Evening journal., 1910-04-27

own.
The we'll nigh universal interest that is
being taken in a certain event scheduled
to take place I'm San Francisco on July 4
has served TO remind me Of the lecture
that great ana powerful preacher. Henry
Ward Boecher forgot all about My au-
thority for the anecdote, which reveals
one side Of the abundant human nature
which was so characteristic of Mr.. Beech
er is tho late Prof Johnson T. Plat, Of
the Yale Law School.
Mr.. Beecher was always favorite lee
turer at yale, before the divinity school,
said Prof Platt. 'You may recall that he
delivered several series Of lectures on the
Lyman Beecher foundation, named after
his father, and at other times he also lee
tured before the school.
"well, on the afternoon Of the particu-
lar Beecher lecture I have in mind tho
hal was packed 10 the doors with students
and others eager to hear him. The hour
set for the beginning OF the lecture was
three o'clock, but when it arrived there
appeared no Henry Ward Beecher. to the
mild surprise of tho professors I'm cnarge
for hitherto Mr.. Beecher had never been
tardy In appearing IN the hall. But when
Il got to be nearly half after three ana
stll no Mr.. Beecher, the surprise and con-
sternation were great, and, after a hasty
consultation, professor was sent to the
hotel where Mr.. Beecher usually stopped,
to get trace of the missing lecturer, II
possible
"Yes, Mr.. Beecher was stopping at the
hotel the clerk informed the professor
who thereupon fastened to Mr.. Boecher's
room, knocked upon the door and was told
to come in. which he ala at once. But be-
fore he could frame even chow do you
do" Mr.. Beecher. spying him, let out an
astonished Il declare. followed it UP by
hastily pulling ouh his watch, looking at
IT, and exclaiming in dismay, "Why it's
going on 10 four. and you have been walt
ing for me all this time at the divinity
school,
lie grabbed for his hat. Then, as he
was reaching for his overcoat, he turned
on the professor with a quaint smile
" Oh. we'll he said, i might as well
make a fun confession. When l left my
home in Brooklyn this morning I bought
copies Of two or three morning news
papers. There was something in them
that interested me greatly, and intended
to read all about It on my way to this
city. But after I got seated I'm the train,
friend came along. 1 Shared my seat
with him. and he talked TO me an the way
here. so that 1 did not have an opportu-
nifty TO read my papers. But as soon as
got to the hotel ] saw that I would have
an hour OF leisure before the lecture be.
gan, so / slipped up here and began read
ing and. do you know, ! found the re-
ports Of the event SO graphic that I actu-
ally forgot all about the lecture It's IN
the Anglo-Saxon blood TO be interested IN
such an event. Doctor was reading
about the sulivan-Ryan fight which took
place yesterday down in Mississippi
For a moment or two Mr. BeecheI
looked tho professor OF divinity squareS
I'm the eve. Then he reached over and dug
that gentleman I'm the ribs. And now that
/ have made my confession. he said
laughing, 4 am going to say something &c
YOU I would be willing to wager that
you yourself read the report of that bat
tie with bare xnuckies this morning befor,
you went to the divinity school
~ eiis MI. hetNHtl' itpieu NitD hA"
fessor, 4 might as we'll confess toe DID
get up little earlier than usual this
morning and 20 to the front door for the
morning paper. II hadn't come, so 4 aotu
ally waited at the door until the hos
brought IL. Then / sat down apd read The
report OF the fight before breakfast
MIR. Boccher beamed on his companion
in wickedness Come, he said. and linke,
arms with the other. And that shameless
professor afterwards told me that the lee
ture which Mr. Beecher delivered a littll
later was the best he ever heard tina
eifted orator make on any platform"
Copyright, 1910. by L. J. Edwards.)
Tomorrow Mr.. Edwards will tell O.
"The Wit that Blaine Appropriated.