The morning news., 1897-08-06
VICTIMS or STAGE FRIGHT.
Experiences of Famous Orators
When They Bcgin TO Speak in Pub-
From the PIttsburg Dlspatch.

lie.
From the Piusburg Dispatch.
Perhaps It would be invidious to call
DIR. Chauncey NJ Depew the foremost or
ator of the day IN America, but he is
certainly as well known for his ADDRESSES
post-prandial and Of every other sort as
any man who ever lived on this side OF
the Atlantic. He began 20 think and talk
on his feet at a very early age, and many
OF his most felicitous speeches are ex-
temporaneous, but by far the most inn
portant ones are carefully wrought out In
advance, ana some of them are written
and memorlzed though not laboriousiy
perhaps, for the gifted doctor has his
mental tablets always in condition His
very first public speech OF any conse-
quence 10 him was delivered when he was
"A sophomore. IL was called an ration,
was delivered for prize which he won
and was learned by heart. His COM
mencement GRAFTON was aiso memorized.
His first impromptu public address was
delivered In 1856. when Fremont was rum
ming for the presidency Depew was out
Of college by that time, but was still a
youngster He believed In Fremont, and
in this he was at odds with his father,
with whom he had held many political
arguments A republican mass meeting
was to be held at which the chief speaker
was to be George William Curtis
DepeW decided to attend the meeting
When he arrived the audience, which
was large one, had already been wait
ing some time for the arrival Of Mr..
Curtis After a further walt those In
charge Of the meeting asked Depew to
speak He protested, saying that he was
young inexperienced and unprepared, but
they succeeded In persuading him. When
he went upon the platform he was at
first greatly embarrassed
But" he said 20 the writer one day,
ar II sas,A 90. faNn ~ 10
exactly as / had been talking to my
father, and / have no doubt / did so,
though ] cannot remember what j said.
When ! had finished looked at my watch
suDposing I had been speaking some ten
or fifteen minutes. but IN reality l had
talked about an hour and q half"
The first address 10 which Speaker Reed
ever gave serious attention was delivered
while he was student at Bowdoin Coll
lege. He had fallen behind IN his classes,
but was very desirous Of entering "a COM
petitive contest for class hOnors. AL
though the prizes were delivered solely
because Of good oratory, no one could
compete whose class standing was low.
and Ia order 20 enter the lists he had 20
do an enormous amount Of back work.
he once told the writer that he worked
harder during the time he was preparing
20 enter the contest than he ever did be-
fore or ever has since The subject OF
his address was Death" and he won
the prizo.
Mr. Reed is sim frequently affected
grieVousy by stage fright. Perhaps his
worst suffering Of that sort was on an
occasion when he had 90 deliver an im-
portaut political speech in Boston He
had prepared claborately. but the audience
seemed 80 cold that before he had Oecn
on his feet a fun minute be determined 90
take another tack. This meant 10 prepare
his speech and deliver 1t at the same time
FOR the iirst five minutes he SPARED for
time he has since said 10 his friends
that his voice seemed husky and lar away
90 him. But after bic be struck the right
key, his tones became clear ana ringIug
ana the resultant address was one Of III
most brilliant he ever delivered.
Col. Robert q. Ingersoil never deliVg
a college Orati0n. for he had not the p
vantage Of the higher training. flg "a
speech was made as q country law in
q little Illinois town. where he lH lccn
studying for the bar with hia hroN . 1858
nraf fame an a political speaker n r0n
ot Peoria, and on that occasl0f 1e. like
the others mentioned here. was q highly
nervous state.