Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1905-07-31
AND
THE REPORTER
Embryo journalist Tells of a
Speech Made in Sunday
School
M0DtSTV OF THE MILLIONAIRE

John D. Rockefeller is very modest
about his speeches. One Of the pleas
ATTEST tales we have of him is from
a young reporter who had occasion to
report one Of his Sunday school talks
once, writes Miss Tarbell in the August
AieClure's. 1t gives a side of Mr. Rock
efeller which few people see:
zone Saturday in June, 1898" the re-
porter relates. "the Cleveland afternoon
papers said that John Rockefeller
would speak the next day-Children's
Sunday-in the Euclid Avenue Baptist
Church. Being a cub reporter on the
Plain Dealer at the time, / was held by
the city editor to be a fit person to
send out on an early Sunday morning
assignment-to a Sunday school.
The church was filled when 1 got
there. But an usher whom L knew put
me on an empty bench right in 'front.'
iof the pulpit. / looked for Mr.. Rookie
Teller but ] couldn't find him. He
wasn't on the platform. The people
sang. the minister prayed and the lit
tie folks gave Rotations. After a
while the paster said the children
would listen to their beloved supcrin-
tendent. A man who sat in a pew near
the front stepped forward. stood direct
ly in front OF me, and began TO speak.
l took from my pocket a tablet, and.
being able to write shorthand, began to
take the address verbatim. Mr.. Rock
efeller saw what I was doing. He.
spoke as any inexperienced speaker
does-nervously.
His nervousness was betrayed by
slowly uttered sentences, some Of which
were repeated. and by short quick
steps. He talked for few moments
lonly-simply expressing pleasure at
being among old friends and with the
children. / think everybody was sat-
shed and pleased with what he said.
When he had finished he dropped into
place by my side. Presently he lean
ed over and whispered to me: VIII
you walt a moment after the service?
should like to see you.
AT the close of the services he greet
ed a few friends and then took me into
committee room. He asked me
whether | had his remarks verbatim.
Then he reasoned with me in this man
ner: Now, you know. / am not an
experienced speaker. l have done lit
tie of that sort of thing. l suppose my
address was not very good. Il wasn't
an address-just a little talk. l wish
you would say little about it. And
don't print that speech in full, please.
Mercy, no! Make it simple, short. Fix
IL up.' And he laughed and ! laughed.
And he took hold of my arm, and be-
haved like a good fellow said
that / had no desire to write nonsense
about him-and / hadn't.
Il told him that my city editor
wouldn't print a silly yarn about his
slender abilities as speaker If / wrote
it-and knew he wouldn't. l said mat
I mad taken his speech in shorthand
simply because / could, because got
fun out OF exercising my skill-and that
was true.
so ] went to the Office and wrote up
quiet account Of the meeting.
axed up the speech. I did not, how
ever. escape the sin Of putting into my
story the fact that saw him put a
twenty-douar bill on the contribution
plate. That was because was cub
think Mr. Rockefeller was much an
noyed when he saw me make notes af-
ter the deacon passed the plate to him
and me on the bench.
1.-TWO months later a supuhDdh eiec-
trio car upon which ! was passenger
stopped a couple OF miles from Forest
Hnl-Mr. Rockefeler's East Cleveland
home. Mr.. Rockefeller and his son
came aboard. and took seats behind
me. Just as young Mr.. Rockefeller
told the conductor TO stop at Forest
Hill. some one touched me on the
shoulder. rose and turned to meet
outstretched hand. Well he said. you
are the young men who wrote up my
speech Tor the Plain Dealer down az
the church on Children's Day. /
thought Il was you when / sat down.
Well newspaper men generally treat
me rudely. Thank you very much for
what you did. l read Il aud apprecia-
ted IT, You fixed that speech up so Il
was al rigbt-first rate, Thank yeV
Good day