Evening star., 1940-05-26
Il Short Story Complete in This Issue

- The following is a transcript of speech
delivered by Mr.. Murdoch Avery at the
formal dedication of the new Heathville hos
pital for whose construction and equipment
he provided the funds
~ ovERNoR HUMBOLDT Mayor Ferguson,
q Ladies and Gentlemen:
~ One of the great blessings of our
Democracy, it seems to me, lies IN the fact
that wealthy men like myself can be praised
and damned with equal extravaganza. Laugh
ter and applause.)
Today it is my turn to be praised - loud
applause) - and must say that the Governor
and the Mayor and the other distinguished
speakers have done 50. so lavishly that I'm
afraid III find I've outgrown my hat. Laugh
ter
Unfortunately, whether we set out to praise
or to criticize, we usually do it at the expense
of the real facts. For example in listening to
the Mayors speech, you might almost have
concluded that when | left Heathvie fifty
four years ago long before most of you
we're born - it was with the idea of making
enough money to provide new hospital for
nv home town. How far from the actual situa-
ton that is! When left here it was with no
conscious intention of ever returning. | was
shaking the dust of Heathville from my boots
for good. During the half century that passed
between my departure and my next visit, the
town of my birth seldom entered my thoughts.
The Heathville left consisted of general
store hay and feed store, and barber shop
whose proprietor would give you shave and
a haircut and remove an aching molar for the
trihing sum of fifty cents There were no
movie palaces or soda fountains to keep the
memory of the town green in my mind.
(Laughter.)
These crumped papers you see in my hand
are the manuscript of the speech | was to
deliver here today. 1t is pretty fair speech,
as speeches CO. for my secretary is especially
good at that sort of thing.
1t states my pleasure in being able to pro-
vide this fine new hospital, and dwells, rather
mmodestly, I'm afraid, on the fact that time
and money were not spared to make this insti-
tuition one of the finest in the state. As the
l>other speakers have fairly we'll exhausted that
theme, it seems a pity to bore you with its
repetition loud applause | see you agree
with me. Laughter
Yet might have delivered my speech ac-
cording to schedule if it hadn't been for an
incident which occurred on my arrival here
at the hospital. As got out of the car which
brought me here, | passed a little group of
people who had gathered to welcome me, and
as did so, overheard lady remark to her
small son, That's Mr.. Avery. He's the one
who gave us the hospital
j HE expression on the childs face as he
stared at me clearly indicated that he con-
sidered me much too stout and solemn looking
| to be any fun in romp on the lawn. IF he
gave it to us, he said in loud voice, why
| ism t his name on it instead Of -
+. Hush his mother said, giving him jerk
which ratified his teeth.
could see that she felt had overheard an
embarrassing question. So paused and ad-
dressed the child. Are you going to the
dedication ceremonies, young man." said.
By then he was too terrified to reply, but
lIlis mother, almost as flustered, replied that
he was.
In that case said to the boy, listen
carefully, and you'll have an answer to your
question.
am sure there are many of you here today
who have wondered about the same matter
Ill. -%.o.,>