmanship, but Is here
because it's here. Louis b. Eppstein,
successful New York lawyer, set out
one fine day for Texas on a business
and pleasure trip. On his way he
stopped off at Joplin. The reason ne did
so was because he was taken violently
i'll on the train, and was in no mood to
haggle over where he got off. Once In
Joplin, he caught another train back to
New York, where he was rushed to a
hospital. DR.. John Erdman. famous sur
geon, operated on him. The lawyers
appendix was all gummed up, and that
was only one item. 1t was necessary
for the surgeon to go all through the
mans insides, as with dark lantern.
patching I'D odds and ends of anatomy
that had not given full mileage.
At last the crisis was passed, and the
patients lips moved. He stared at the
surgeon and whispered a message
and these were his first words:
II paid you a great compliment, doc
tor. when I came to you"
"Oh, l know it," responded Erdman.
quickly. You could have gone to Muir
ply in Chicago, or the Mayos in Roch-
ester but you came TO me. And rest
assured that l appreciate it,
But that wasn't the way l meant
whispered Eppstein, family. Il paid
you an even greater compliment. When
I left Joplin to come to you bought a
round-trip ticket
William H. Canniff, president of the
Nickel Plate Railroad-and who was i'm
mortalized once by being mentioned in a
Kiping story-was seated in his office
during the terrific floods in Ohio, re-
ceiving reports of damage from station
agents and others along his line.
News of bridges and station houses
washed away kept coming in every few
minutes In the midst of all the excite
ment a country station agent in little
Ohio town telephoned eeXcitedly to Can
niff's chief clerk, and stated in awed
tones:
"A box car is floating down the Big
Creek"
Holding the agent on the wire. the
chief clerk reported the big tidings to
Canniff. The old railroader hesitated q
second, then smiled and said:
"All right. Tell him to swim out and
set the brakes"
Franklin Roosevelt, Assistant Secretary
of the Navy, has for years been making
a hobby of United States naval history.
largest collection of books and pamphlets
on the subject, and knows most OF them
by heart. Mention any great naval battle
in which the United States figured, no
matter how long ago, and young Mr..
Roosevelt can tell all about 1t just as II
he had been an interested spectator. And
yet this knowledge had nothing what
ever to do with his getting his present
job. So far as he is aware, no one in
fluencing the appointment knew anything
about his hobby on naval affairs.
AS a youngster, Roosevelt planned to
go to Annapolis, but instead of that he
served four years at Harvard.
Former Senator Scott, of West Vir-
ginia, is one of the few ex-Senators who
ever take advantage of the privilege OF
the floor. Once in a while he drops IN
and sits down at a Senatorial desk 10
listen to something, just as if he were
still a member He has a perfect right
to do so, only that the thing isn't be-
ing done" An unwritten law has grown
UP which says there must be no COM
ing back to the Senatorial classroom
like an old grad When a man goes out
of the Senate he must stay cut says
the unwritten law. Over on the House
side there is no such rule, and ex-mem-
bers frequently drop in. Nobody knows
why the rule has grown up in the Sem
ate, any more than one knows why pug
dogs went out of fashion, or why strong
men wear gloves in mild weather.
Former Senator Aldrioh dropped into
the Senate Office Building when he was
here several weeks ago. but he carefully
avoided going to the Capitol. Joseph
B. Foraker. another ex-senator, of the
old guard coterie, was in the Capitol one
day testifying before the Clapp COM
mittee, but he kept away from the Sem
ate chamber as II II were a pesthouse.
William Flynn. the Secret Service Chief,
used to have ambitions to be an inventor.
His taste ran toward getting up a new
tangled fire escape that would fold up
when not In use and not seriously mar
the appearance of building. He felt
that IL he could Just do something to
save few distracted persons caught in
burning buildings he would not have lived
in vain Being resourceful person, Flynn
thought and thought about the PROPOSE
ton until finally he got plan all worked
out He, showed his drawings to several
friends. who declared that II was thor