The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1902-02-27
be skies again and again. It

are made which are exact to small
fraction of a second. After the as
tronomers, through long series OF
years Of testing, found this out, 1t
occurred to somebody that here was
perfect test for timepieces. Perhaps
we owe it mainly to the great rail
road companies that the time Of the
country finally became regulated
throughout the length and breadth of
the land. Railroad companies must
have regularity in their schedules;
they cannot run their trains accord
ing to clocks and watches that do
not agree; priceless human life and
property beyond valuation would pay
the penalty of such policy.
His First speech.
The story as told by the orator
himself. a business man prominent in
every movement that brings together
citizens for the general good, pre-
sen.s MIN as cne of four persons who
went to another city to help start
a charity"
A clergyman was of the party, so
was a city official, and its third NUM-
Der was a woman of gifts and gra-
cious presence The business man,
! who had never made speech, was
summoned at the last moment as a
substitute for a physician who found
he could not go.
The four ilanthropists chattcd
mWrily during the journey. When
they reached their destination, they
were taken to church, large church
filled with people, and welcomed by
the mayor of the city.
Before the business man. who had
prepared no speech, who had never
made a speech, the occasion began to
loom up in unexpected proportions.
Apparently these hundreds of persons
had come to hear something and he
had nothing to say.
Presently the mayor mounted the
platform, laid his left hand upon the
pulpit, and called on the visiting city
official to address the meeting. The
city official, magician-like, drew from
his pocket a fine array of typewriter
papers and calmly proceeded to read.
A nervous sweat broke out upon
the young business mans forehead.
He had no typewriter papers.
Then the minister was called upon
He laid his left hand on the pulpit,
as mad the mayor, and spoke in rich,
persuasive voice, without pause.
An inspiration flashed upon the
business man, an opening sentence
| Beyond that his mind was blank
except for hysterical recollection OF
a German student whom he had once
scorned and pitied-an orator, whose
trembling, apologetic knees belied the
| thunder of his voice.
IF ever 1 speak in public" the
business man had said then, Il will
+ keep my knees stiff. They shall no,
! betray embarrassment, even though
my tongue refuse to wag."
But now the minister ended, and
the mayor began a description Of
some one whom the business man did
not in the least recognize-until he
heard his own name. He found him
self staggering toward the pulpit. AS
the others had done, he laid his lef'
hand lightly upon it.
At that critical moment purrfne
voice somewhere within him muir
INJURED, Perhaps, after all, it is al
we'll to let ones knees wigsle-waggif
| a little" His knees, which he hao
always expected to master, began tc
initiate the German students knees.
Ladies and gentlemen" he gaspet
to this knee accompaniment
sounded to him like the rhythmica
rattle of castanets, ladies and gentle
men, this work which you are abou
to undertake. is so important that, i
it is to be undertaken at all, 1t mus
be undertaken seriously"
That was his opening sentence, tne
one he had prepared, the only one NJ
had rescued from the wreck OF his IN
tellect. This spoken, he looked
blankly out upon the sea of faces
vaguely wondering how soon the au
dience would begin to laugh.
81 might start the laugh myself,
he thought, Enthusiastically. His knee
continued active. After 4 time ny
lips also moved.
Ladies and gentlemen" he shout
ed again, 81 feel so strongly what
have already said that l desire to re
peat it."
AS he repeated his only prepared
sentence, it occurred to him that ne
might cover sufficient time by explod
ing with this precious utterance, this
which the world could not take from
him. although all else was gone, al
regular intervals of 60 seconds.
eve cannot feel too strongly tna'
this work is serious!" he cried alout
vet again, and he thanked HEAVIER
| that this was so, that ne nau tnousn'
of it betimes.
And having thus shouted his be
loved remark a third tome, he sal
down.
It was long before he was asked
again to speak in public, although II
his dreams be addressed many audi
ences and Wed with Daniel Webster
Day by day he accepted such oppor
t,mities for public activity as came
il, his way, and he wrote much, that
he might develop ability to express
his thoughts. Then, after many
months, day of possible reward pre-
scented itself; and this time, when he
wes called upon, it was not mis- knees
that moved-it was his tongue
Youths Companion.
A Telephone Meter.
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