Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-22

1t has been a long time ladies and gen.
tlemen since we have heard a song from
silver throat 1t has been many a day
since the big tent rang with the voice of
born elocutoniSt. It has been many moons
since we harked to the CUFF Of a patriot
and a phrasemaker
Let US hope, ladies and gentlemen, that
we may be fortunate today. tbs a great
day for eloquence. IT'S warm; and we
would see a collar wilted. IT'S humid; and
we would see a boiled shirt flap Imply
against an expanded chest.
But, ladies and gentlemen, do not be TOO
hopeful We may not list to the patter OF
the Honorable Bourke- For the gentleman
from New York and Dublin spoke only the
other day. and II takes long time to W.nd
q Waterbury watch.
But, ladies and gentlemen, let US be con-
tent Let us not expect too much. Let US
be philosophical. If the dinner bell is 81
lent let us list to the Squeal OF the TIN
whistle If the electric light is out of bust
ness let US admire the lightning bug. Let
us turn to the Honorable Morris Sheppard
of Texas.
The Honorable Morris is a born elocutor.
He is nearly thirty years old, and 1t was
nearly thirty years ago that he first began
to make q noise. He has kept 1t up ever
since He believed in cultivating his gilt,
Why, ladies and gentlemen when only
six months old little Morris was d fluent
conversationalist. His family, relatives and
friends vouched for the fact.
You can't tell what he Is talking about
they said enthusiastically, but he makes
such cute noises. It's just as If he were
really trying to say something.
That. ladies and gentlemen. was triple
of decades ago And yet the burden of this
chorus of praise has changed but little.
you can't tell what he is talking about.
say the admirers of the Honorable Morris,
but he makes such cute noises II just
as If he were trying to say something.
And, ladies and gentlemen, say to you
in all seriousness, In all admiration, In all
respect that it takes a remarkable man
to keep reputation like that for twenty
nine and a half of his thirty years.
But, ladies and gentlemen there are other
interesting incidents of the phrase-making
career of the Honorable Morris. He grew
and entered school. He studied hard, And
one day the hired man found him behind
the barn. The hired man listened.
'Ah, my friends piped little Norris
with an occasional stealthy glance at the
Fifth Reader in his hand, ''is there a man
with soul so base that he does not recog-
nize in the American woman the most
glorious creation of God? Crowned with
the laurels of victory. draped In the star
spangled banner of freedom, her dainty
feet resting on the hearts of men, her
hands stretched out ip sympathy, her
glorious eyes Drumming with love and pity,
the american WOindn Is the queen VI lho
world
The hired man was stunned He dropped
his milking stool and clapped his hand to
bis throbbing brow. Tears streamed from
his brow. His heart skipped couple OF
beats.
by heck" cried the hired man. as he
made running motions toward the Sheppard
domicile. 81 must tell the Judge. Little
Morris is eloeuting. Little Morris is maxi
Ing noise like congressman"
y
X
And so 1t went on. We need not dive into
the dim and dusty records of another day
to prove this. The Honorable Morris tells
US all about 1t in his Congressional Record
autobiography.
Columbus day orator. University OF
Final orator, 1894, Rusk Literary So
ciety. University Of Texas" he records In
black and white.
Commencement orator, academic depart
ment, University of Texas, 1896" he yelps
In indelible ink.
Law School. 1893" he prociaims with bulg-
ing shirt front.
delivered the masters oration COM
mencement yale Law School, 1898" he
shrieks in photographed frenzy.
Amt that record to be proud OF. ladies
and gentlemen Amt 1t consistent per-
formance2 Oh, amt 1t?
And out of admiration for the Honorable
Morris, looked up these various orations.
read them through, all Of them. And
they were fine. They were about various
things; I don't remember what. / doubt
II ever knew. But. snuggled away In each
one OF them. sometimes at the beginning.
sometimes at the end. and once in the mid
de- found that dear old extract from the
Fifth Roader~-the extract that little Morris