The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-07-28

Wonderful Memory.
Since then. OF course, my books show
the names of scores of celebrities. Against
some of these names / would write the
modest word remarkable-aSainss the
name Sir Edwin Arnold, for example,
who is remarkable for his memory. He
could recite anything he had once read
One evening we were sitting in nay library.
Shakespeare complete lay on the table.
Now, major" said Sir Edwin, give the
first line from any scene at random, and
III give you the whole scene" 1 gave him
line from orc of the least known of the
plays, and Sir Edwin, to my establishment,
recited the entire scene. He told me after
ward that he could recite Shakespeare
from beginning TO end. On the platform
he never looked at his books, excepting
70 see where he wanted to begin One
day while in Philadelphia in company
with John Russell Young we went over
to see dear old Walt Whitman. Sir Ed
win took down a volume OF Whitman's
poems from the shelf The leaves vert
uncut. Let me get you something &c
cut the leaves with, " said Whitman.
No, no. Never mind, Walt Whitman;
never mind. l have no need 10 cut these
leaves. i can see the first lines in the in
dex. What poem would you like 10 hear"
The only man on my books with mem
DRY approaching Sir Edwin Arnold is DR..
7. De Witt Talmage, who dictates his scr
mon for the syndicate, and without notes
delivers that sermon week from the fol
lowing Sunday, Is days after its dictatiOn-
DR.. Talmage never gets angry. His i'm
perturbability is at times grotesque.
have seen disappointed lecture committees
dancing round him in a rage while Tai
mage stood in the center smiling unruffied.
And the angrier they got the pleasantly
Talmage became. The press abuses him.
jumps on him, kicks him, but you'll al
ways find Talmage undisturbed, smiling
seTenely. His most remarkable Oddity,
and to me the one that strikes nearest
home, is his extraordinary reluctance &c
change his lecture Oh the platform sn0
his Indifference or his blindness 10 the
wishes Of his audience. Every one comes
TO hear the great Iallnage because he is the
great Talmage. But you hear him lecture
in New York, then hear him hl Chicago
or Boston or San Francisco-anywhere
and you'll listen to exactly the same lee.
ture, with all its New York localisms, de
livered word for word exactly as ne first
wrote it. He will change the title of that
lecture, but after the first few words he
returns 10 the same old lecture. Talmage il
a most fun loving man, a persistent story
teller ana most genial fellow traveller.
His wife usually accompanies him on his
long lecturing tours, and he always makes
her his boon companion. She is most en-
tertaining, charming, well read lady.
Opinion of the Great Beecber-
have travelled with many good friends
from the pulpit, but OF course my friend
of all friends was Henry Ward Beecher.
With him l travelled nearly 200, 600 miles,
covering nearly every county in every state
in the Unicn, excepting Arizona and Mis-
sissippi. No one was neare" to MIR. BeecheI
than myself and say this with all pride,
in loving memory. We rode together by
every means of conveyance in turn, and
the incidents Of our days journey were in
variably the subject OF his conversation in
the evening. Beecher enjoyed every min
ute of his life, saw the good, the happiest
and brightest side of everything. He was
a friend of the people and recognized nc
classes in America. One of his most popu-
lar lectures had for a title THE Reign OF
the Common People" In England, how
ever, the people misunderstood common
people, " and Bsecher had to change the
name. His health was always wonder to
me. He never knew what illness meant.
He seldom, if ever, showed anger. When
attacked in open debate or argument, or
when aroused, his eyes twinkIed, and then
look out-a murderous broadside was
about to sink the enemy's ship.
Speaking of Fnglishmen, l once tried
TO get Mr.. Sturgeon to come over here 70
lecture. His answer in the following let
ter is thoroughly characteristic;
NIGHTINGALE LANE, BALKAN, Surrey. 1879.
DEAR SIR am not at all afraid of anything
you could say by way OF temptation TO preach
or lecture for money, for the whole of the
United States in bullion would not lead me 70
deliver one such lecture. 1t would only waste
your time and mine for you TO see me, though
/ feel sure that you are one of the pleasantest
men upon earth. Your good natured peril
nacity is so admirable that trust you will not
waste IL upon an impossible object, but be
content to have my acknowledgment that if
success could have been achieved you would
have achieved it. Yours truly,
c. II. STURGEON.
To Major J. B. Pond, Westminster Palace Ho-
tel, London.
Max O'RePs Experience.
Nearly all the humorous lecturers for
the last 20 years have been under my man
agement One of these, who always scores
"a platform success in this country, is
that witty Frenchman, Max O'RelL
His fun is contagious. Socially he's one
of the most entertaining men, with good
story apropos of nearly everything. He
tells in his own most humorous way one
instance of the Chicago reporters impu-
dence and enterprise. One night he had
been in bed in the Grand Pacific hotel per
haps an hour or so when there came a
very decided rapping at his chamber door.
Who's therez" called Max Rel.
A reporter" came the answer.
'Weu, can't see you now. I'm in
bed -
The Frenchrnen heard his door being
pushed open, and the chair which he had
placed against it tumbled over. Some one .
advanced into the room, struck a match (
and proceeded 10 light the gas
We'll. well, What'H you have. sir. I
what Il you haves" cried Max Rel, in .
dignant at this cool intruder
The reporter tossed the match into the
fireplace. and throwing himself into a
chair said,
''whatl have' oh, III have awhisky I.
cocktail. -
Pa RJra/