The Portland daily press., 1892-10-29
MAKING OF A SPEECH.
How DR.. Depew Composed His Great
Columbian Grafton.

While He Sat in His Church Pew--A
Stenographer's Hateful Blunder.
Especial Correspondence
NEW YORK, Oct. 27.-One Monday
morning. two or three weeks after his re-
turn from Europe, Chauncey M. Depew
place with such an enthusiastic manner
and exuberance Of spirits that it was a
matter of comment. although he is usu-
ally possessed of hearty good nature
when he begins the business cares of the
day. A business friend who stood in
the corridor outside the offices Of the
New York Central railroad was ap-
preached by Mr.. Depew, who threw up
his hands with gesture of delight and
said: 81 am feeling as happy as a bird
today. Come with me and will tell
you all about it" and with gentle pres
sure Mr.. Depew forced his friend into
his private Office.
The great orator was dressed in that
English suit of which so much has been
written, and which he purchased not by
desire, but through necessity. It was
not the suit which changed his appear
ance, but a new alpine hat, one which
he bought in Germany, and which he
wore with a dainty and fashionable tilt,
SO that it made him seem even younger
than he usually appears when he returns
from his Europeans trips refreshed and
rejuvenated. 1t was at this hat that the
business friend glanced, nor did Mr. De-
pew remove it during the conversation,
so that his friends attention was dis
tracted somewhat from the interesting
account the railway president gave of
the experience which made him feel SO
joyful that morning.
Said he, 81 have finished my Column
bus Grafton, and l tell you great load
has been taken off my mind"
"But why" said the friend, should
the completion of an Grafton give you
such relief? Usually you do not mind
that sort of task very much"
"But minded this one, tell you,
there would be any Grafton or not. You
see, just before went to Europe in the
summer felt particularly worn out.
This brain machine of mine would not
work at all well. It was rusty, and the
wheels Of thought were clogged. When
1 Thought of some of the addresses which
/ had promised to deliver upon my. re-
turn, it seemed as though never could
undertake them"
''You must have been tired to have
had such feeling" said the friend.
eyes, was. Well, the day before I
sailed / called my stenographer, and !
dictated twenty letters canceling agree
ments which had made to deliver
twenty different addresses, and among
them was the dedication address of the
Worlds fair at Chicago. I then said to
my stenographer, Don't send these let
ters until am upon the sea, for in that
case it will not be possible for any one
to send delegations to me begging me to
reconsider
"Well, went to Europe, and I had
splendid time, and when came home
feeling refreshed and ready for my
work also had the relief of knowing
that had no formal addresses to pre-
pare. Last week my stenographer came
to me with an expression of despair
upon his face and with frightened look
in his eyes, and he said in trembling
voice that ne nau made a mistake, and
that one of the letters which dictated
to him before went to Europe had not
been sent. By accident it had been
overlooked.
81 implored him not to tell me that
this letter was the one cancsling the en-
gagement for the Chicago grafton, but
when he said that was the very one
could only say: i knew it. knew that
would be the one of all of them
When the narrative had reached this
point there was SO much of dramatic
action in Mr.. Depew's description that
his business friend no longer regarded
the alpine hat, but instead was COM
pletely interested in the orators speech
and manner.
"There I was" said Mr.. Depew, with
a plaintive gesture and the expression
of sorrow upon his face. II had been
myself that was out of
it, and here, with only two or three weeks
to prepare myself in, I found that l had
got to deliver that grafton, for it would
never do to decline it at that late day; /
should never be forgiven.
II Cancelled a number of invitations
to dine, and every evening shut myself
up in my library in my country place at
Dobbs Ferry. / wrestled with my i'm
agination without avail. did not have
much material in my library bearing on
Columbus, and every day that passed
brought me nearer to the time when the
speech must be delivered. It was to be
q great event, and the address felt
ought to be worthy of it, but the in
spiration would not come"
Here Mr.. Depew removed his alpine
hat and laid it upon his desk, and then,
the expression of despair passing from
his face and one of exultation taking
its place, he said: yesterday morning
went to church. 1t was warm Sun
day, and the air was oppressive, though |
the day was beautiful, and yet as | sat
in my pew the idea of the Columbus
oration came to me like an inspiration.
| saw it all from beginning to the end,
L Exo-, <,l,xr,- IN, n ii