Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-03

Aistyne, whom at first he had found
somewhat frigid and difficult; but WHO. he
now discovered to his surprise, IT was
growing momentarily easier to entertain.
He had no idea of his own command of
language.
supper was still in it's early stages when
fourth glass OF heady vintage cham
pagnc followed the other three. From
doorways and walls his political followers
looked on with amaze. To them the sight
of the boss drinking was the eighth wonder
OF the world. They nHdged each other
and muttered awed comments out of the
corners of their mouths.
But Caleb needed this not at all. He
was happy. Very happy. The party over
which he had suffered such secret quaims
and TO secure the desired guests for which
lac had strained every atom of his vast
political and business influence, was prov
ing Il marvellous success. At last he was
Ia society. And he had thought the bar
rers Of that body impossible, He was
Ia society. At last. And talking with de-
Iigntful brilliant fiuency with one OF its
acknowledged leaders. He had conquered.
The waiter filled his glass for the fifth
time After all, champagne had an effect
whisky could never equal The fifth
drauGht (for he allowed but one swallow
L. the goblet seemed to inspire him even
more than had its predecessors
Then il was that fifty generations of
IriShmen who, under the spell of liquor,
acquired flow of language not their own.
clamored for voice in this their latest and
In 50 foreign, brilliant a mood, what more
apt than a graceful little speech OF greeting
10 those his fellow -townsmen who had
forlrd thither to do him honor? The
idea was sublime. ConOver rose to his
feet and raped for silence. lie would
speak while the gift Of eloquence was still
strong upon him.
ladies and gentlemen" began Caleb,
Gearing his voice and looking down the
great room across the concOurse of wonder
ing, amused. or expectant faces that gently
sHuycd in faint haze before his eyes Il
guess YOU all know without my telling you,
how glad am to see you here tonight and
l want you should enjoy every minute of
your evening. Some of you are old friends
at mine. There's more'n few here tonight
that remembers me when ! was a barefoot
ed Gale ConOver without a dollar to my
name nor any very hectic prospects of
getting one.
But there's a lot more Of you here that
hadn't the honor of knowing then, nOI
Tor that matter of meeting at all tonight
Its To these; mostly. that I'm talking now
For want 'em to know me better and like
me better Maybe il they hear more about
me they will. That's why I'm on my feet
now
Il bIicve it isn't customary to make a
speech at any more parties But you'll
have to forgive me. I'm not much onto
the latest frills and fashions But give me
a chance, and I'll learn easy as China.
Inen. IL came to me all of a sudden &c
say what I've got to say, right here anc
etiquette l asked you here tonight, mainly
of course. for the pleasure OF entertaining
you. and ! hope you're all having a rea
good time. But | had another reason, too
The men at the tables looked perpieXed
Was this the Caleb Conover they had me
and cringed to in the outer world. thi
gaTrulous. rambling man with the flushed
face
You see I've come to be a kind of
feature To this city of ours and of the state
too. I'm here 10 stay. And l want that M
towns-folks and felow-residents of tn
Mountain state should know me. Man.
OF EN- do. There's a full half-miilioi
folks in this city and state that know al
about Caleb Conover They know he's Of
the square. that he'll look after" their in
terest4 that he's white man. They .knoy
he's a man they can trust in their publ
life and welcome in their homes. And, a
1 said. there's lot of these people her
tonight.
But there's lot of other folks here VIII
only know me by what Islander and joke
they've picked up around town or In tn
out-of-state newspapers. Its these latte
folks I'm talking to now. | want them L
know the real me: not the uneducated crool
and lliterate Teller my p'litical enemie
have made me out. They can't think In
all bad. or they wouldn't be my guests
Would they, now? And a little franknes
ought to do the rest.
Some people say I've risen from the gut