The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-03-19

great audience at the Manhattan the
alter to hear Harry Lauder, but he has
not yet arrived. We want you to
come over and pull off some sort of d
stunt to hold the people For Heav-
ems sake do so Bob So Mr.. Fitz-
simmons made his>talk.
About 1890 it was announced
from the stage that Mr.. LADDERS ship
had docked and that he would be at
the opera house in a few minutes and
would surely sing before the audience
that night.
AT 1900 a. m, Lauder, in one cos
, tune that he had gotten out of his
trunks, walked out on the stage. put
his grip on the platform and began
pulling off his gloves. The audience
rose en- masse and gave him an ova-
ton. He explained his delay eX-
pressed regret at the disappointment
of the audience, said his scenery was
still on ship board, that his 'Hielan'
band of bagpipers was not able to
be present and that he had come to
do the best he could under the cir
cumstaEces- He explained to his
audience that another performance,
properly set with scenery and his
own company, would be given the
audience until quite 2 o'clock in the
! morning. 1 heard him in both of
the performances 1t is just as much
| treat to hear him at o'clock in
the morning in New York as it is in
| Iopeka at more seasona BILE hours.
| To show you how a man can miss
an opportunity, which knocks, as In
| gals says, only once at a mans door:
some years ago. Mr.. Lauder knowing
that was in the audience, sent word
10 me to come behind the scenes at
the end of the performance. l didn't
go because the invitation came from
his press agent, and being in the
newspaper business L sort of shy at
press agents, and was doubtful
whether Mr.. Lauder himself had
really asked me to see him.
The next day after he had left
| town, ne sent me d message saying
ne was very much disappointed that
ne mad not met me, as his 'mither' was
MacLennan, and telling me that the
| next, time l had an opportunity to
near him / must surely come up be-
h-nd the stage and let him talk to
me. But before that message I never
knew that Mr.. Lauder and myself
hao mothers of blessed memory of the
same name. l am surely delighted to
voice Mr.. Lauder the best welcome
Topeka car offer
speaking of these MacLennans, in
the oloen times, several hundred
years ago they were not all the best
sort; IN fact, when 1 was once walk
ing along the streets of Inverness one
sunday afternoon, reading the signs
discovered that the MacLennan.
were as thick there as the johnson.
ana Smiths are in Topeka. / had
counted ninety-five MacLennans ir
the inverness city directory Some
were lawyers, some merchants som.
biacksmiths. some were in the liver,
business and one or two l regret t,
say kept public houses. But MIR
Lauder and myself have tried to liv,
| down a few of the SHORTCOMINGS O
our ancient ancestry
MT Lauder has message for YOU
brave, noble, deep, sympathetic mes
sage, and L know you will be inspire
10 near MIN for he speaks as well a
he sings and that is saying much.
Until today, altho l have been 4
audiences before Harry Lauder man
times, never met him personally
rms is, OF course. unfortunate for bot
or US; l have no doubt Mr.. Laude
feels this as deeply as do and regret
that we have not more intimatel
touched each other: and want to sa'
in passing that the amounts that
have willingly paid to hear Mr. Laud
er these many times run up into quit
sum. His touch is impressive, Xix
, his voice.
He is a thrifty man like the Scotcl
are said to be. When one of tn
RotarianS, a few minutes ago, aske
Mr.. Lauder if he would not sing as
solo the words the Rotarians wer
singing that he wrote and to which h
: set the music: All, said the will
Harry, I'll co my singing at the oper
house this afternoon and this evening
: Il am sure that the Rotarians an
; we Topekans welcome Harry Laude
with the fullness of our hearts. an
are glad that he favors us this noon a
this gathering and in two events late
in the day."