Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1888-02-18


while the loud
| boom Of the breakers caught UP his shrill ro-
marks and hurled them into space, no was
not preparing 20 make an impression upon tho
history Of his time, as We have b,rn taught.
lie was simply rchcarsins speech which no
hoped to deliver at the Clover club, Of Phila-
dclphia.
People who have formed the i,lca that
| Philadelphia Is not given to sociability and q
cheerful Interchange of thought aro unfa-
miliar with tho methods OF tLc Clover club,
especially under the administration of Moses
Purncll Handy
For tho information Of those who may read
this piece, yet have not had the pleasure Of
addressing this successful organization, lot
| mo say that II Is CUSTOM VI the club TO in
vito eminent statesmen, poets, judges, hui
morists and other freaks Ia como TO its
annual dinners and make speeches. Tho
club assists IN tho delivery Of thcsc speeches,
adding thoughts Of its own ~ tic orator pro-
ccc,ls, aud also making inquiries regarding
the personal characteristics of the speaker,
which are calculated to divert his attention
from what he was about to say.
Tho only way TO speak successfully mt q
Clover club dinner, believe, is to avoid say
| Hex WtlHJ yOu Wclt tD
had tho pleasure Of holding converse.
zione with the Clover club on the occasion Of
its sixth annual meeting. had been lc'i TO
believe that tho air Of refinement which
people notice about me wherever I go would
entitlc inc 20 the respect and kind considera-
tion Of the club. Even should thu, fail, how
ever, thought that no onc coull help admir-
! ing my unwavcring confidence in myself, n
confidence which Is all the uiosc heroic and
praiscworthy on my part, b'cansc il has
not bccn shared by thu general public. 1t is
no great honor 10 indorso popular mni,, but
Il is certainly mcritorious in any one to show
confidence in one who needs it very much.
But the Clover club is not constructed with
n view to the building up ant. fostering Of
| rhetorical industries. IL Is built upon tho
moral theory thnt man who speaks publicly
| does SO for tho cdification az the audience.
This is quaint and extremely ccccntric iilca.
Generally IL Is otherwise. Public speakers
arise AMI enjoy themselves, willie the audi
cncc, though largely in the ma iority, has tO
suffer. II the members of the Clover club ,lo
not like the tendencies Of u spcech they siig-
gcst to the speaker somc other line Of
thought. They do not do 80 Extensively.
They approach him in courteous way, so Us
to avoid giving him pain. Perhaps they sing
eleven or twelve verses in reference Ia tho
Derby Ram, u table delicacy of whicl. the
club is pissionatcly fond. or in some other
adroit way they intimate To him that the
pleasure Of the audience should BE- consulted
before that of the speaker.
did not know that lind always before
scliishly rcyclcl in the wonderful cadence Of
my own mc!~lious Skowi.csan voice, for
gctiins; that the audience liad rights.
enjoyed il very much, for WAS down at
the foot of the table having fun with DR..
Bc,llnc, and | knew that nj this rate, with =
hundred guests 20 bc gently scared half To
death in that way. would not ho reached
before Friday, and thought that IcOu.i get
away before that time. II was at this ssuprcme
moment, when saturated with n soothing
sens Of security and congra;ulnting myself
on the wonderful way in which Mr. Maltby's
dress suit fitted me, that the president of the
club, Observing TINT ! had my mouth full Of
ice which ! did not know what 90 do with,
intrn,lucrl me to the brillian, lsScmblagc.
felt embarrassed and was about to say SO,
believe, when cx-Guvcrnor Bum, who was
appointed and received the portfolioas COVER.
nor of Idaho solely 10y reason II his great
powers rs conversational, said something
TO me which did not bear upon what | was
about to say myself.
While was thinking of bon mot which
would wilc Governor Bum from the face OF
tho earth, such ~ a reference 10 him as
Bunny, and u request that might bc per-
mittc,l 10 lay my head in his lap and have a
gooi cry, or something like that, Mr..
Jerome. gentleman from New York, who is
G9 years Of age, said something which was
highly enjoyable, but which, after Col.
Thomas r. Ochiltrcc, Col McCaull and Col.
Mcclure join in the same time, seemed to
open up an entirely new line of thought from
what hal intended To follow.
was about 10 administer tart rcbuEc 10
Mr.. jerome, when | happened 20 remember
his greater age and resolved not TO do 50.
Ny attention was also ut this timo attracted
by the sounds VI music. II was Tyrolcan
air, and referred 20 the Derby Ram, which
seems 10 have wild fascination for the gen.
tlcmcn Of tho club. and when such voices us
;hoe Of Wayne NacVcagh, Gen. Horace
Porter refrain IL Is well worth going 10 Phil.
adclphia and sitting up till long after Q
o'clock Ia hear.
So decided not to speak while these well
known vocalsts were engaged in song As
they were cncorc,l, thcy obliged by singing
Maryland, my Maryland" with improviSi'
tions 10y the great inprcsario, Mr.. Jerome.
! then stool on tho other leg awhile and
tried o. rccall what had said, which had
reminded the auditors Of these songs, but
could not In all my remarks 80 far, al.
though hal he-non my feet twenty minutes
or 80. hal carefully avoided saying any,
thing that would call forth an attack Of thi.
kind hnd used no language which would
naturally provoke such men as Col. Taylor
or Col. Mcclure 90 song.
was On my feet about twenty minutes
hut during that time can SAY truthfully
that | said nothing which ! now regret
People aftcrwar,l spoke Of my impressive
manner and said nlsO used rare iiScret ion
In avoiding 50 many unpleasant fcatur,s
which arc apt 10 stir up i'll feeling at such q
time.
They named whole columns Of things which
/ had thus cvad,d and every ono said that II
had erred at all il was In th' dircr;ion OF
I conservatism All the members ~ the clul
who rNp,,-sso,l amy opinion at,out IL said that
they were IN favor of printing my remark,
with u rihlpr stamp.
There tfin lr nO morc comfortable scnsa
tinn, ! fancy. than To- d. a guest at one 81
thc..' annual dinners, with ih"IerSnnnl rccn;
ni.-iac' 81 tie ", >i,cnl y"ur packet bilrl
ins hiui,cli not 20 call ui- = y"U for sls,cl
nnd verifying that you have prcvinusly had
far and impartial trial al. the clHrg.c that
you wcrv g"al after dinner speaker and
thn, you have proved an aiibi.-Bill Nye In
New Work World.
Was Nn.i,'s celebrated vessel lighted ly nu
ur,, latllnt-ru,ton naeOu