Similarly terse and appealing are his words already referred to, hanging
in every Y. M. C. A. hut in France.

He is not an orator in the sense of being oratorical, but he is
conversational, direct and impressive in public address. His soldierly
bearing, his fine physique, clear voice and strong face are accessories
of no small value.

There is a field in which General Pershing has been a pronounced success
as a speaker which perhaps is not commonly known, and that is at dinners
and similar public functions. Anyone who notes the corners of Pershing's
mouth, at once is aware that the General possesses a keen sense of
humor. No better illustration could be given of this fact than an
incident not long ago recorded in the _Missouri Historical Review_:

"He was invited to a stag dinner party one evening
where a jolly story-telling lot of good fellows
were to be present and he went primed with his
best stories, a memorandum in his vest pocket to
aid him in telling them. The memorandum was
accidentally dropped on the floor and was picked
up by one of his friends, who immediately saw what
it was and decided to have his little joke at the
General's expense. The finder got an opportunity
to spring the first story and promptly started off
with the first one on the list. Pershing said
nothing and laughed--he always does when a good
story is told, and makes you laugh, too--but when
the second one on his list was told he felt in his
pocket for the memorandum and discovered its loss.
A few minutes later the General, after a
consultation with a waiter, announced that he had
just received a message which would require his
absence for a few minutes on important business.

"Jumping into a car he was hurried to a hotel.
From the clerk he secured the names of half a
dozen traveling men--drummers--who were stopping
there and announced that he wanted to see these
men at once on important business. The drummers
responded and in twenty minutes the General was
back at the banquet, before the coffee had been
poured, with a new stock of yarns. Then ensued a
battle royal between the two famous raconteurs,
much to the amusements of the guests, until his