Life — December 27, 1906 — page 14: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

*-PoE * THE HUMAN ZOO Wild Ben as a Lecturer HE spectacle of Senator Ben Tillman going about the Middle West giving lectures for the benefit of churches and_ hospitals is not without its appeal to the risibilities of observers. There is no doubt that Senator Ben is a good lecturer, but he is pretty strong stuff and shakes the nerves of some of the managers of institutions for the further- ance of morals and Christian deportment who covet the usufruct of his talens. It has got around that in his recent heated discourse at Chicago the Senator used language of much vigor, including some words like “damn” that are rated as unsuitable for lyceum use. Learning this the trustees of the Methodist Church, at Bellaire, Ohio, tried to bind him not to put any cxecrations into the lecture they had engaged him to deliver for the benefit of their church. But the Senator wrote back that he could not tell what might happen at the lecture, and declined to pledge himself to use no bad words. In that we think the Senator used good business judgment. His reputation as “Wild Ben, the Pitchfork Orator,” is one of his chief attractions. Folks like it better not to know beforehand what he may say, or how obstreperous he may be- come. The uncertainty makes his show more interesting. If he were guaranteed to be tame he woulk’ appear as an ex- purgated Tillman, and the price of ad- mission would have to be cut in two. Appearing as he does as an Unex- purgated Terror. he says he finds the Northern lecture business gloriously prof- itable. Ashe stands, he holds the record as the nearest thing to a football game that can be given indoors. Our American Cyrano HEN Cyrano de Bergerac went forth to knightly service his f cinatingly ugly face was surmounted by a snow-white plume, that was to him an emblem of purity, pride and_ valor. Something of the same dramatic instinct must have inspired our own Mark Twain when he stormed our legislative citadel clad in white flannels. To paraphrase Casar—he came, he was seen, he con- quered. It was a theatric performanc and probably no other man in. this country could have escaped ridicule. It was a boyish stunt suggestive of “Tom Sawyer,” but hardly worthy of a man of his years and honors. This winter Mr. Clemens has been much engrossed in the work of writing his autobiography, in which he has the active aid of Albert Bigelow Paine. Mr. Clemens rarely rises before eleven, when he puts in two hours of dictation. After lunch, he and Mr. Paine play billiards most of the afternoon. His billiard-table was a gift from Henry M. Rogers and was to have been a Christmas present, but the “great American humorist” couldn’t wait till then. Which is another indication that temperamentally, at least, Mr. Clemens is just a big-hearted boy who will never grow up. Somehow Mr. Clemens wearing white flannels in winter is a much more edifying spectacle than the thought of Clyde Fitch in black silk pajamas, which is reported to be a fad of his. Unconventional attire probably never led to such disastrous results that LEOPOLD'S JOKE “TUEY DO NOT ASK A MAIDEN'S MAND IN CONGO.” SAID THE KING. THEY TAKE AN AX, 1 END STAND, AND GET IT QUICK, BY JING!” which attended the first lecture in this country of a noted French savant. The lecture was given before the student body of one of our big universities, and the Frenchman saw nothing wrong appar- ently in delivering a morning lecture in ad i small man and unimpressive in ap- pearance, his rapid entrance was greeted with conventional applause. Then sud- denly a voice called out in cheerful accents, “Iho wants the waiter!” An Exception ANSFIELD, the actor, was the guest of honor at a large dinner given by a prominent Chicago. woman. Arriving a half-hour Iste, he found the guests busy with the first cou As he entered the dining-room, his hostess, showing her annoyance at his tardy appearance, tactlessly reminded him of his late arrival. Mr. Mansfield slowly anced around the table at the ladie: faces, end then in his most suave and courtcous menner replied : “Mrs. —, I was detained by an important dress re- hearsal, but I deeply regret now that I took the time to remove my make-up.” “Love Among the Artists” wot. MERICANS on the Riviera are laughing at \ } acertain Hoosier novelist and his wife who are openly expressing their chagrin at the arrival of ~an heir. They had al- ways declared they would never be bothered with children, and now! The chances are that the poor infant will soon be left to the tender mercies of hireling while the artistic temperament continues to find expression in travel and novel- writing. It is probably truc that the birth-rate is lower among literary folk than with any other class, school-teachers excepted. But as lamentable as is this fact, even comicbooks.com