Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1894-12-15
Than came CATS for me; But his n,bs

with you?" said another. After all
was over the president approaching
me said: II didn't expect to speak Of
Gen Grants death, but knew your
good taste would prevent you from
saying anything Of ocular nature
after had done So"
BY the bye! President Harrison could
not be put down as humorist, rs
found out before the trip was ended.
The party were going down the noun
tain to Saratoga In a special car. When
walking down the aisle to where Mr..
Harrison was sitting said: "Mr. Pres
ident, nn more than glad to have had
you along on this jaunt. You will TN
dcrstand that lot of people. band
of music and militia will be waiting to
greet me at Saratoga. OF course. I
don't Tide the crush, but thought I
might miss you, and simply came to
say. that In case do, good-by."
Not smile! I went down the aisle
to my seat feeling myself touching the
hoor with n thud ut every step. AZ
Saratoga / hurried to landau and
ordered to be driven rapidly to pri-
vatc hotel so as to escape the great
demonstration TO the president. "Gct
along as quickly as you can" said to
the driver. and "hc got"-tl,rough the
band and the soldiers. who made way
until we were blocked. Then formed
the presidents line; the way was
opened and found myself heading the
line. much TO my own discontinue,
though was hailed by many friends,
ono of whom said aftcrward ut the
hotel: You are good fellow to work
up an adj" of which, however, I had no
idea. as the very contrary was my in
tention.
In London IL Is custom, instead OF
benefit. as we give in America, to have
q dinner under the auspices Of the
actors benevolent fund. At one din.
ner Ave thousand dollars were raised,
which was expended for the actors Of
London. The admission fec was one
guinea and everything was strictly
conventional, after the English style.
There was n mnn--thc toastmastcr-
who stood behind tho chair who would
address tho diners after this fashion:
II crave your attention. I ask you to
drink to the health Of her majesty, the
queen. Fill the bumpers"
At an actors benevolent fund dinner
given in London In 1901, with Henry
Irving in tho chair, cards were fur
nished each one present with blanks to
be filed by Christian and surname, res
idcncc and BY the pounds, shillings and
pence, either donated or put down as
annual subscription.
At these English dinners the
speeches have, Of course, lots OF meat
in them. but they lack the gravy. They
have a peculiar sort OF hcIp.riic.ovcr.
the-fcncc kind Of limp. They are slow
and loggy by tho side Of American
style. The Frenchman, II he bs pres.
ent, Is SO polite, with dash Of violet,
you don't know whether he Is going TO
say IL or not, but he always suggests IL.
Much depends upon the guest OF
these dinners. During the annual din.
ncr Of tho Green Room club given Mt
the Crystal Palace, London, Mt which
among others were present Wilson
barrett, Comyns Carr, the late larry
Petit, Arthur Jones and Sir Augustus
Harris, with Mr. Bancroft, chairman,
IN animated discussion arose ut tho
wrong time In which the guests even
got to calling one another names.
Finally when was called on I found
myself In n most trying position In tho
midst of the excitement. hut luckily
I was followed by that king Of story
tellcrs, MT Goodwin, who soon put
them NIL In good humor. IIy the way,
It was Nat who said that "wit Is tho
power to say what everybody else
would have said, II he had thought OF
It,"
In my remarks about Englishmcn
must except Sir Edwin Arnold who Is
prince OF takers as, also, Is Henry
Irving. Sir Edwin, speaking Of Mr..
Gladstone said that the premier lacked
humor and that no ono ever heard him
make witty remark, and further on
In his talk said Sir Edwin: Laughter
lives next to the most tender tears"
supposed he must get this exquisite
aptness Of speech from his gifted Amer.
lean wife.
Many people have IN idea that nc.
tors IRE poor takers outside OF their
lines. Tho fact Is they arc becoming
more adaptable every day. Mr.. Irving
can be very charming upon occasion,
Us he was Mt the dinner given him on
his last visit to America by tho Lotus
club. What delicate humor this: "May
] find even an increase Of tho con.
seriousness Of virtue which now md
then animatcs you, for II II be q
task ito climb up additional steps II
shows IN amount Of self belief which
experience alone can prove justified.
when after such banquet rs tonight
you are not afraid to venture down
thcm. Again, I understand that IN In.
quiring mind Mt Detroit has discovered
that our friend Bacon wrote not only
tho whole of Shakespeare, but also
Christopher Marlowc, Edmund Spcn.
Ger, and Burton's Anatomy OF Melan.
choly. I mention this to show you
that even In New York you don't know
everything, and that 1t Is possible that
you may wake one morning to lcGrn
that the spirit Of Bacon dictated the
constitution Of the United States. hut
limited as your knowledge may DO,
there Is no limit to your good will and
Your good fellowship"
At the Lambs club dinners actors
are to be heard at their best, though
the playrights are In the lend. There
Is no more lovely wit anywhere than Is
heard upon such occasions from Gus
Thomas, Sydney Rosenfeld, Milton
Lackaye, bronson Howard, Charley
Hoyt, Nat Goodwin, Gus. Thomas, the
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