The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-05-03
CHARLES DICKENS.


=
xing the toast of the evening said:-Ladies
and Gentlemen:-You receive lme with SO
much cordiality that / fear you believe that
1 really did once sit in Lord Mayors coach
Permit me TO assure you in spite of the in
formation received from Mr.. Alderman Cotton,
that never had that honor. Furthermore, /
beg to assure you that l never witnessed
Lord Mayors show except from the point of
view obtained by the other vagabonds
yupon the pavement. Now, ladies and gentle
Pmen, in spite of this great cordiality of yours,
doubt if you fully know yet what blessing
It is to you that occupy this chair tonight,
because having filed it on several previous
occasions for the society on whose behalf we
bre assembled, and having said everything
that could think of to say about it, and
being, moreover, the President of the institu-
tion itself, 1 am placed tonight in the modest
tosition of a host who is not so much to dis
lay himself as to call out his guests-per-
APPS even to try to induce some among them
10 occupy his place on another occasion. And,
Therefore, you may be safely sure that like
k'Falstaff, :" but with modification almost as
large as himself, shall try rather to be the
cause of speaking in others than to speak
myself tonight. Much in this manner they
exhibit at the door of a snuff shop the efigy
of Highlander with an empty null in his
hand, who, having apparently taken all the
snuff he can carry, and discharged all the
Fneezes of which he is capable, politely in
vites his friends and patrons to step in and
try what they can do in the same line. 1t is
an appropriate instance of the universally of
the newsman's calling that no toast we have
drunk to-night-and no toast we shall drink
to-night-and no toast we might, could,
6hould, or would drink tonight, is separable
Tor moment from that great inclusion
of all possible subjects of human in
terest which he delivers at our doors
j. L
ybnsiaeration of everybody here who has
talked cheerfully to his or her neighbor since
NE have sat down at the table, what in the
name of Heaven should we have talked about
Ind how on earth could we have possibly got
on, if our newsman had only for one single
day forgotten u.s. Now, ladies and gentle
men, as our newsman is not by any means in
the habit of forgetting us, let us form little
habit of not forgetting our newsman.
Let us RENE nber that his work is very ardu-
pus that it occupies him early and late; that
The profits he derives from us are at the best
very small; that the services he renders to us
bre very great; that if he be master, his
little capital is exposed to all sorts of mis-
chances, anxieties, and hazards; and if he be
Ajourneyman, he himself is exposed to all
amer of weathers of tempers, and all man.
or of difficult and unreasonable requirements
let me illustrate this was once present
q social discussion which turned upon
e question what was the most absorbing
nd the longest lived passion in the human
reast. daily editor of vast experience and
eat acuteness, who was one of the COM
hny, considerably surprised us by saying
ith the greatest confidence that the passion
question was the passion of getting orders
pr the play. There had recently been
rrible shipwreck, and very few of the sur
living sailors had escaped in an open boat.
ne of these, on making land, came straight
London, and straight to the newspaper
flee, with his story of how he had seen the
pip go down before his eyes. That young
an had witnessed the most terrible con-
ntion between the powers of fire and
ater for the destruction of that ship and
every one on board. He had rowed away
nong the floating dying, and the sinking
pad. He had hoated by day, and he had
oxen by night, with no shelter and no
od, and as he told his dismal tale, he
He'd his haggard eyes about the room.
hen he had finished, and the tale had been
pted down from his lips, he was cheered and
freshed and soothed, and asked if anything
puld be done for him Even that master
assion was so strong within him that he i'm
ediately replied he should like an order for
le play. My friend the editor certainly
ought that was rather strong case; but he
id that during his many years of experience
had witnessed an incurable amount of
Improvisation and abasement having no
her object, and that almost invariably on
70 part of the people who could well afford
pay. This made great impression on
y mind, and really lived in this faith until
PINE years ago it happened upon a stormy
ght 1 was kindly escorted from bleak
ilway station to the little out-of-the-
by town it represented by sprightly
bd vivacious newsman, to whom /
Eopounded, as we went along under
" umbrella, what was the one all-absorbing
Assion of the human soul. He replied,
kthout the slightest hesitation that It GER
inly was the passion for getting your news
aper in advance of your fellow-creatures;
SO if you only hired it to get it delivered at
our own door at exactly the same time as
mother man who hired the same copy four
piles off; and finally, the invincible determi-
alton on the part of both men not to believe
be time was up when the boy called Ladies
nd gentlemen, have not had an opportunity
Il verifying this experience with my friends
4 the managing committee, but / have no
oubt from its reception tonight that my
riend the newsman was perfectly right.
Veil, as a sort of beacon in a sufficiently dark
fe, and as an assurance that among little
ody of workingmen there is feeling of
Brotherhood and sympathy-which is worth
huch to all men, or they would herd with
olves-the newsvenders once upon time
established the Benevolent and Provident In
titution, and here it is.
Ladies and gentlemen, / have stated the
ewsmans simple case. L leave it in your
ands. Within the last year the institution
as had the good fortune to attract the SYM
athy and gain the support of the eminent
nan of letters am proud to call my friend
4 t. n