The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1900-09-07
AN IMPROMprU SPEECH.
what the Census Enamerntor Said
when Called Upon for an
AadresS.

Although William n. Merriam, the
present enumeration Of the census and
former governor of Minnesota, is q
capable business man and an astute
politician, he has always had great
dif1culty In his attempts at speech
making, says the Chicago Chronicle.
He shutters and stammers like bash
full schooiboy. and is never secure
from making blunders except when he
has his remarks committed to paper.
i Shortly after his election to the gov
ernorship Mr.. Merriam was requested
to deliver an address at the opening of
the first electric line in st. Paul. 9th
er speakers on this occasion were
Thomas Cochran, of ST. Paul, and
| Archbishop ireland. Gov. Merriam
prepared HIS speech. had It nicely typo
written, and started on the morning
OF Washington's birthday for the
scene Of his proposed celebration. He
missed the special car which carried
the rest Of the orators, and another
special was run out for the governors
private uee He invited George
Thompson, owner of the St. Poul Dis
patch, to accompany him, Mr.. Thomp-
son having been belated also.
| AS the car approached Manchester
college grounds the governor noticed
crowd OF men gathered on both sides
of the track. Every man had little
| flag, which he waved with shouting
and gesticulotion as the gubernatorial
cnariot approached. The governor
grew apprehensive.
Heavens, Thompson!" he gasped, 81
believe those chaps want me TO make
speech-see 'em wave those fiags?s
"Of course, they do" said Thomp-
son. ''lt's Washington's birthday, and
you'll have to do It,
sBut I can'tl' cried the, governor
''Confound it, man. I've only got one
speech. and I'm to deliver that at the
end of the line. Look here, what the
devil am to do? Here, motorman, go
right through this layout az tight as
you con jump"
"Why, that will never do. inter-
posed Thompson. "you must say some
thing or other-just tell 'em it's Wash
ington's birthday-that Washington
was the father Of his country, and be-
seech 'em to leS the eagle scream"
just as the car had reached an nd
vantageous position, right in the mid
die of the crowd, bump went the mo-
tor and the outfit stopped. Merriam.
wllite-faced and trembling, stepped
out on the rear platform, took off his
tall. silk hat, balanced 1t jauntily on
his hip, stuck his right hand in the
breast Of his frock coat and began:
students Of Manchester" he
gasped. "Ah-er-students of Mncal-
ester-this, students Of Manchester. Is
the birthday-shis students of Macal-
ester, Is the er-birthday-the birth
day of-er-the-er- ilkstrious-
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Washington.
students of Macalester-s
''F1rst in war. first in peece and
first" prompted Thompson In pip
ing voice from the interior OF the ear.
"As was saying er-students OF
Macalester-this is the-er-birthday
of-eY-George Washington, the
father of his country. Er-er-let
the eagle screami" gasped the gov
ernor, with last despairing effort.
He boarded the car, which by this
time had been supplied with a new
fuse, and from there on to the end of
the line he famed himself with the
manuscript OF his prepared speech.
while Thompson roared with laughter
loudly enough to set all the hens along
| the route cackiin0.