every little oysterboat that cuts up didos. But he'll be the big thing in a big scrap, you mark my words. I've seen the 'good-natured giant' kind before. They're all smiles when it's smiling time; but when it comes time for business, they can do the work of three men. Yes, sirree! And Big Bill Taft is that kind, too."

With a send-off such as that, from a crowd numbering several hundreds, the Secretary of War naturally began his long voyage in a pleasant frame of mind.

Secretary Taft is himself a good sailor. In his hours of ease the Secretary had all sorts of fun. He climbed ventilators on a wager with Ambassador O'Brien; he inspected every part of the steamer in company with the various employees; he went down into the Asiatic steerage and he spent three hours and a half in the hold, talking to the engineers, stokers and firemen; he passed hours in the gymnasium astride bucking horses and other electrical appliances, reducing his weight and taking his exercise. He attended all the sailors' concerts, taking interest and enjoyment in their jokes, their "coon songs" and their dances, and before he left the ship he was the warm friend of every man jack on board.

Secretary Taft celebrated his birthday, or

rather all on board the Minnesota celebrated that happy anniversary on the fifteenth of last September in latitude 41° N. and 137° W.

This is a wet locality, and it was thought by some to explain why all of the first cabin passengers drank the Secretary's health in

water.

A goodly number of presents had appeared on the breakfast table in the morning, bearing greetings and good wishes from all the

Ambassador O'Brien, Mrs. Taft, Secretary Taft and Captain Austin
on the bridge of the Minnesota

Tafts that had the honor of kinship with the Chief of the War Department. Either they came by wireless or there had been collusion somewhere. Personal friends had remembered the day, too, and were evidently in on the collusion as well as the relatives. And besides gifts, there were delegations, and games and speeches.

In reply to several of the speeches in his honor, after dinner that evening, Mr. Taft,

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who had been repeatedly referred to as the next President, told a story. We Ohioans," he said," are reputed to have a fondness for office and this reminds me of Pete Robinson who came to a certain Ohio town right after election, looking for a job. He put up at the best hotel at first, but when his funds grew low he moved to lodgings and by and by to the

cheapest lodgings, but no job came, and being at the end of his funds, he saddled his old mare and started back for the hills. Passing the best hotel on his way, one of his former acquaintances hailed him with 'Hello, Pete, where you goin'?' 'Home,' answered Pete, and, after a pause-'Say boys, you all know I've been hanging around here after a job -and now I hear the job should seek the man. If any of you see a job out on the search-you might just mention that you saw

me going along the road toward my farm up in the hills, and that I was riding dern slow.'

Captain Austin arranged for a special dinner in the Secretary's honor. In commemoration of the event a large cake was baked; and, needless to remark, the voracious eye of Charlie spied it. A few hours later the steward was surprised to learn, from the grave lips of the boy himself, that, marvelous to relate, he had been looking into his diary or the family Bible, or the captain's log, and had discovered that he, too, was due to have a birthday, and that it came on the eighteenth.

A cake was promised him; and then the captain took a hand. He proposed to shuffle the calendar around a bit and discard a day, just to show the Pacific that he was a regu