my memories of eighty years-第68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！


ded　cane。　　He　was　called　to　see　a　young　lad　who　was　sitting　on　his　grandmother's　lap。　　After　looking　at　the　boy's　tongue　and　feeling　his　pulse；　he　rested　his　head　in　deep　thought　for　a　while　on　his　gold…headed　cane　and　then　said：　　'Madam；　this　boy　has　such　difficulties　with　the　epiglottis　and　such　inflamed　larynx　that　we　will　have　to　apply　phlebotomy。'　　The　old　lady　clasped　the　boy　frantically　to　her　bosom　and　cried：　　'For　heaven's　sake；　doctor；　what　on　earth　can　ail　the　boy　that　you　are　going　to　put　all　that　on　his　bottom？'〃

Mr。　Dickinson　introduced　me　as　the　head　of　the　State　ticket。　　My　speech　proved　a　success；　and　the　chairman　paid　me　the　handsome　compliment　of　saying：　　〃We　are　glad　they　sent　you　instead　of　Governor　Andrew。〃

One　of　the　most　effective　of　our　campaign　speakers　was　General　Bruce；　of　Syracuse；　N。　Y。　　The　general　had　practically　only　one　speech；　which　was　full　of　picturesque　illustrations；　striking　anecdotes；　and　highly　wrought…up　periods　of　patriotic　exaltation。　　He　delivered　this　speech；　with　necessary　variations；　through　many　campaigns。　I　was　with　the　general；　who　was　Canal　commissioner　when　I　was　secretary　of　state；　on　our　official　tour　on　the　Canal。

One　night　the　general　said　to　me：　　〃Mr。　Blank；　who　has　a　great　reputation；　is　speaking　in　a　neighboring　town；　and　I　am　going　to　hear　him。〃　　He　came　back　enraged　and　unhappy。　　In　telling　me　about　it；　he　said：　　〃That　infernal　thief　delivered　my　speech　word　for　word；　and　better　than　I　can　do　it　myself。　　I　am　too　old　to　get　up　another　one；　and；　as　I　love　to　speak；　I　am　very　unhappy。〃

This　illustrated　one　of　the　accidents　to　which　a　campaign　speaker　is　liable。　　The　man　who　stoIe　the　general's　speech　afterwards　played　the　same　trick　on　me。　　He　came　into　our　State　from　New　England　with　a　great　reputation。　　He　was　a　very　fine　elocutionist；　of　excellent　presence　and　manner；　but　utterly　incapable　of　original　thought。　　He　could　not　prepare　a　speech　of　any　kind。　　However；　he　had　a　phenomenal　memory。　　He　could　listen　to　a　speech　made　by　another　and　repeat　it　perfectly。　　His　attractive　appearance；　good　voice；　and　fine　elocution　made　the　speech　a　great　success。　Several　orators　told　me　that　when　they　found　their　efforts　a　failure　they　asked　for　the　cause；　and　discovered　that　this　man　had　delivered　their　speeches　a　few　nights　before；　and　the　audience；　of　course；　thought　the　last　speaker　was　a　fraud　and　a　thief。

General　Bruce　told　me　a　good　campaign　story　of　Senator　James　W。　Nye；　of　Nevada。　　Nye　was　a　prominent　lawyer　of　western　New　York；　and　the　most　eloquent　and　witty　member　of　the　bar　of　that　section；　and　also　the　most　popular　campaign　speaker。　　He　moved　to　Nevada　and　so　impressed　the　people　of　that　young　State　that　he　was　elected　United　States　senator。　　In　the　Senate　he　became　a　notable　figure。

Nye　and　General　Bruce　were　sent　by　the　national　committee　to　canvass　New　England。　　Nye　had　become　senatorial　in　his　oratory；　with　much　more　dignity　and　elevation　of　style　than　before。　　He　began　his　first　speech　at　Bridgeport；　Conn。；　in　this　way：　　〃Fellow　citizens；　I　have　come　three　thousand　miles　from　my　mountain　home；　three　thousand　feet　above　the　level　of　the　sea；　to　discuss　with　you　these　vital　questions　for　the　safety　of　our　republic。〃　　The　next　night；　at　New　Haven；　he　said：　　〃I　have　come　from　my　mountain　home；　five　thousand　feet　above　the　level　of　the　sea；　to　discuss　with　you　these　vital　questions　of　the　safety　of　our　republic。〃　Bruce　interrupted　him；　saying：　　〃Why；　senator；　it　was　only　three　thousand　feet　last　night。〃　　Nye　turned　savagely　on　Bruce：　　〃Bruce；　you　go　to　the　devil！〃　　Resuming　with　the　audience；　he　remarked　very　impressively：　　〃As　I　was　saying；　fellow　citizens；　I　have　come　from　my　mountain　home；　ten　thousand　feet　above　the　level　of　the　sea；　to；　etc。〃

A　story　which　illustrates　and　enforces　the　argument　helps　a　political　speech；　and　it　is　often　the　only　part　of　the　speech　which　is　remembered。　　I　have　often　heard　people　say　to　me：　　〃I　heard　you　speak　thirty；　forty；　or　fifty　years　ago；　and　this　is　the　story　you　told。〃　　Sometimes；　however；　the　story　may　prove　a　boomerang　in　the　most　unexpected　way。

For　many　years；　when　I　spoke　in　northern　New　York　I　was　always　met　at　the　Syracuse　station　by　a　superintendent　of　the　Lackawanna　Railroad　with　a　special　train　filled　with　friends。　　He　carried　me　up　to　my　destination　and　brought　me　back　in　the　morning。　　It　was　his　great　day　of　the　year；　and　during　the　trip　he　was　full　of　reminiscences；　and　mainly　of　the　confidences　reposed　in　him　by　the　president　of　the　road；　my　old　and　valued　friend；　Samuel　Sloan。

One　fall　he　failed　to　appear；　and　there　was　no　special　train　to　meet　me。　　I　was　told　by　friends　that　the　reason　was　his　wife　had　died　and　he　was　in　mourning。　　The　morning　after　the　meeting　I　started　to　call　upon　him；　but　was　informed　that　he　was　very　hostile　and　would　not　see　me。　　I　was　not　going　to　lose　an　old　friend　like　that　and　went　up　to　his　office。　　As　soon　as　I　entered；　he　said：　〃Go　away；　I　don't　want　to　see　you　again。〃　　I　appealed　to　him；　saying：　　〃I　cannot　lose　so　good　a　friend　as　you。　　If　there　is　anything　I　have　done　or　said；　I　will　do　everything　in　my　power　to　make　it　right。〃　　He　turned　on　me　sharply　and　with　great　emotion　told　this　story：　　〃My　wife　and　I　lived　in　loving　harmony　for　over　thirty　years；　and　when　she　died　recently　I　was　heartbroken。　　The　whole　town　was　sympathetic；　most　of　the　business　houses　closed　during　the　hour　of　the　funeral。　　I　had　arranged　to　have　ministers　whom　my　wife　admired；　and　with　them　selected　passages　of　scriptures　and　hymns　to　which　she　was　devoted。　　A　new　minister　in　town　was　invited　by　the　others　to　participate；　and　without　my　knowledge。　I　looked　over　the　congregation；　all　Mary's　friends。　　I　listened　to　the　services；　which　Mary　herself　would　have　chosen；　and　said　to　Mary's　spirit；　which　I　knew　to　be　hovering　about：　　'We　are　all　paying　you　a　loving　tribute。'　　Then　the　new　minister　had　for　his　part　the　announcement　and　reading　of　a　hymn。　　At　the　last　Republican　convention　at　Saratoga；　in　order　to　illustrate　the　condition　of　the　Democratic　party；　you　told　a　story　about　a　boy　walking　among　the　children's　graves　in　the　old　cemetery　at　Peekskill；　eating　green　apples　and　whistling　'Nearer；　my　God；　to　Thee。'　　The　new　minister　gave　that　hymn；　'Nearer；　my　God；　to　Thee。'　　Your　story　came　up　in　my　mind；　and　I　burst　out　laughing。　　I　disgraced　myself；　insulted　the　memory　of　Mary；　and　I　never　want　to　see　you　again。〃



XXI。　　NATIONAL　REPUBLICAN　CONVENTIONS

When　the　Republican　convention　met　in　1912　I　was　again　a　delegate。　In　my　fifty…six　years　of　national　conventions　I　never　had　such　an　intensely　disagreeable　experience。　　I　felt　it　my　duty　to　support　President　Taft　for　renomination。　　I　thought　he　had　earned　it　by　his　excellent　administration。　　I　had　many　ties　with　him；　beginning　with　our　associations　as　graduates　of　Yale；　and　held　for　him　a　most　cordial　regard。　　I　was　swayed　by　my　old　and　unabated　love　for　Roosevelt。　　In　that　compromise　and　harmony　were　impossible。　I　saw　that；　with　the　control　of　the　organization　and　of　the　convention　on　the　side　of　Mr。　Taft；　and　with　the　wild　support　for　Roosevelt　of　the　delegates　from　the　States　which　could　be　relied　upon　to　give　Republican　majorities；　the　nomination　of　either　would　be　sure　defeat。

I　was　again　a　delegate　to　the　Republican　convention　of　1916。　The　party　was　united。　　Progressives　and　conservatives　were　acting　together；　and　the　convention　was　in　the　happiest　of　moods。　　It　was　generally　understood　that　Justice　Hughes　would　be　nominated　if　he　could　be　induced　to　resign　from　the　Supreme　Court　and　accept。　The　presiding　officer　of　the　convention　was　Senator　Warren　G。　Harding。　He　made　a　very　acceptable　keynote　speech。　　His　fine　appearance；　his　fairness；　justice；　and　good　temper　as　presiding　officer　captured　the　convention。　　There　was　a　universal　sentiment　that　if　Hughes　declined　the　party　could　do　no　better　than　to　nominate　Senator　Harding。　　It　was　this　impression　among　the　delegates；　many　of　whom　were　also　members　of　the　convention　of　1920；　which　led　to　the　selection　as　the　convention's　candidate　for　president　of　Warren　G。　Harding。

My　good　mother　was　a　Presbyterian　and　a　good　Calvinist。　　She　believed　and　impressed　upon　me　the　cert