my memories of eighty years-第41章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
st graciously received。 I think the royalties were pleased to have a break in the formal etiquette。 Mr。 Choate treated the occasion； so far as I was concerned； as if it had been a reception in New York or Salem； and a distinguished guest wanted to meet the hosts。 The gold…laced and bejewelled and highly decorated diplomatic circle was paralyzed。
Mr。 Choate's delightful personality and original conversational powers made him a favorite guest everywhere； but he also carried to the platform the distinction which had won for him the reputation of being one of the finest orators in the United States。
Choate asked at one time when I was almost nightly making speeches at some entertainment： 〃How do you do it？〃 I told him I was risking whatever reputation I had on account of very limited preparation； that I did not let these speeches interfere at all with my business； but that they were all prepared after I had arrived home from my office late in the afternoon。 Sometimes they came easy； and I reached the dinner in time； at other times they were more difficult； and I did not arrive till the speaking had begun。 Then he said： 〃I enjoy making these after…dinner addresses more than any other work。 It is a perfect delight for me to speak to such an audience； but I have not the gift of quick and easy preparation。 I accept comparatively few of the constant invitations I receive； because when I have to make such a speech I take a corner in the car in the morning going to my office； exclude all the intruding public with a newspaper and think all the way down。 I continue the same process on my way home in the evening； and it takes about three days of this absorption and exclusiveness； with some time in the evenings； to get an address with which I am satisfied。〃
The delicious humor of these efforts of Mr。 Choate and the wonderful way in which he could expose a current delusion； or what he thought was one； and produce an impression not only on his audience but on the whole community； when his speech was printed in the newspapers； was a kind of effort which necessarily required preparation。 In all the many times I heard him； both at home and abroad； he never had a failure and sometimes made a sensation。
Among the many interesting characters whom I met on shipboard was Emory Storrs； a famous Chicago lawyer。 Storrs was a genius of rare talent as an advocator。 He also on occasions would make a most successful speech； but his efforts were unequal。 At one session of the National Bar Association he carried off all honors at their banquet。 Of course； they wanted him the next year； but then he failed entirely to meet their expectations。。 Storrs was one of the most successful advocates at the criminal bar； especially in murder cases。 He rarely failed to get an acquittal for his client。 He told me many interesting stories of his experiences。 He had a wide circuit； owing to his reputation； and tried cases far distant from home。
I remember one of his experiences in an out…of…the…way county of Arkansas。 The hotel where they all stopped was very primitive； and he had the same table with the judge。 The most attractive offer for breakfast by the landlady was buckwheat…cakes。 She appeared with a jug of molasses and said to the judge： 〃Will you have a trickle or a dab？〃 The judge answered： 〃A dab。〃 She then ran her fingers around the jug and slapped a huge amount of molasses on the judge's cakes。 Storrs said： 〃I think I prefer a trickle。〃 Whereupon she dipped her fingers again in the jug and let the drops fall from them on Storrs's cakes。 The landlady was disappointed because her cakes were unpopular with such distinguished gentlemen。
Once Storrs was going abroad on the same ship with me on a sort of semi…diplomatic mission。 He was deeply read in English literature and； as far as a stranger could be； familiar with the places made famous in English and foreign classics。
He was one of the factors； as chairman of the Illinois delegation； of the conditions which made possible the nomination of Garfield and Arthur。 In the following presidential campaign he took an active and very useful part。 Then he brought all the influences that he could use； and they were many； to bear upon President Arthur to make him attorney…general。 Arthur was a strict formalist and could not tolerate the thought of having such an eccentric genius in his Cabinet。 Storrs was not only disappointed but hurt that Arthur declined to appoint him。
To make him happy his rich clientsand he had many of themraised a handsome purse and urged him to make a European trip。 Then the president added to the pleasure of his journey by giving him an appointment as a sort of roving diplomat； with special duties relating to the acute trouble then existing in regard to the admission of American cattle into Great Britain。 They were barred because of a supposed infectious disease。
Storrs's weakness was neckties。 He told me that he had three hundred and sixty…five； a new one for every day。 He would come on deck every morning； display his fresh necktie； and receive a compliment upon its color and appropriateness； and then take from his pocket a huge water…proof envelope。 From this he would unroll his parchment appointment as a diplomat； and the letters he had to almost every one of distinction in Europe。 On the last day； going through the same ceremony； he said to me： 〃I am not showing you these things out of vanity； but to impress upon you the one thing I most want to accomplish in London。 I desire to compel James Russell Lowell； our minister； to give me a dinner。〃
Probably no man in the world could be selected so antipathetic to Lowell as Emory Storrs。 Mr。 Lowell told me that he was annoyed that the president should have sent an interloper to meddle with negotiations which he had in successful progress to a satisfactory conclusion。 So he invited Storrs to dinner； and then Storrs took no further interest in his diplomatic mission。
Mr。 Lowell told me that he asked Storrs to name whoever he wanted to invite。 He supposed from his general analysis of the man that Storrs would want the entire royal family。 He was delighted to find that the selection was confined entirely to authors； artists； and scientists。
On my return trip Mr。 Storrs was again a fellow passenger。 He was very enthusiastic over the places of historic interest he had visited； and eloquent and graphic in descriptions of them and of his own intense feelings when he came in contact with things he had dreamed of most of his life。
〃But；〃 he said； 〃I will tell you of my greatest adventure。 I was in the picture…gallery at Dresden； and in that small room where hangs Raphael's 'Madonna。' I was standing before this wonderful masterpiece of divine inspiration when I felt the room crowded。 I discovered that the visitors were all Americans and all looking at me。 I said to them： 'Ladies and gentlemen； you are here in the presence of the most wonderful picture ever painted。 If you study it； you can see that there is little doubt but with all his genius Raphael in this work had inspiration from above； and yet you； as Americans； instead of availing yourselves of the rarest of opportunities； have your eyes bent on me。 I am only a Chicago lawyer wearing a Chicago…made suit of clothes。'
〃A gentleman stepped forward and said： 'Mr。 Storrs； on behalf of your countrymen and countrywomen present； I wish to say that you are of more interest to us than all the works of Raphael put together； because we understand that James Russell Lowell； United States Minister to Great Britain； gave you a dinner。'〃
One other incident in my acquaintance with Mr。 Storrs was original。 I heard the story of it both from him and Lord Coleridge； and they did not differ materially。 Lord Coleridge； Chief Justice of England； was a most welcome visitor when he came to the United States。 He received invitations from the State Bar Associations everywhere to accept their hospitality。 I conducted him on part of his trip and found him one of the most able and delightful of men。 He was a very fine speaker； more in our way than the English； and made a first…class impression upon all the audiences he addressed。
At Chicago Lord
