my memories of eighty years-第72部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


However；　Mr。　Atkinson　and　I　made　up　our　minds　to　talk　to　them　as　if　they　needed　it　or　would　need　it　some　day　or　other；　and　they　were　polite　enough　to　ask　questions　and　pretend　to　enjoy　it。　I　understand　that　afterwards　at　the　midnight　supper　there　was　more　champagne　and　more　hilarity　than　at　previous　gatherings　of　this　sociological　club。

During　one　of　our　presidential　campaigns　some　young　men　came　up　from　the　Bowery　to　see　me。　　They　said：　　〃We　have　a　very　hard　time　down　in　our　district。　　The　crowd　is　a　tough　one　but　intelligent；　and　we　think　would　be　receptive　of　the　truth　if　they　could　hear　it　put　to　them　in　an　attractive　form。　　We　will　engage　a　large　theatre　attached　to　a　Bowery　beer　saloon　if　you　will　come　down　and　address　the　meeting。　　The　novelty　of　your　appearance　will　fill　the　theatre。〃

I　knew　there　was　considerable　risk；　and　yet　it　was　a　great　opportunity。　　I　believe　that　in　meeting　a　crowd　of　that　sort　one　should　appear　as　they　expect　him　to　look　when　addressing　the　best　of　audiences。　　These　people　are　very　proud；　and　they　resent　any　attempt　on　your　part　to　be　what　they　know　you　are　not；　but　that　you　are　coming　down　to　their　level　by　assuming　a　character　which　you　presume　to　be　theirs。　　So　I　dressed　with　unusual　care；　and　when　I　went　on　the　platform　a　short…sleeved；　short…haired　genius　in　the　theatre　shouted：　　〃Chauncey　thinks　he　is　in　Carnegie　Hall。〃

The　famous　Tim　Sullivan；　who　was　several　times　a　state　senator　and　congressman；　and　a　mighty　good　fellow；　was　the　leader　of　the　Bowery　and　controlled　its　political　actions。　　He　came　to　see　me　and　said：　　〃I　hope　you　will　withdraw　from　that　appointment。　　I　do　not　want　you　to　come　down　there。　　In　the　first　place；　I　cannot　protect　you；　and　I　don't　think　it　is　safe。　　In　the　second　place；　you　are　so　well　known　and　popular　among　our　people　that　I　am　afraid　you　will　produce　an　impression；　and　if　you　get　away　with　it　that　will　hurt　our　machine。〃

In　the　course　of　my　speech　a　man　arose　whom　I　knew　very　well　as　a　district　leader；　and　who　was　frequently　in　my　office；　seeking　positions　for　his　constituents　and　other　favors。　　That　night　he　was　in　his　shirt…sIeeves　among　the　boys。　　With　the　old　volunteer　fireman's　swagger　and　the　peculiar　patois　of　that　part　of　New　York；　he　said：　　〃Chauncey　Depew；　you　have　no　business　here。　　You　are　the　president　of　the　New　York　Central　Railroad；　ain't　you；　hey？　You　are　a　rich　man；　ain't　you；　hey？　　We　are　poor　boys。　　You　don't　know　us　and　can't　teach　us　anything。　　You　had　better　get　out　while　you　can。〃

My　reply　was　this：　　〃My　friend；　I　want　a　little　talk　with　you。　I　began　life　very　much　as　you　did。　　Nobody　helped　me。　　I　was　a　country　boy　and　my　capital　was　this　head；〃　and　I　slapped　it；　〃these　legs；〃　and　I　slapped　them；　〃these　hands；〃　and　I　slapped　them；　〃and　by　using　them　as　best　I　could　I　have　become　just　what　you　say　I　am　and　have　got　where　you　will　never　arrive。〃

A　shirt…sleeved　citizen　jumped　up　from　the　audience　and　shouted：　〃Go　ahead；　Chauncey；　you're　a　peach。〃　　That　characterization　of　a　peach　went　into　the　newspapers　and　was　attached　to　me　wherever　I　appeared　for　many　years　afterwards；　not　only　in　this　country　but　abroad。　　It　even　found　a　place　in　the　slang　column　of　the　great　dictionaries　of　the　English　language。　　The　result　of　the　meeting；　however；　was　a　free　discussion　in　the　Bowery；　and　for　the　first　time　in　its　history　that　particular　district　was　carried　by　the　Republicans。

After　their　triumph　in　the　election　I　gave　a　dinner　in　the　Union　League　Club　to　the　captains　of　the　election　districts。　There　were　about　a　hundred　of　them。　　The　district　captains　were　all　in　their　usual　business　suits；　and　were　as　sharp；　keen；　intelligent；　and　up…to…date　young　men　as　one　could　wish　to　meet。　The　club　members　whom　I　had　invited　to　meet　my　guests　were；　of　course；　in　conventional　evening　dress。　　The　novelty　of　the　occasion　was　so　enjoyed　by　them　that　they　indulged　with　more　than　usual　liberality　in　the　fluids　and　fizz　and　became　very　hilarious。　　Not　one　of　the　district　captains　touched　a　drop　of　wine。

While　the　club　members　were　a　little　frightened　at　the　idea　of　these　East…siders　coming；　my　guests　understood　and　met　every　convention　of　the　occasion　before；　during；　and　after　dinner；　as　if　it　was　an　accustomed　social　function　with　them。　　The　half　dozen　who　made　speeches　showed　a　grasp　of　the　political　questions　of　the　hour　and　an　ability　to　put　their　views　before　an　audience　which　was　an　exhibition　of　a　high　order　of　intelligence　and　self…culture。

In　selecting　a　few　out…of…the…way　occasions　which　were　also　most　interesting　and　instructive；　I　recall　one　with　a　society　which　prided　itself　upon　its　absence　of　narrowness　and　its　freedom　of　thought　and　discussion。　　The　speakers　were　most　critical　of　all　that　is　generally　accepted　and　believed。　　Professor　John　Fiske；　the　historian；　was　the　most　famous　man　present；　and　very　critical　of　the　Bible。　　My　good　mother　had　brought　me　up　on　the　Bible　and　instilled　in　me　the　deepest　reverence　for　the　good　book。　　The　criticism　of　the　professor　stirred　me　to　a　rejoinder。　　I；　of　course；　was　in　no　way　equal　to　meeting　him；　with　his　vast　erudition　and　scholarly　accomplishments。　　I　could　only　give　what　the　Bible　critic　would　regard　as　valueless；　a　sledge…hammer　expression　of　faith。　Somebody　took　the　speech　down。　　Doctor　John　Hall；　the　famous　preacher　and　for　many　years　pastor　of　the　Fifth　Avenue　Presbyterian　Church；　told　me　that　the　Bible　and　the　church　societies　in　England　had　put　the　speech　into　a　leaflet；　and　were　distributing　many　millions　of　them　in　the　British　Isles。

It　is　singular　what　vogue　and　circulation　a　story　of　the　hour　will　receive。　　Usually　these　decorations　of　a　speech　die　with　the　occasion。　　There　was　fierce　rivalry　when　it　was　decided　to　celebrate　the　four　hundredth　anniversary　of　the　landing　of　Columbus　in　America；　between　New　York　and　Chicago；　as　to　which　should　have　the　exhibition。　　Of　course　the　Western　orators　were　not　modest　in　the　claims　which　they　made　for　the　City　by　the　Lakes。　　To　dampen　their　ardor　I　embroidered　the　following　story；　which　took　wonderfully　when　told　in　my　speech。

It　was　at　the　Eagle　Hotel　in　Peekskill；　at　which　it　was　said　George　Washington　stopped　many　times　as　a　guest　during　the　Revolutionary　War；　where　in　respect　to　his　memory　they　preserved　the　traditions　of　the　Revolutionary　period。　　At　that　time　the　bill　of　fare　was　not　printed；　but　the　waiter　announced　to　the　guest　what　would　be　served；　if　asked　for。　　A　Chicago　citizen　was　dining　at　the　hotel。　　He　ordered　each　of　the　many　items　announced　to　him　by　the　waiter。　　When　he　came　to　the　deserts　the　waiter　said：　　〃We　have　mince…pie；　apple…pie；　pumpkin…pie；　and　custard…pie。〃　　The　Chicago　man　ordered　mince…pie；　apple…pie；　and　pumpkin…pie。　　The　disgusted　waiter　remarked：　　〃What　is　the　matter　with　the　custard？〃　Alongside　me　sat　a　very　well…known　English　gentleman　of　high　rank；　who　had　come　to　this　country　on　a　sort　of　missionary　and　evangelistic　errand。　　Of　course；　he　was　as　solemn　as　the　task　he　had　undertaken；　which　was　to　convert　American　sinners。　　He　turned　suddenly　to　me　and；　in　a　loud　voice；　asked：　　〃What　was　the　matter　with　the　custard…pie？〃　　The　story　travelled　for　years；　was　used　for　many　purposes；　was　often　murdered　in　the　narration；　but　managed　to　survive；　and　was　told　to　me　as　an　original　joke　by　one　of　the　men　I　met　at　the　convention　last　June　in　Chicago。

After　Chicago　received　from　Congress　the　appointment　I　did　all　I　could　to　help　the　legislation　and　appropriations　necessary。　The　result　was　that　when　I　visited　the　city　as　an　orator　at　the　opening　of　the　exhibition　I　was　voted　the　freedom　of　the　city；　was　given　a　great　reception；　and　among　other　things　reviewed　the　school　children　who　paraded　in　my　honor。

The　Yale　alumni　of　New　York　City　had　for　many　years　an　organization。　In　the　early　days　the　members　met　very　infrequently　at　a　dinner。　This　was　a　formal　affair；　and　generally　drew　a　large　gathering；　both　of　the　local　alumni　and　from　the　college　and　the　country。　These　meetings　were　held　at　DeImonico's；　then　located　in　Fourteenth　Street。　　The　last　was　so　phenomenally　dull　that　there　were　no　repetitions。

The　speakers　were　called　by　classes；　and　the　oldest　in　graduation　had　the　platform。　　The　result　was　disastrous。　　These　old　men　all　spoke　too　long；　and　it　was　an　endless　stream　of　platitudes　and　reminiscences　of　forgotten　days　until　nearly　morning。　　Then　an　inspiration　of　the　chairman　led　him　to　say：　　〃I　think　it　might　be　well　to　have　a　word　from　the　younger　graduates。〃

There　was　a　unanimous　call　for　a　well…known　humorist　named　Styles。　His　humor　was　aided　by　a　startling　appearance　of　abundant　red　hair；　an　aggressive　red　mustache；　and　eyes　which　seemed　to　push　his　glasses　off　his　nose。　　Many　of　the　speakers；　owing　to　the　imperfection　of　the　dental　art　in　those　days；　indicated　their　false　teeth　by　their　trouble　in　keeping　them　in　place；　and　the　whistling　it　gave　to　their　utterances。　　One　venerable　orator　in　his　excitement　dropped　his　into　his　tumbler　in　the　midst　of　his　address。

Styles　said　to　this　tired　audience：　　〃At　this　early　hour　in　the　morning　I　will　not　attempt　to　speak；　but　I　will　tell　a　story。　Down　at　Barnegat；　N。　J。；　where　I　live；　our　neighbors　are　very　fond　of　apple…jack。　　One　of　them