Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1885-12-09
THE PLUNED KNIGHT SPEECH.
Hastily Scrubbed at night After Long Pro.
crastinatiuu.

Hastily Scrubbed at Night After Long Pro-
crastinatiuu.
AClevoland Plain Dealer correspondent
recalls the story of the making OF lnger-
soils Blaine speech in 1876. Up to that
time lie had been simply a reasonably
successful lawyer of Peoria, Ill. He was
one of the Republican delegates to the
Cincinnati convention of 1876, and was
strong Blaine man. He arrived In Gin
cinnati with several other Illinois dele
gates several days before the convention
assembled. The city was full of people,
and they were all having high old time.
The Blaine men had meetings every
day, aud did everything in their power To
BOOM their candidate. II was
finally decided to have the nominating
speech made by some Illinois man, ana
the Illinois delegation settled upon lnger-
soil
There was present in the city Bob's IA.
vorite brolher, who died few years
later, and at whose grave tie great athe-
list delivered his world-renoWned Grafton
lie Immediately told his brother OF the
selection and that he had promised TO de-
liver the speech. The brother, who was
some hat nervous, tried to persuade him
not TO try 1t.
"You are rot famous enough he per-
shaded. "You are getting along and
making fair reputation, but this Is too
big thing for you. fearyou VIII make
Il dead failure of it,"
But Bob had promised and would not
back out.
"Well, If YOU are determined TO do this
Won must do your best. You must make
~. a., chic Won laat1sf ppt af 1
Immediately. Don't wait n minute. 60
into that room and lock the door and be-
rim the speech"
nOh, tomorrow will do, urged Bob,
uand besides have promised TO 80 with
the boys tonight"
And away he went.
The next day passed, and, although his
brother spoke about the speech several
times. Robert did not touch it. And so
the time passed till the night before the
convention. The brother, meanwhile, had
rot nearly frantic. Robert came In late
that night, and, in answer TO MS brother 5
solicitation, said;
"oh, bother; let's geta good nights
sleep"
And so they retired. Ingersoll says
that he never slept so soundly in his life
as he did that night. Finally he woke up
suddenly, and felt perfectly refreshed.
I he rot no and hastily looked at hisiwatch.
I It was O'Clock a. IN. lie went TO me
adjoining room very quietly and closed
2 tht door so as not TO disturb his Drotner'
I re turned the light down, and, closing
MS eyes, imagined the great convention
( han, and his audience before MN
rhcn he began to think OF Blaine.
I Finally he began 20 say his speech over TO
himself. When he had finished be TOOK
( non and paper and wrote II out carefully
81 he had said it. lie laid IL away IN a
drawer TO the bureau, aud went back
K ouietly TO bed II was now past O'Clock
! IN Inc morning. He very soon was iasl
I 4 .le,n again, and did not, wake mp ull
ro.t ( when his brother was standing
over him, vigorously shaking him,
"Bob. yet up, get up It's $3.50 and
tbr convention assemblies AZ 1880.
thouabt you were going 20 get up eaFli
1 ana get your speech ready. II WIN PC
I nod failure and we shall all be dissraeed
4 Rleine will not be nominated. y Is TOO
bad, too bad" ~.
Roo slowly walked up, and RUBBING NJ
owes urged that It would be best hrsi V
~ their breakfast But the brother I'D
ss,sted that he should not leaYe .ar,roon
until he got down 20 business On n, N
speech. BY this time BOD hAu oVnhou ~
nautaloons and remarked
aWell, you bs the audience ana 4,
over there, aud ! VIII see "A"e sA'
uS iIa then started in and delivered th'
tameus speech, word for woro' ~ y VIZ