The Washington herald., 1918-09-10

New York. Sept. 9-Brian G. Hughes
Manhattan's most Ingenious Jester.
has removed his cap and bells for the
duration of the war. His quips and
quirks which have turned a city topsy-
turvy' are to be heard no more until
the bells of peace are tolled.
Hughes has Just been made presi-
dent of one OF New York's largest saw
inss banks In the Bronx and has an
nounced that he will play no more
pranks at the expense of his friends
until the war is over. Not that he
has run dry OF ideas. Far be II from
such-but the serious business OF war
has caused Mr.. Hughes to relent.
II he keeps his promise he will never
again cause an excited board Of alder
men TO chase out in search of a pre-
sented" park site. only to find plot
large enough for a single hen house,
nor will his friends bite iron cigars.
nor a thousand other things happen to
cause a ripple OF mirth over the land.
Hughes is in his early sixties. He
was born in Canada and came to New
York when a lad. His first joke was
Central Park and selling them as sing
ing canaries.
Not for Sale, B. G. Hughes. Amer
lea" can be found on desolate marsh
ard swamp lands all through New
Jersey. And the L. p. 3. NJ. I. T, w
on his business cards have kept thou
sands guessing. America" is the only
address he ever gives.
Prior to one of the horse shows at
Madison Square Garden he bought an
old broken down car horse which had
been forced into retirement by the ad-
vent OF electrically propelled cars and
sent her to his farm in Monroe
County.
He fed and fattened her and when
the show opened entered "Puldeka
Orphan. by Metropolitan, dam Elec-
tricity." His cat. pedigreed ''NiCode-
mus Dublin Brindle, Not for Sale" 4"
which was bought from a street
urchin for Is cents. won a blue ribbon
from the finest imported stock ever
exhibited
A favorite stunt of Hughes was to
call up women acquaintances in
their hotels or apartments. The fol-
lowing conversation ensued in each
instance: "HelIo-This IS the en-
gineer in the basement speaking. If
! you have not as yet taken your
morning bath do so at once. The
water will be turned of in a half
hour for the day for repairs" Con-
sidering that Hughes phones his
messages at 5 o'clock in the morn
ing-it may be easily seen the hard
ships he wrought.
1t-was the midday hour in the
softly lighted foyer Of the Hotel
Martha Washington. New York's
hotel de luxe for women only. There
was an air OF ultra sophistication
among the lorgnetted ladies, ma
trOnly knitters and pretty young
debutantes. 1t was picture indi-
cative Of war time assemble ges-a
manless gathering.
! Suddenly in the offing there ed
| died through the revolving door a
msn-lOoking much like a futuristic
masterpiece OF a startled faun. He
| looked about with an air of heIp-
lessness. an abject apologetic ex-
preston spreading over his face.
Then as though a man about to
plunge into the February waters OF
lake, he stiffened his shoulders
and walked hurriedly to a mahog-
any entrance labelled. Private
Office" He looked neither to the
right or left and soon the door closed
| hurriedly.
! And who is that" said a visitor
to the gold braided door-woman.
That" she said with a smile. lis
George c. Brown. managing direc-
| tor and owner of the hotel. He
usually comes in the back way
but he forgot today. I guess"
A volunteer government worker
! lived for a month near a New York
artist and dropped in daily at the
! dinner hour. When he left the
artist flew a service flag.