Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-07-25
ROCKEFELLER AND
 THE REPORTER

John D. Rockefeller is very modest
 about his speeches. One of the pleas
 antest tales we have of him is from a
 young reporter who had occasion to re-
 port one of his Sunday school talks
 once. It gives a side of Mir Rockefel-
 Ter which few people see:
 One Saturday in. June, 1S9S," the
 reporter relates, "the Cleveland after
 noon 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. I was held
 by the city editor to be fit person to
 send out on an early Sunday morning
 assignment-to Sunday school.
 'rhe church was filled when I got
 there but an usher whom I knew put
 me on an empty bench right in front
 eeller. but I couldn't find him. He
 wasn't oh the platform. The people sang. the minister prayed. and the lit tie folks gave recitations. After while the pastor said the children would now listen to their beloved superintendent. A man who sat in a pew near the front stepped forward. stood directly. in front of me, and began to speak. I took from my pocket a tablet. and, being able to write shorthand. began to take the address verbatim. Mir Rocke- feller saw what I was doing. He spoke as any inexperienced speaker His nervousness was betrayed by slowly uttered sentences. some of which were repeated. and by short quick steps. He talked for 8 few .only. simply expressing pleas ure at being among old friends aud with the children. I think everybody was satisfied and pleased with what he said, When he had finished he dropped into a place by my side. Presently he leaned over and whis- pered to me: Will you wait a moment after the service? I should like to see you.
 At the close of the service he greet ed few friends and then took me into q committee room. He asked me I was a reporter. what paper I was on. and whether had his re- marks vel Ibatim. Then he reasoned with me in this manner: Now. you know. I sm not an experienced speak CT. have done little of that sort of thing. suppose my address was not very good. IL wasn't an address-iust 8 little talk. | wish vou would say little about it. And don't print that speech in full. please. Mercy. no. Make if simple. short. Fix it up And he laughed and laughed. And he took hold of my arm and behaved like a good fellow [ said that | had no desire to write nonsense about him and I hadn't. told him that my city editor wouldn't print a silly yarn about his slender abilities as a speaker f I wrote it-and I knew he wouldn't. said that I had taken his speech in shorthand simply because I could be 'ause I got fun out of exercising my ,kill-and that was true.
 50 I went to the offire and wrote ID quiet account of the meeting 1 iXed ID the speerh. did not. how 1 ,ver. escape the sin of putting into my 'tOry the fact that l saw him put q '2D bill on the contribution plate. That ! \ as because I was 8 'cub. think Mr was much annoyed when le saw me make notes after the des- |. on passed the plate 10 him and ms n the bench.
 Two months later suburban eIar- ric car upon which was q passenger topped 3 couple of miles from Forest !. IiH. Mr Rorkefeller-s East Cleveland {. .sme NIT Rockefeller and his son l. sma aboard and took seats behind . DO. Just as young Mr Rockefeller old the conductoT to stop at Forest Hill some one touched me on the I ho,Ilder. I rose and turned to meet I be eyes of Mir Rockefeller. and bis ! utstrstrhed hand. Well he said. ! Eou are the young man who wrote up ] lV speech for the Plain Dealer down I t the church in Children's day II bought T was you when I sat down. l Vel. newspaper men generally treat i ne rudeIy- Thank you ve~r Eluch for 1 That yoI cid I rs9f t snd spprs- istei t. You fixed that speech up se was all right-fSt rate Thank I oU- Good day yt-Niss TsrheiFs hsraeter study If John n. RockefeIIeT D the August Nctlure<