Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-04-19
INSPIRED BY PlNAFORE,
Mark Twain Got the Points for His Famous
Speech on Babies From Comic Opera
Performance by ChiIdren-A Subject

Mark Twain Got the Points for His Famous
speech on Babies From n Comic Opera
Performance by ChiIdren-A Subject
With Universal Application.
CORRESPONDENCE OF THE DISPATCH,
CHICAGO, April lido you know that there
is bit of interesting history connected
with the way Mark Twain got up that funny
speech Of his on babies, delivered at the great
banquet given to General Grant at the Grant
reception here?" asked Mr.. Sam Steele at a
Chicago Press Club reception the other night,
when everyone was in a reminiscent mood.
Mr.. Steele is one of the best known newspa-
per men in the country and knows more prom
inent people, and has been connected with more
of these great receptions than any other news
paper man Of the day, unless except Joe How.
ard. Jr.. and GATH
''Well. you know that Mark Twain was the
guest of the Chicago newspaper men when he
was here then-it was the last time he visited
Chicago"
l was doing my best to entertain the dis
tinguished humorist, and we tried to beguile
the time until the banquet next day-he came
IN early In the afternoon the day before. Mr..
Frank B. Wilkie, known all over the country
through his Poliuto letters, gave a dinner to
Twain at the fremont, and was to see that he
saw the sights at night. He took out that
old, worn, historical corncob pipe of his, and
began to puff at it and drawl out that he did
not know what would be best to take in first.
Seeking an Inspiration.
THEN. after few minutes of silent putting
with his legs crossed, he ran his hands
through his griss!y hair and drawled: You
Said something about PERFORM
a-n-c-e OF P-i-n-a-f-o-r-e by children.
have Seen Pi-n-a-for-e by every kind
0-f g. h-u hill
L think 1 should rather See that
just now than anything else"
II told him there was performance by
children just up the street at Haverlys Thea
ter-now thing of history-and he seemed de-
lighted. We went there, and I never saw
Clemens so tickled. He enjoyed the perform
ance Immensely. and would laugh in that quiet
tention to every little clever bit by performer,
and would mutter to himself: That's the
thing. That.s the very thing want. All! I've
got It now. This will strike everybody
I'VE did not know what he meant until the
next night at the banquet. He had repeatedly
remarked to reporters that he did not know
what he would say, and could not give them
any pointers as to his speech.
He Knew il Would strike Everybody.
"WELL, when it came his time to speak, he
got up. and, in his usual nasal drawl,
DeRdu Will LnOSe memorable words TO the
effect that we could not all be great Generals,
like the distinguished guest of the day. nor
could the most of US be poets, and only few
could get into high offices, while more could
get into Jail and then the Legislatures. but that
everybody had been baby once. Therefore
he would speak about babies. because that
would strike everyone's experience.
And then he made that tspeech-undoubtedl
the most humorous he ever delivered. And, SO
sure was Mr.. Sam Medill, then managing editor
of the Tribune, that he could get the notes, or
manuscript, from Twain that he made no pro-
vision for taking the speeches. So when, few
minutes after midnight, Clarence Dresser was
sent to the speakers to get their speeches so as
to have them in next mornings Tribune, he got
all but Mark Twains. He said he did not have
note, nor could he give the slightest intima-
tion as to what he would say.
Il Shall have to depend On an in
sp-ir-a-t-i-o-n have r-ec-e-i-v-e-d SINCE
Came here" drawIed the speaker Then
MIR. Medill had to get three shorthand men to
take that speech, and relay each other so as to
give it In the hands of the printer as fast as it
fell from Twain's lips.