Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1917-04-04

IL grows lule. lou KNOW CLuC JOu0y
the British minister. Mr.. Merry. comes
to meet the president for the first time
formally-at dinner. Senior Yrujo also
and their ladies'. Of course. Mr.. Burr
and Mr.. Merry seem already acquaint
ed. met them riding this morning."
Hand and glove. then. so soon
What do you make of it? I have q
guess that those three-Burr, Merry
Yrujo-mean this administration nc
special good. and yet it was l myself
who kept our Spanish friend from get
ting his passports back to Madrid.
did that because of his marriage to the
daughter Of my friend. Governor Nc
kean of Pennsylvania. But what were
you saying now?"
81 thought perhaps should go to
my rooms to change for dinner. You
see that am still in riding clothes"
And what of that, my son? l am in
worse
The young man stood and looked at
his chief for a moment. He realized
the scarce dignified figure that the
president presented in his long coat,
his soiled waistcoat. his stained trous-
ers and his wooden stockings. not to
mention the unspeakable slippers. down
at the heel. into which he had thrust
bis feet that morning when he came
into the Office.
You think will not do?" Mr.. JEFF
ferson smiled at him frankly. II am
not so free from wisdom, perhaps, aft
er all. Let this British minister see
us as we are. for men and women and
not dummies for finery. Moreover, l
we'll enough how we cooled
our heels there in London. Mr.. Madi-
son and myself. They showed us little
courtesy enough. Well, they shall
have no complaint here. We will treat
them as well as we do the others, as
well as the electors who sent us here!'
Meriwether Lewis allowed himself a
smile.
Co" added his chief. "Garb your
self as I would have you-in your best.
But there will be no precedence at ia
BILE this evening-remember that! Let
them take seats pellmell, the devil take
the hindmost. A fair field for every
one and favor to none! Seat them as
nearly as possible as they should not
be seated and leave the rest to me.
All theSe-indeed, all history and all
the records--shal take me precisely
as l am"
An hour later Meriwether Lewis
stood before his narrow mirror, we'll
and handsomely clad. as was seeming
with one of his family and his place
a tall and superb figure Of young man.
hood, as proper a man as ever stood
in buckled shoes in any country Of the
world.
The guests came presently, folk of
many sorts. With Mr.. Jefferson as
president the democracy of America
had invaded Washington, taking more
and more liberties, and it had many
on hand. With these
came persons of rank of this and other
lands, dignitaries, diplomats, officials,
ministers of foreign powers. Carriages
with outriders came trundling over the
partially paved roads Of the crude cap
[tal city. FOotmen opened doors to
gentlemen and ladies in full dress,
insignia Of honor, displaying
gems, orders, decorations, Jewels, all
the brilliant costumes Of the European
courts.
They came up the path to the door
Of the mansion, where. to their amaze
ment, they were met only by Mr.. JEFF
ferson's bowling old darby Ben, who
lshered them in. helped them with
their wraps and asked them to make
themselves at home. And only old
Henry, Mr.. Jefferson's butler, bowed
them in as they passed from the entry
hall into the anterOom which lay be-
tween that and the large dining sa-
Don. ....
The numbers increased rapidly. What
at first was general gathering be-
came crowd, then mob. There was
no assigned place for any, no presen-
tatiOn Of one stranger to another.
Friends could not find friends. Nut
terings arose. Crowding and jostling
were not absent. Here and there an
angry word might have been heard.
The policy of pellmell was not work
ing itself out in any happy social
fashion.
Matters were at their worst when
suddenly from his own apartments ap-
peared the tall and well composed fig
lre Of Mr.. Jefferson's young secretary,
social captain of matters at the execu-
tive mansion and personal aid to the
president. His quick glance caught
sight of the gathering line of carriages.
A second glance estimated the plight Of
those now damned into the anteroom
ike so many cattle and evidently in
distress.
Matters stood thus when, at a time
when scarce another soul could have
been crowded into the anteroom, old
Henry flung open the folding doors
which he had closed.
"Mistah Thomas Jeffersonr' was his
Dole announcement. ... ...
There appeared in the doorway the
all. SLIGHTLY STONED figure Of the pres