Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1888-06-08
After Dinner Talking.

The after. dinner mood is not serious Men
who have sat out everything from blue points
to brandy and have settled down to the com.
Portable enjoyment OF tobacco incline to a ROSY
view OF the world They are in 40 humor for
problems, for the faculties are not alert. ike
Falstaff, the guest OF a banquet feels himsel,
entitled TO take his ease in his inn. The pro-
test OF inattentIon goes out against speaker
who falls prosily into the didactic strain. HIS
remarks DO not III the occasion. In vain is IL
that the unctuous son Of Africa has repl euish-
ed the sem circle OF crystal that shines with
sherry or bubbles with champagne If with
such rotations there IL no inspiration OF
Wit, no recollectiOns at the instant of pat
auecdote, no stimulus TO uustudied eloqueuce
II fancy Is not aroused and humur does not
bubble up Ike globules of carbon c aci gas
In slender stems Of dainty glasses designed
FOR the vintage OF France; il the cookies Of
the heart are not warmed aud the sinews OF
the tongue are not lOosed by quantities IL
good sherris, the liquor il wasted uuuu the
gentlemen detailed TO post prandial ora Orv.
Herein probably lies admitted failure 10
make the most pertinent and appropriate use
- after dinner occas Gus. Selected long IN
advance OF the event TO respond TO set toast,
aud promised large audience, with prospects
OF innumerable newspaper readers, the
speaker takes alarm He will not trust 10 in
spiration He must have preparation. The
sion comes and serene minds III well.fed
bodies are disposed for ,njoyment, up rises
soemn-visaged orator with roll OF manuscript
which he has been cherishing some
where about this broadcloth, and ia
elocutiou hampered by the necessity
OF riveting his eyes upon page.
the lines OF which are none too definite IN
the rays OF asdstant light grnly and awk.
wsrdly proceeds TO what he regards as utter.
ances becoming his dignity. There is no jol-
lily, no pith, no pointedness in he talk colby
prepared for the occasion and not born OF IL.
The leader may think well OF the speech but
the listener is bored. The post.dnner man.
useript ought TO be absted as nuisance
The Man with the Manuscript mistakes his
relation 10 the time aud the presence. lie Is
there not to instruct and impress, but To en-
tcrtain aud amuse, and in that view there
lies more potency In the unprecedented au-
ecdOtes, the pertinent mot, the crisp un-
studied sentence than In all the formal eo-
qucnce a closet-prepsring and manuscript
reading orator can manufac ure. Effective
ness is lost. The stump speaker who carries
& corwd never resorts To a prOof-slip What
advocate hoping to win his case would read
bis speech 10 "A juryf The post praniial
Shout be az eNtempOraneous speaker. At
least he should do his memory the credit and
his audience the justice Of refusing To rely
upon notes. Let him uos tpOne reflections uge
on the topic assigned him, II not until his
fret sip OF sherry az least until the chaplain
IL the evening has asked the divine blessing
upon that " hich we are about to rece We. Tie
bruisOn Of heaven II not the afilatus Of the
hottie NAV rest upon his effort. Let him not
come up jsded with the vcight 81 lung aud
consciously worn armOr, but slrinf ~ h .
task FRESHLY. as II just born from the bran of
love. hicrgo T,'ses