The Washington herald., 1911-12-26

| Weather Chief Willis l. Moore gave a
reception some time ago In honor of SEN
ator John Sharp Williams, OF Mississippi.
The reception was to be on a Saturday
night, and the invitation was delivered
to the Senator verbally on the preceding
Tuesday by a messenger from Moore's
office. Williams is extremely absent
minded. and never trusts his memory
with social or business engagements, go
he called to his secretary and said:
Make a memoranda that I'm to go to
a reception at Willis Moore's Saturday
night"
About an hour later Moore's messenger
returned, all out OF breath, and said he
had failed TO deliver the most important
part Of the message, to wit, that the
reception was to be in the Senator's
honor. Moore had feared that II the
Senator thought he was to be merely a
common, everyday guest he might &C.
cept some more important engagement.
Senator Williams had gone over to the
Senate, but his secretary told Moore's
messenger where to find him. A few
minutes later the Senator's secretary hap
pened to 60 over to the Capitol himself,
and he met the Senator in one of the
corridors.
Hey, IneIS. yGllGO " lllldlhS. 1ON
know that memoranda about Wills
Moore's reception? Well, just add to II
that I'm to shave Saturday night. The
things in my honor"'
Victor Murdoch, the Kansas insurgent,
has a line of talk as fiery as his hair,
and when he goes on a lecture tour he
pulls applause out of his audience as
easily as a magician pulls a rabbit out
of a 81 derby.
This is the tale of the friendly tip that
showed "Vic" the way to becoming an
orator.
Some years ago when he first began to
make public speeches, young Murdoch
grew discouraged. No matter how many
good stories he told, or how many ap-
peals to patriotism he sprung, his audi
ence was as cold and unresponsive as
dead whitehsh. Applause was as scarce
as the MONDAY sun in Pittsburg. Vic"
wondered why. He analysed his speeches
in manuscript and they seemed mighty
good, regardless OF the way audiences
took them. He asked his father to go
over one Of his speeches and see what
allied it; and his father agreed that it
was good. The mystery of the non
applauding audiences became greater
than ever and "Vic" began to wonder
If he was being plotted against.
One night. after addressing a political
meeting, Vic" was riding to the nearest
railway station with the proprietor of the
local livery stable.
people didn't applaud much, did
they? commented the driver
mo; not much" Vic was forced to
admit.
You said some pretty good things,
too" went on the driver.
Then why they didn't applaud?" asked
young Vic Murdoch, eagerly.
well, for one thing" said the driver,
you didn't give 'em time. was ready
to start the handclappin' there several
times. but before got a chance you went
right on to somethin' else"
You think I'd be all right IL I'd just
talk slower, them"
NO; 'twasn't just that. I'll tell you.
I've listened to a lot OF these fellers
that come here to speak, and notice
that when they spring any big names
they put 'em in the hind part of their
sentences. You start out to talk about
Lincoln, Grant, and. James g. Blaine, and
then you end up by telling what they did.
II was you I'd tell what happened and
tnen say. IneSe Things were OOne Oy
Lincoln, Grant, and James G. Blaine!
Holler it out real loud, y'know, and then
stop for a minute, and I'll bet you they'll
clap their hands"
vic slapped the man on the thigh.
TN try your SYSTEM" he said.
And the next time he spoke he got all
the applause he could handle. He's been
getting it ever since.
When Clifford Pinchot and Miles Poin-
dexter were up in Alaska last summer,
they had a guide who was a hearty
eater He ate all the time he was cook
ing, continued to eat while Pinchot and
Poindexter were at their meal, and
would still be eating long after the 9TH
ers had ceased picking their teeth.
The guide was particularly fond of
grouse. which are moderately plentiful
IN some parts of Alaska. Pinchot and
Poindexter would eat a grouse apiece,
but the guide would consume four or
FIVE, with apparent relish. Senator Poin-