Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1915-09-16
GREAT COMM0NER A I
GREAT DIPLOMAT

II
Villisca, Ia, Aug. 24-Thursday,iI
William Jennings Bryan gave his adj
dress at the Clarinda Chautauqua,l
on "The Causeless War" He reach,
ed Villisca at 6 O'clock in the even-l
ing on his way to his next appoint
ment, which happened to be Bloom
ington, Ill. There was no receptionl
committee, in evidence and Mr.. Bry-
an, accompanied by his wife, hust-)
le4 along to the hotel near the |
Burlington station, and very short
ly after arriving both repaired to |
the dining room where Mr.. Bryan
was seated at the head of one of
several tables with Mrs. Bryan a.
round the CO ner to the right. A
travelling man of the typical sort oc-
cupied the place around the corner
Immediately to Mr. .Bryan's left.
During the meal something happen
ed which impell-d every traveller
who occupied a place at the table
and there were several-to hur-
ry out and find some friend who
would listen to a new Bryan story.
There was one exception and this
was the fellow who sat next to Bry-
AN: Il
Mr.. and Mrs Bryan were the
first to be seated. The travelling
man who "got next" to the common
er was next. He failed to note that
the organs brought with them
quart Mason jar filled with little
white onions. This jar was located
conveniently between Mr.. and Mrs.
Bryan and after the waiter had
served them M. S. Bryan selected
few of the onions and passed the
jar to her husband. With a long
handled spoon the great Common
er, with considerable deiberation
doled out generous portion for
himself. During this process the
/ travelling mans face wore a hungry
and wistful look which every man
around the table covertly noted
| and interpreted. 1t. was perfectly
clear that the fellow was saying to
| himself:
II wonder If the damn cuss is
going to take them all.''
After Mr.. Bryan had apparently
satisfied himself that he had pro-
perly guaged his capacity and SHOW
ed the jar out of his way the trav-
eler still eyed the jar with coyet-
Gus eyes. Finally the temptation
could be resisted no longer and
with as much courtesy as he could
master-and this was only a veneer
ed variety. for the fellow was hun
CRY for onions and Bryan had sad
~ depleted the stock-he exclaim-
ed: "Neighbor. will you please pass
the onions?"
At this point Bryan's training as
a diplomat was brought into play.
He grasped the situation immedi.
ately. With ore of his most ami
able smiles he explained to his
friend that he and Mrs. Bryan were
great lovers of white onions and
chat this particular brand was just
| to their liking. But it was on
ly that they could procure supplies
| Of this variety and they had, there
fore, adopted the plan of carrying
a supply with them to tide over
periods between supply deposs
where this particular brand was
purchasable.
OF course Mr.. Bryan was equal
TO the occasion. A man who has
spent twenty years of his life deal
ing with politicians and then fin
shed it off with a post graduate
course in dealing with Mexicans
and warning Europeans. to say moth
ing of San Dom ngans, Haitians and
Solombians, had no difficulty in
explaining to an intelligent travel
ing man that he had no proprietary
interest in a jar of white white on
.ons which We're not part of the
provender furnished by the Willis
co hostelry. However, after explain
ing the situation somewhat in de-
tail. the thought seemed to strike
Mr.. Bryan that possibly his uR
known neighhor was deserving
democrat" and he accordingly in
sisted that he should accept a help