The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1897-07-30
WHY THEY DIDN'T LAUGH.


One OF Mason's Stories Spoiled In the
Telling.
"Suit the action to the word, the word
to the action" says Hamlet, instruct
ing the players, and his advice should
be needed by all public speakers. Once
upon time stump orator, who is
now United States Senator, told q
story and 1t fell fat, because his ac-
ton suited not his word. The Hon. w.
e. Mason, of Chicago, describes the
warning incident in the Times-Herald:
Another of the stories that have made
an occasional hit, said Mr.. Mason, was
one about my friend Scharlau, WHO
was running for Office in one Of the
North Side districts We arranged q
meeting for him in the Fourteen, b
Ward.
There was decorated dry goods box
for Scharlau to stand upon in front Of
the wigwam. The building itself was
festooned from floor to rafters with
bunting and flags. Love of his adopt
ed country and enthusiasm for the
stars and stripes. bubbled in Scharlau's
soul, and found effervescent expression
in his speech.
Before he began his address q large
American flag was swinging over his
head. 1t was held by ropes passed
through pulleys. The crowd was SO
enormous that there was insufficient
room in the house, and the speech-nak-
ing took place in the open air.
The nag was swung from building
across the street to the apex of the
roof of the wigwam. The rigging had
fouled, and just before Scharlau climb
ed upon the box the flag was hauled
over to the building across the street
for rearrangement.
Scharlau did not remark the absence
of Old Glory. Looking his audience
squarely in the eyes, as a successf III
orator should do, and pointing up to
where the flag had been flying, ne said
in his most impressive manner:
''Fellow-citizens, 1 lofe dot fdg; I
gannod helb i'd. In der land Won vence
I vas geborn der brincibalities Of dot
fag''-again pointing to it, but not look
ing up-"are not resbected; cannot
helb Iofing i'd yust der same" Then,
looking upward and still pointing, he
said, "Se dot emplem of liber--vere
der tuyfel ish dot flag gomez
The value of this incident depends
on the position of the eyes of the speak
er. He must keep them fixed on his
audience, and point up-not cas-. his
eyes that way. If Scharlau had looked
up, it is evident he never would have
referred to the flag.
I was making tour of the Eastern
States few campaigns ago with a
man who is now United States Sena-
tor. ''Do you know, Mason" he said,
when we were going over to a New
Jersey city to address a meeting, "do
you know 1 believe that storytelling
conversational style Of yours, is win
ner. 1 think I'll tell 'em some myself.
That flag story of yours is good one;
If you don't object, I'll use it tonight
I'm poor man with no stories, and I'll
just borrow it."
OF course 1 told him to 60 on and tell
the story, and he did. He ranged the
good men of the town up in front of
him, and led properly up to the story.
II lofe dot flag" he following his up.
ward pointed finger with his eye ~
lofe dot flag, In der goundry I gone
from ids brincibles, der ids glorious
brincibles are nod resbected"-again
pointing and looking up in the air,
'See dot emplem of liberdy waving
looking up for the last time-"vere ish
dot flag gomez"
Naturally the story fell nat. He had
told all about the removal of the flag
but when he personated Scharlau he
kept elevating his eyes as often as he
| lifted his finger. He didn't raise q
laugh.
Going home, discussing the meeting
and the lack of enthusiasm in the re-
ception Of the flag story, he said, II
believe more than ever, Mason, the
success of a story depends on the sense
of the hearers. Now that crowd we
had was set Of cold, unapprecintive
unmagnetic clans"