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“Did you ever hear, Mr. President, about the Negro down in Texas....” - that kind of a story. They all turn out to be ancient stories that are in the Talmud in one form or another. The same good stories have been told from person to person for thousands of years. Jones's were very much that kind. I never heard but one that he told that was the least bit raw and I think he didn't really realize that it was raw. The other men laughed unnecessarily because I think they felt slight embarrassment because a lady was present, although I laughed uproariously too so they wouldn't feel confused about it. That was the only raw story or remark ever made in Cabinet meeting, and it wasn't very raw. I've heard worse stories than that.
Knox was very polite and gentlemanly and said to me after we went out, “That was a pretty rough story for Jesse Jones to tell in your presence.” Knox was very gentlemanly and believed in treating ladies right.
I remember saying to him, “Oh, Mr. Knox, I'm no longer a young girl and I've heard some awfully bad stories in my life. This didn't make me blush.” I did it to relieve his embarrassment, and it wasn't at all a filthy story. It was just a little over the edge of what's usually said.
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