Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-01-17
AMOUR WITHA WIT.
Max O'Rell Charms a Large Audience
at Old City Hall.
THE NATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS.
John Bull, Sandy McGregOr and Brother
Jonathan Wittily Limned.
A RECEPTION AT THE PRESS CLUB

Max O'Rell (Monsieur Paul Blouet),
who has so long been famous as the Paris
correspondent of the London Times, and
who made so many friends in America by
his brilliant and witty book, entitled "JOn-
athan and His Continent" +" lectured in Old
City Hall last evening.
A large audience of representative Pitts
burgers awaited the gentleman's appearance
on the platform.
Mr.. George Welshons, of the editorial
staff of the Times, oficiated rs Chairman,
and the wit that aboun ded during the even
ing commenced to flow during his remarks
He said it seemed strange for him to intro
duce Max O'Rell to Pittsburg audience,
for where he was known to one of the audi
ence, Max O'Rell was known to 30;
that in speaking of a man who was
such an intellectual power, he was
tempted to devote some time to his remarks,
but that he dare not do so-he had been
limited by the Lecture Committee. They
had informed him that if his friends desired
to hear him speak they would hire hall
for him and invite him to do so. Beside the
fact that the committee had instructed him
he read brief extract from witty article
entitled ''The Chairmen I Have Had" in
which the ideal chairman was embodied in
silent chairman, and which was signed
Max O'Rell. Everything combined to i'm
pose silence upon him, so by announcing
that the subject of the lecture would be "a
National Picture Gallery of the Anglo
Saxon Race" instead of the previously an
nounced Jonathan and His Cousin, he
formally introduced Monsieur to the audi
ence.
TAKING A MENTAL PICTURE.
The time Mr.. Welshons occupied in
speaking was improved by Max 0'Rell in
taking mental notes of the audience and the
hall, even the portions of it that were above
and behind the gentleman. The keen OBJ
servation that has made Max O'Rell what
he is was plainly perceptible in the manner
in which he ''sized up'' both hall and
audience, and when he commenced his re-
marks it was with clear understanding of
all his environments.
Max O'Rell in reality is the personifca-
tion of what the children of his brain would
indicate. Bright and entertaining in his re-
marks, each one Of which had point as clear
cut as a cameo, he held the interest Of the
audience up to high point from the mo-
ment he first spoke until his address was
concluded.
In personal appearance he is of average
height, symmetrically. formed, and imbued
with the grace of movement for which his
nationality is noted. His features are regu-
lar and his mustache and short whiskers are
almost black, if not quite SO. His hair
(what there is of it), is of the same tint.
He wears eyeglasses and was attired in
regulation evening dress last evening. His
accent is not of purely French one, but
mixed trife with the Celtic.
LION, MULE AND OCTOPUS.
In his remarks he introduced the audience
first to John Bull-the largest land owner
in the world. Briefly he reviewed John
Bulls characteristics, spoke of his calling
the British Isles the United Kingdom, with
considerable accent on the United. He at
tributed John Bulls success to his tenacity,
the GOODNESS of his head and thickness of his
skin. He said thorough" was his adiec-
tive, and that he combined the qualities Of
the lion, mule and octopus.
SANDY Mcdonald" was next treated to
parsing and diagramming by Max O'Rell,
and he was invested with all the qualities |
that insure success, not only in this world,
but in the world to come. His motto was
said to be "Help yourself, and God will |
help you"
Jonathan" youngest of the nations,
but greatest of the future, was next sched- |
uled for treatment. With some conciliatory |
remarks about the American gentleman |
being exempt from his criticisms, he sailed |
in on Jonathan. Curiosity and inquisi- |
tiveness were his prime characteristics,
according to the witty speaker, |
but great praise was due him
for what he had accomplished
in the 100 years of his existence. He said
the activity of the people and the absence of |
stupid faces were what impressed foreigner
most upon his arrival in America. His
own words were: "You are not all beauti-
full. No, but you are intelligent - look
ing" His entire lecture was composed of
ideas gained on his previous visit to Amer
lea, and jotted down hitherto in his "Jona-
than and His Continent" but the shrug of
the shoulder, the accent or emphasis Of a
word and the droll manner of telling witt
cisms and jokes already familiar, with
which the weaknesses of Jonathan are de-
picted, made them very acceptable.
Later Monsieur Blouet was accorded
very pleasant reception at the Pittsburg
Press Club, where he held various of the
local fraternity entranced for several hours
by witty disquisitions on the newspaper
man sui generis and their national charac-
.istics.