The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-01-29
A DELIGHTED AUDIENCE
Heard Homer Davenport at the Y. NJ
C.. A. Auditorium Last Night.

The Y. IL. C. A. auditorium was
crowded last night to hear Mr.. Homer
Davenport. the great cartoonist. de:iv-
er his lecture on The Power Of the
Cartoon" Nh. Davenport illustrated
his lecture with drawings OF differsnt
distinguished men. The great cartoon
list was listened to with the greatest of
interest n it is not saying too much
to say that there was not a person in
the house who did not enjoy the l c.
ture n who was not glad to have
seen some of the work of a man who
stands at the top in his profess on.
With a few rapid strokes of the
crayon Mr.. Davenport would present
his audience with a picture of Glad
stone. Dewey. and other distinguished
e The pictures could be instan iy
recognized. The lecturer re-ated sever
al interesting occurrences in connection
with different cartoons he had made of
distinguished men. Per taps the story
that was enjoyed the most was about
Admiral Dewey and WHAT led up to the
drawing of the famous cartoon. Lest
We Forget"
Mr.. Davenport spoke of the irgrati-
tude that the people moved Dewey
when he presented the house given him
by the American people to his wife.
While his matter was being wide1y
l. Wy llLS AAii~ "a ~hA'
Davenport said he went to Philadel-
phia. One day while in Philade- phia
he came across Richard Harding DAVIS;
the great novelist, and they fell to dis
caSSing the Dewey incident. Daven-
port did not think that Dewey had been
treated just right and Davis was Of the
same opinion. Davis suggested that
Davenport draw a cartoon. MI. Daven-
port said as he stood there with his
friend he could see the faSSh!p OF the
American fleet in Manila Bsy, and lean
ing far out over the bridge: with glass
in hand, he could see Admiral Dewey
watching the Spanish fleet, as the
shells from the enemy's boats burst
around him. Quickly gong to his room
Davenport drew a cart ION Of the vision
he had pictured in his min He placed
Uncle Sam in the cartoon and as he
viewed the work of Dewey in Manila
Bay and thought of the iaera
shown him a tear coul1 be e IN has
eyes. The title of the cartoon %as
Lest We Forget"
Some months after THIS Mr.. Dayen-
port was in Washington and was car
ried to Admiral DeWey's house to meet
him. In one of the oornS at the Dewey
home Mr.. Daveport vas Showa MS
cartoon which had been placed in a
handsome frame. Admiral and Mrs.
Dewey accompanied the c~artoonist t.
the room where the picture was and
there they discussed the ingratitude of
the American people. Ny. Davenport
said that the great admiral sank upo1
a sofa and wept. He said 1t was indeed
hard for him to reaiize that the man
before him was the hero of Manila Bay.
After some minutes Of silence Mr.. Dlv-
export said Admiral Dewey told him the
power his cartoon had over him.
He said he nad decided to cave tn 8
county and go to France. but that when
the saw the cartoon and Uncle
Sam, with a tear in his eye, as
he looked into the distance and saw
the Battle of Manila Bay, that he de-
cided that "Unc'e SAM did want him
here and he would not &C
The manner in which the lecturer de-
iivered the above incident was exceed
ingly interesting.