Omaha Daily Bee Newspaper, October 18, 1891, Page 15

“CARP" TALKS WITH DEPEW Delightful Gossip About One of the Inter- esting Men of the Day. DEPEW MAKES THREE SPEECHES A WEEK. A Gla at the Every-Day Life of a Busy New Yorker—His pressions of Forelgne ern, Kt New Yonrk, Oct. 15.—[Special Correspond- ence of Tir Bre.|—1 hud a long chat today with Chauncey M. Depew aftor-dinner speaking. He is the groatest after-dinner orator in the United States, and, by and all, he 1s ove of the most remarkablo men In this country. As a lawyer, he stood for years at the head of the New York bar and as an at torney for the Vanderbilts and for other great corporations ho has held his own against such men as Roscoe Conkling, William M. Evarts, David Dudley Field aund (hn other groat lights of this, the strongest legal con- ter of the union. As president of the Now York Contral railroad, he has for yoars man- aged one of tho biggest corporations in tho country, und as o leading New York politi clan, hie hus rofused the United States sena- torship and has declinea tho request of the republican party of this state to have his name put beforo its national conventions as its candidate for tho prosidenc Chauncey Depow has all his life becn associated with monopolists and capitalists, still the masses and the laboring men look upon him as their friend, and though he is a strict republican the democrats deiight to listen to his speeches, Hois one of the busiost men in the United States and apparently the one of our greatest business men having the most leisure. He attends more dinners perhaps than any other groat railroad president in the country, and makes more speeches than any professional lecturer or noted statesman. He receives ton requests a day to deliver ad dressos or to reply to spoeches and toasts, and he told me this afternoon that ho made more than three speechos every week year in and year out, and that his averago had been more than a hundred speoches por annum for years. In these speeches Mr. Depew nover Topeats himself, ‘I'he chargo that ho retails his own stories until they become chestnuts, is not true, for all of his specches are pub lished und he speaks again and again, year after year, to the same associations, and of course bas to have a new speech ovo How he does it is a wonder to overy The only explanation of it is that he is a genius and that he knows how to work his gonius so that it will produce the greatest re- sults, The on one. President of the New York Cen- tral, The daily life of a man iike this ought to be interesting. 1 have hud somo chance to study Mr. Depow’s habits today. I called this morning at the Now York Contral offices and spent a part. of the day watching the presidont’s work, noting the stream of call- ors which flowed almost constantly in and out of his room and chatting with his private socrotary, Mr. Duval, about Lim. You reach theso offices by narrow iron stairs. A for- biiding looking neero, as black as Krobus, onens the door of the president’s room, and your card must pass from him to Mr. Duval before 1t wets to Mr. Depew. Mr. Duval's Toom is about six foot wide and twenty feot long, and tho desk in tho centor of it runs almost ucross the width of the room, and in front and behind this are doors which lead into tho oftica of the president of the New York Central. This oftico is perhaps twenty- five feot square. Its finishing is of black wa nutand it has on three sides walls of glass ox- tending five feet from the ceiling down to whero they meet tho maiu walls of walnut or plaster. ‘The room fs simply furnished. At a rolling top desk sits Mr. Depew and at somo distanco away aro _tavles occupied by his two stenographers. Mr. Depew's desk is littered with papers, and you note by the postage stamps on his lottors that his mail comes from ail parts of the world. Here are cables from England ana Frauce, thero is a package of social letters and before him lies a tubulated statement showing the work- ing and progress of some of his latest rail road manipulations. *Ho receives,” said Mr. Duval, “an average of fifty personal let tors a day, and his business mail runs up into tho hundreds. Some of his mail ho never sees, o part of it ho answers by sten ographers, but the most of his_porsonal let- ters voceive replies in his own hand writing, Ho is a very rapid writer is rarely at loss for a word to express his meuning and he dic- tates quite as readily as ho writes. He gots to his office betweon 9 and 10 o'clock eyery morning, and fivst takes up his wail and his nowspaper clippings. Ho is probably as much quoted as auy man in the country and he receives comments upon his work from newspapers both in this couutry and in Europe.” He isa patron of tho’ clipping buroau, and Mr. Duval says that he often pays theso burcaus as high as $100 a month for newspaper cuttings which thoy send him concernivg himself, and that these cuttings number from one hundred and fifty to three hundred a day. These clippings come from foreign papers us well as from American journuls und yvesterday one was received from a London’ newspaper whioh severely criticized Mr. Depew's remavks on White- chapel and which inreply quoted a Chicago nowspaper correspondent who stated that Chicago surpassed Whitechapel i vico. As s00n as M. Dopew gats to the oflice his callors begin to coma. They besiege bim at his residonce before he starts down town und they aro here in forco by tho time ho arrives. The number waiting for bim rauges from ten to fifty, according to the times, and ho receives all who have any businbss with him. He is m_fact one of the most accessible men in_ Now York, and ho is 50 even tempoered that he remains cool wh all of the rest of his officers about him aro augry. o never gots worried and never loses his grip and bo works steadily on from tho time he gots to the office till about 1, when bo goes out for hus lunch, A Lunch of Millionaires, Mr. Depew takes his lunch at the Murray Hill hotel cafe and during the half hour which hospends there ho meets some of tho biggest millionaires of tho country and some of tho most uoted railroad men of the United States, At the same table with him sit per- haps Cornelius Vanderbilt, H. Walter Wobb and General Lang, and ‘st other tables are other men who reprosent millions. Mr. De- pow's iunch is a temperate ono and he is one of e most careful eaters in thecountry. I don’t think he kuows he has a stomach, but ho con- flnes himself to the substantials and @ plate of oyster soup, a bit of chicken and a cup of ¢offeo make bim a good weal. Ho is just as simplo as to his breakfasts and dinners, He onts the first at about half past 7, and a plate of oatmeal, & couple of soft boiled egys, some buttored toast and u glass of wilk are all that he needs. If he takes any coffee, it is not strong, and he sometimes varies the repast with tea. His dinner is without wine, As for smoking, he gave that up eutirely years ago when be found it hurt him, and ho takes no stimulants, I am told, except at big dinuer wheu busips a little champagne to- wirds the latter part of the feast. How Chauncey Depew Speaks. 1 first- board Chauncey Depew speak at an aunual dncer of the Gridivon club at Wash ington. ~The Washington correspondents who make up this club, ure the pick of the newspaper men of the Unitea States. Their dinners are noted and United States senators, supreme court justices, famous generals, and men prominent in all brauches of life are glad lo attend them. Thoy come kuowing fat whias thoy aay will not bo reported, but thoy also kuow that they must leave their digvity outside the club doors, and the un- conventionality which prevails at tho table i8 10 tho guests the charm and the fear of the diuner. 1u the speecties made, o one Is per- mitted to be prosy cr dull of the United States should tell au old story, 1t would be greeted with the word ‘“chest nut”’ frow all parts of the room, and the {:Iunv wouger and the platitude-peddler had better bis seat, Tho sposches are lnwrrupleJ agaln and again with the sharp. 1t the president | | i THE OMAHA DAILY est of witticisms and a chance 1s offered for the brightest of repartes. Mr. Depew's speech at this dianer was as full of wit and idens as an egg is full of meat, and he was §iven several speachios during the evening. 1is mannor of speaking was a surprise to me.Ho uses tho convorsational tone, seldom makes a gesture and has no mannerisins nor trick cards of oratory. His speaking makes me think of Joo Jefferson's acting and he says ha got his first fdeas of good speaking rom Wendell Phillips, who simply talked to the brains of the people in front of him Lot me give you & picture of Chauncey Depaw as he makes an atter dinner speec Ho looks more like a preacher than & club mun, and a8 he stands swinging his glasses in his hand, looking out of his sober blue eyes up and down the table, his cultured clerical face makes you wonder when he stepped out of the puipit and whother after all it is not a mistake and he is not about to ask grace. Ho vegins to talk come freely and naturally. He smiles a lit- tle us he télls a good story, and his blue eyes twinkie as he wittily roplies to the sally” of one of the men from the other side of tho table. As he goes on, his face beams with wood fellowship and you note that his fiftv- eight years have not made him old, and that though his hair and beard are frosted silver, his soul is as young as that of any boy about the board.” As he continues, you fina that his speeches ares more than stories, You note that he has ideas as well as wit and you realize that the speaker is not only an orator, but a man and that a great one, 1T Chauncey Depew Talks of the After Dinner Stage, Returning to Mr. Dopow’s business life, I waitoa for several hours to have an inter- view at his oftice, but imperative work kept piling up, and it was 3 o'clock before 1 got access to him. At3:15 he had to make the train for his summer home at Pawling, two hours from New York., His envagements were all full for the morrow, and he finaily suggested that I jump on the cars and run up to Pawling with himand we could have our talk on the train, He ordered a pass for me, and ten minutes later we were seated in a chair caron the New York Central ra road, the train going at forty miles an hour and Mr. Dopew talking in response to my questions at the rate of 150 words per min- ute. The following is the substance of our talk: Said T: *Mr, Dopew, how do you find it possible to get / your mind away from your business and railway down to your after dinner speech?” It is hard sometimes,” replied Mr Depew, “but I have the faculty of leaving my bus ness at my office, and such success as 1 have had in life I attribute largely to the fact that I can drop my business and get rest by thinking of other things. As a rule, what- ever bo the cares of the day, ten minutes af- tor I have gotten to my house Ihave dis- missed them altogether, and 1 do’ not take them up again untl the nextday. I have a peculiar theory of tho working of the mind, and that s that It tends to keep up the same pace ir which it has been running when it enters a now field. The trouble with most men 1s that they have only one pace and they never get out of it. They contine themselves to thinking about three things, their business, themselves and their families. Th®y run at this business and per- sonul pace their lives through, and if they over chance to speak in public they use busi ness terms and vheir language is that of the commonplace. They surround their souls with tho most practical environments, and they never got out of it. Now, tho plane of the dinner-table is a bigher ono’ than that of business life, and in preparing for a speech, I find I must first get my mind on a different level from the one 1 nave been working on allday. 1 do this by reading “Macaulay’s " Ten minutes' reading turns my thoughts into a new channel. I cast off the clothes of every-day work and my soul seems to bo nabilitated into a more intellectual and critical garb. I cau then think of the audience I am to address, and by remember- ing the people I am to meot, 1 adapt my re- marks to them. It doesn't seem to make much difference which part of Macauley I read, and 4 few minutes changes the pace of my mind entively.” T yousariafoutiyour speeches, Mr. Depew 1 “Not my after-diuner speeches,” was the reply. I ouly write out such as I have to make for an important occasion, as for instance such as my speech at the celebra- tion of the Bartholdi statue, I try to think up my speechies before I go to dinner. On most occassions I leave my oftico at 4 o'clock and I composo my talks between 4 and 6. [ first take a taste of Macauley and then go over my lino of thought fixitg as far as pos- sible what I am going to say. ' I find that my speeches, however, that [ make at the din- ner are often far different than those I plan out. 1 bave dictated, I venture, at least a hut dred speecnes in the street cars and un- der the hight of the street gas lamps. News- paper reportors who are assigned to report the dinners find that it is not convenient for them to bo present and thoy ofton come and ask me for my speeches tho afternvon of tne evening on which I am to spegk. They some- times come to the railroad oficos, but as I haven’t composed the speeches 1 can't, of course, give thew to then. When they in- sist, however, I tell them to come to the house at 6 o'clock aud I will dictate the specch Lo them before gowg to tho dinner. As a rule, howevor, I don’t get started at my comoposition until nearly 5 and it is ofton 6 before I am dressed. 1f [am not ready for them when they call, they wait, and I often have them jump in the cars with me and 1 diotate what [ am going to say as wo go along. The dictation is sometimes conciudea in front of the banquet ball, and L think [ dictated at least twonty speechos in this way last year. When the speoches are published, the difference between the dictated speech and that inspired by the surroundings of tho evening is often apparent, but I find that tho dictation enables mo to make a botter speoch. It clarifies my thought and gives me a better control of my ideas.” “How long, Mr. Depew, do you thiuk an after-dinner speech shopld be !’ ““The platform orator of today who speaks moro thun oue hour at a time,” replied Mr. Depow, ‘is tiresome and no' after-dinner speech ' should extent over forty minutes. Twenty minutes is better than forty and the speech should be short and pithy.” The Age of the After-Dinner Speech. ‘“T'his is the day of the after-dinuer speech,” Mr. Depew went on. “Stump speaking 13 10 a great extent a thing of tho past. ‘In the days of Webster and Clay, the announcement of a speech by a promiinent statesman would bave filled a 1 in New York. Now, were it not for the machin- ery of the political clubs, balf of our great politiciuns would speak to empty benches, The leeturo vlatform used to be the popular stage for the dissemination of truth, - It has, however, been degraded by mounteban| and it is fast becoming a thing of the past. The dinner speech is now the spoken mediun of the communion of thought among all bodies of men., When the railroaa men of the country want to discs the situation in- stead of o convention or & meeting they have adinner. When the great politicians want to lay out the iutellectual part of & campaign thoy gve a dinner, and it is the same with ~the scienusts and all classes aud professions of men, The dinner meeting and dinner spoaking is becoming a part of the church work, and some of the biggest churches of New York find that their best mothed of advancing the causeand of laying out the plans which will produce tho greatest rosults is through thair mouthly dinners, at which they discuss the situation and the'ways and moans 1o botterit. it is, 1 think, a much better stago than either the lecture platform or the stump. You can say things in_an after-dinuer speech that you would not dare to say iu a lectura or in the pulpit, and the varnish of good nature and volitenoss permit much sensible advico t be administered that must otherwise go unsaid," Critical New York, ir. Depew,you Lave addressed audiences in every city of any siza in the Uuited States, ~ What is the most dificult after dinner audience to please" VA New York dinner party by all means,” was Mr. Dopew’s roply hore is nothing liko such an audience on the face of the United States, Take one of our big dinuers at which 200 distinguished men sit down, and you have as ablo and as critical an aud ience as vou will find in the world. Some people sneer atthem as a collection of do- nothing millionaires. They do not under stand the men they speak of. Ninety-five per cent of the guests at such a dinner Is composed of soil-made men. They have cometo New York from all parts of the United States because they have grown too big for tneir surroundings elsewnhere and bave neeaed & lorger fleld. Now York city is made upof that sortof men, and these are the successful men of New York. Do vou know what that meansi Well, out of overy 100 business men in New York, ninoty- His words | eight fall. New York takes the cream of tha whole country, aud these men are the cream of New York. They are well read men and they ara men of brains. Thev are men to whom time s money, and who appreciate it. They feel that they can’t afford to wasto & minute, and if your speech drifts into prosi- ness or fs loadea with ‘chestnuts,’ their watohes come out and the ayes of overy man call ‘time.) They want new ideas, and unless vou can give them they don't want you. The same speech which will be ap- plauded 10 a country town, where the diners come in on the broad grin aud expect to be pleased, will fall flat in New York, and most of our so-called ‘silver-tongued orators' fail when they speak at one of our big dinners. The dinner itselt, toa New York diner-out, amounts to nothing, The men at the table have not come to eat. They are used to good diuners, and many of them hava better din- ners on their own tables than you will get at | como for the any club dinner. They have , and they foast of reason and the flow of so are not happy unless they et it.” Depew's First After Dinner Speech. ““Will you tell mo, Mr. Donew, the story of your first after-dinner speech (" “Itwas at Yalo college,” was tho roply. “Myself and several of my chums had been initiated into a Greek letter society. We found aftor we had gotten in that the fraternity was insolvent. It had been made up of a set of spendthrifts who had been drinking and spreeing and 1t was londed with debt. We were too poor 1o waste our money this way and we discussed the situation and debated whethee wo should change tho character of the fraternity or We decided to make it a good fra- We organized a debating society and before the end of that year we had made it a firstclass college litérary association. We then rented & hall and gave a dinnor, and at this dinner I made my first after dinner spoech. 1 don’t remember very much about it, save that 1 got through with it all right.” “How about the English! Are they good atter dinuer spoakers ! “No, they are not,” replied Mr. Depew. “Tho 'English lack that clement of humor which makes upsuch an important part of the American character and they don’t ap- preciate the after dinner speech as wo do. “They make some speeches at their dinners, butit is not uncommon for a spoech to bo two hours long, and a two hour speech with- out the humorous element has to be extraor- dinarily good to be worth listening to.” 1L eat Foreigners as Chauncey Sees Them. From after dinner speaking the conversa- tion drifted to other matters, and Mr. Depe chatted with mo concerning some of the noted people across the water. He is a close friend of the prince of Wules. Ho knows Gladstone intimately, and there is hardly a prominent man in England with whom he hus not been more or less associated. I asked him to give me an idea of the prince of Wales. Said Mr. Depew: “The prince of Wales is more of a man than ho gets credit for being. The English government s so constituted that he is not able to show what is in him. Born the neir to the great English throno and to that of the great empire of India, ho bas been forced to speud his more than fifty years in inactivit His sole duties have been to preside at opon- ings of expositions, to muke speeches at the laying of corner-stoues and to act as an orna- meutal figure at charity balls or churcn fairs, As far as ho has been permitted to_do anything he has done 1t perfectly. His spoeches have been excellent and he is noted for being ablo to say just the right thing at the right time. He hasa good memory for faces and names, is personally very popular, and he is a man of great common seuse and of good averago abilities. He 13 what we would call an all-avound good fellow. e is naturally very industrious and he has not a lazy hair in his head. Had England a differ- ent systom of treating her to-bo rulers, she might have made of him the great bureaucrat in Eurove. Suppose the prince of Wales, on arriving at his majority, had been treated as the son of one of our groat railway managers is treated. T'he railway mau’s son 1s given a placo low down 1n the oflices of the road. After he has learned this, he 1s advanced step by step to the operating department,and if he shows himself worthy, he continues to advance until he learns tno wholo machinery of the railway and is fitted at last to take charge of the road. Sup- pose the prince of Wales had been given an assistant secretaryship of the treasury— place waere ho would have had to do with all the routine ana detail ot the office without being able to uffect its poli Aftor he had been here for some time, suppose he had been transferred to a similar place in the colonial oflice, and after some years transferred to an under ministorship of war. Iu this way he might have learned the inner workings of the great government of which he 1s in the future to be the head. o would have learned men, as well as parties and goverument ma- chinery, and he would now be firted to take charge of the government at any moment. His nature is of that kind that such a life would have been a pleasure to him. His tastos aro all for work and when they put Lim on the commission to investigate certain questions, not long ago, I understand he worked liko a Trojan.” “How about his love for American girls?"’ said I “That1s true,” replied Mr. Depew, “the princa is fond of American girls,aud 1 am not surprisad at it. Ho likes thoir vivacity, their indepondence and their originality, aud’ they are quite refreshing in English society whero the girls aro taught to bo timid and back- ward. I have, however, never heard of any scandals being connected with tho prince of Wales and any American girl." G'adstone's Wonderful Versatility. *How did Mr. Gladstone impress you?" I asked. *Mr. Gladstone,” replied Mr. Depew, “is undoubtedly a very great man, but 1 do’ not think he would bo'as great in America as he isin England. Heis in somo respects the most wonderful man I have cver heard of, and he is the mest versatilo man I have ever &nown. Wo have no one hero now nor in our history who compares with him. The neavest approach to him was Edward Ever ctt. Daniol Webstor was a groat orator, but he confined himself to politics. Roscoe Conk- ling was another great orator, but he never spoke oxcept on politics. = Our greatost preachers never get out of the pulpit. but Glaastone can make great speches in half a dozeu differcnt fields and surpriso you by his wonderful ability iv all. You may hear him in the house of commons delivering a great speech enunciating a new policy of govern- ment for Freland ana her colonies. It is eloguent and tuil of thou hit and you aro car- ried away with the res oning powers and the statesmanship it displays. [Uis perbaps aceepted by the house and it may be that it does not nead the immediate attontion of Mr. Gladstoue upon the floor. Then the great statesman may leave the house of commons and if you follow him, you may tind that he Boes to some scientific association or noted literatears. [f among the scientists you may hear him discuss the subject before tho wooting with all the ability that he dis olayod in the house of commons. In scion- tific langunge no will plant the fine shades of thought 1 biolowy or evolution, or with cqual loarning give you an opinion on & now phiase of a discovery in geology, or as to the constituent elements of the protoplasmic age. Amoug o body of scholars ho may discuss the effect of Greek literature’ on the litoratures of Burope, or show how the soul of Homer is travelling through the works of the poets of today. I remomber,”” Mr. Depew went on, ‘“‘an ovening I spent with Mr. Gladstone, T was the ouly guost at a diuner which that gentle- wan gave to euable me to become more ac- quainted with him. We sat two hours at the table and during the meal Mr. Gladstone talked of tho great questions of Kuropean and American politics, and I found him thoroughly versed in all the issues relatiug to this country. Ho discussed other matters with equal facility, After the dinner was over it was proposed by our hostess that we all 2o to the opera and” Mr, Glaastouo con- sented. During the opera Mr. Gladstone was absorbed. He did not_speak nor take bhis evesoff the stage. Bolween the acts ho talked of music. Fe showed an inexhaustive and critical knowledge of all the great com- posers. Ho entertained us with a lecture as it were on the present opera and its nk among the other great operas of the world anda ho loft me surprised at bis wondertul kuowledge of music. It isthe same in arc aud I doubt whether there is as versatilo man in the world today as he." A Fictu 1 Salisbury. “Can you teil me anything of the Premier, Lord Salisbury 1" “Lord Salisbury is undoubtedly a very ablo man," replied Mr. Dopew ‘As to his foreign poliey, both the English people and the statesmen of other countries consid it the ablest England has had for years. As 10 hus idoas of home rule and othér matters thoro is of coursa great difference of opinion, but po one disputes his ability in foreign af fairs, [ wmet Lord Salisbary~ while I was i BEE, O( England and T found him _very ploasant talker and a man of idgay. Ho is over six feet tall, and he is & man of groat independ- enoe of thought and fetion. This gives you the impreasion at first meeting that he is an egotist but this wears.off upon acquaintanco. Ho is, you know, & man of a history, He | was for years a writer & the London' Pross | and his father gave hiln a small ailowance | when no went through-eollege and allowed | him to make a large part of his own living | thereafter. He was dfyi very woll in news- paper work, when his father died and ho succeeded to the title and the estate,'” Germa “Did Gerr; s Xoung Emperor. ou ever meot the young emperor of 1" 1 asked. “Yes," voplied Mr. Dppow. “I met him four years before he beoame emperor. At this time his father was living and his grand- father, Kaiser Wilhelm, was the emporor. | mot him with them and I was very much im- pressed with his strength or charcater 1 regard him as a great man and . strong one, No one but a strong man would have acted ns he has done since he has como to the throne. Tho policy of bis grandfather's and his father's administration have boen dictat ed ana controlied by ono man, Prince Bis- marck. Ho was in fact the emperor and his ability and statesmaoship was looked upon as tho greatest in Burope. As soon as the young ~ emperor was ocrowned he began to think for himself. He criticized the policy of Bismarck in that the working man was oppressed and kept down as a national foo, He wanted to give him a chaace to seo what he could do for himself. Ho wanted to give him more liberty but Bismarck told bim it would never do and if ho acted so he would lose his throne. Bis- marck insisted upon this, but the young em- peror thought differently and told Bismarck that he intended to try it." *‘In that case,’ replied Bismarck, you my rosignation.’ ** {Allright,’ replied the emperor, ‘I accept it.! “This is plain every day language,” con tinued Mr. Dopew, “is the story of tho trouble botween Bismarck and _the emperor. A weak man would have submittod. Only a strong one would have refused, and I be- liove that strength here was allied to great- ness.” ‘I hand 1v. New Stories of Lincoln By Our Great- est Story Teller. 1 asked Mr, Depew something as to his con- nection with President Lincoln. He replied: “I became well acquainted with Lincoln during the war. 1 was secretary of state for New York and went to Washington to tako the vote of our soldiors, and I think this vote carried New Yorlk for Lincoin at s second clection. I heard n number of stories of him at this time, some of which have never baon published. 'One I remember related to John Gianson. a democratic congressman from wes tern New York. (ianson was a war domo- crat, and when he came here to Wash- ington, he rather felt that the re- publican president was under obligations to him for supporting him. Lincoln was anx- ious to ploaso this class of northerners, and tho relations of the two men became quite mtimate. As the war went on, however,dis- asters continued to come, and in the darkest days of the struggle when calamity followed calamity and when congress was asked to vote money and men, ouly to sne the first ap- pareutly lost and the latter destroyed, many of the members becamo anxious to know what the presideat's policy was. Ganson was among them and he called at the white nouse and had an interyiow with President Lincoln. Mr. Ganson was peculiar in that he bad not hair on his head. His pate was as bald as an ostrich ecg and his face, whether from shaving or from nature,showed neither o hair nor a bristle. Ho came in to President Lincoln’s room, was received cor- dially, and made a most earncst plea for in- formation. After saying what he had given up for tho caus of tho republioan party and tor President Lincoln, he continue ** ‘Now, M. President,you know what I've dono for you and the union. Idon’t want you to do anything for me, but I do went you to take mo into your confidence. You're a lawyer and 'm & lawyer and you know you can trust any secret to me. Now, won't you tell mo your plans !’ “As Ganson said this, his bare sober face became moro sober tnan ever and the serious look 10 his eves scemed' to crawl up over the front of his forehcad until his white bald cranium became the personification of anx- ious inquiry. The president looked at him half a minute and then his homely mouth twitched, a laughing look crept into his eves aud he leaned over and, putting his hand on Ganson’s knee, said in the most quizzical tones these words: *‘Gans, why don’t you shave?’ ““Phis was all Ganson could got out of him, and there was, 1 fact, nc more cautious president in our history’ than Abraham Lin- coln." How Lincoln Won a Case. “Prosident Lincoln," continued Mr. Depew, “was one of tho greatest men I have ever met, and he was the best story-teller I have ever listened to, He knew how to frame & story and he located bis anecdotes so they seemed to be mado for the very occasion upon which he uttered them, and when finished, they fitted the queston_at issue like a glove and supported Lincoln's idea better than volumes of logic. I remember oue of tho stories he told mewhich 1 found of use to me in a speech I made concerning Henry Ward The story was avout a trial in ) Lincoln was defending a maun for hay- ing committed assault and battery. Lincoln’s client pleaded not guilty of tho charge, but the circumstantial evidence was against him, Said he to me: * “There had been no witnesses to the as- sault, but the plaintiff had been battered and mashod out of all recognition. His eyes were blacked, his rignt ear cut, and his nose was broken. My man, on the other hand, did ot show a scrateh, aud I sawat once that I could not clear my client unless I could turn the whole affair mto ridicule. The plaintiff was in court, and he had the sympathy of tho jury. I'saw. however. that he was rather a conceited fellow, and I hoped by chaMng him to get him to say someibing that would let us off. Ho was put on the stand, and I said rather jocularly, ‘Now, Jobn, I reckon this was protty muchi of a fight that you aud Jim had hero.” Now wasn't it, John * *Yes, said the wounded man with a grin, falling in with my mood, ‘it was a devil of & fight, “4Well, now John,’ said I, ‘I want you to tell the jury here just how many acres Jim and you fought over in this fight.’ * iJohn aid not see my poiut. and said— * *Well, Mr. Lincoln, 1 supposo it might have been six acres.’ * *Wall," I continued, us I looked at his b; tered face and then at the uninjured condi tion of my client, ‘now, Joun, don’t you think you got a mighty small crop of fighting off of a mighty big farm? ‘YA this the crowd burst into a laugn, the jury laughed, the lawyers laughed, and finally the plaintiff got to laughing, and in fact we laughed the whole case out of court.’ “I used thostory at the close of the Beocher- Tilton trial. The trial bung on for six months and the jury did not ngree at the close of it. Beecher wis a resident of Puoks- kill, where I was liviag, aud at the close of the 'trial the people tharo gave him a congrat- ulatory meeting vindigatiog their faith in nim. T was among the audience, and after the leading butcher, the baker ana candle- stick maker, the leading merchant and undertaker, ote., had ‘made speeches in favor of Mr. Beecher, they happened to see me in the crowd. 1 had just. arrived from New York and Honry Ward .Beccher sent down a man to see me, and untéd me to come up and make a speect, 1 said I was not prepared | but upon the man’s saying that Beecher had said that a speech from'me would be of moro weight than all tho speeches together, I went upou the platform and,told Lincoln's story, applying it to the Beeoher-Tilton trial and saying, that for the sire of tha farm over which the trial was folicht, it seemed Lo me that the enemies of My Beeoher had gotten & mighty small crop. I'ho story took. It was telegraptied off that night to the newspapers, aua itwas publisied in nearly all tho big papers of Europe.” Why Chauncey Depew Refused apan Mission. Chauncey Depew was offered by President Liucoln tho mission to Jupan when he was still under thirty. Had he accepted it, ha Would probably huve been the youngest for- eign minister in our history. His name was sentinto tho seoate and he was confirmed | but he refused to take the place and I asked him this afte 10on why ho did so. | He replied: My rofusal to take the mis- | sion to Jupau was® tho turuing point in my lifo. I considered it sothen and as I look back [ see that it was so now. I reasoued in this way. 1f1goto Japan my career must bo a political oue. [ wilt have four years of diplomatic service in the aast and then if 1 do well | may possibly be transferred of the missions of Europe, I will bs kopt thore four vears and then whether tho and winistratioa chaages or uot, L am sure to bo Ho laughed the | made i ashionable Dressed Gentlemen The more The WEARETALKINGON THE ALL ABSORBIN FASTIDIOUS AS YU MAY BE cce it S better will — @kl ntric you are suit us. TOPIC FASHIONABLE MELTONS R [RISH FRIEZE BOX AND TOP QO KERSEYS SCOTCH CHEVIOTS —INGCLUDING A— Dark Cream S Drivmg (ol T horoug Ye' Know. Your Tailor Will Charge You From $40 to $60 OUR PIRITE ARKE FROM JEN S15 D) $30 You can still have a few of the $4.00 and $4.50 Suits and our $10.00 Suit counter with a Fine Assort- ment of Many Shades in Frocks as well as Sacks at its full blast. One of our main efforts this season has been on our line of Underwear, and to say it mildly there is no one in it with us on that score. The popular line for the Workingman is a Fine Heavy garment, All Wool at that, at $1 a garment and we have Four different Weights and Colors in this line, and they are corkers, Two shades of Balbriggan go at the same price And if you want Underwear at $4, $6 and $8 asuit, we think we are the flag bearers of the procession, Respectfully, FIRIL.IL.MAN'S Corner Thirteenth and Farnam Streets. ~recalled for we nover keep a minister abroad more than eight years at a time. Asivis, | am about 30 vears old, I have a fair practice auda good acquaintance. Mr. Vanderbily has offered mo tho attornoyship of the New York Central railroad. Tt is a small corpora- tion, but it may grow and if it does I may grow with it. IfIstay abroad eight s [ will lose my practice aud after hav ing had barely enough tolive upon abroad Iwill come back with changed habits, no money and fit for aothing but polit il stay in politics Imay then got to congress and the senate, but these places will not pay me and when I gev toabout 5 1 will bo dropped out and like as not will got to be a goverament clork and will erd by gomng over the hills tothe poor houso. On the other hand if I stay my practice will erow and [ will soon have enough to get married and if 1 want to go totho senate or geta mission when I grow old, I can get it, and so I decided to stay at home and I have never regretted it.” “Yes," said I, “and after you had mado a reputation and' a competency you had a chance to go Lo the senate. Why ‘did you not accept that?" Well,” repliod Mr. Depow, “I had_not then gotten to be prosident of the New York Central rmlroad.” ud how about the future?* A wise man has no time to think about the future. As for me, 1 find 1t keeps mo busy to keep up with the prosent.” By this time the tramn had reachod Pawling and our couversation was over, Mr. Depow and mysolf got out of the cars together. The arms of tne rich railroad president were full of bundles which he was carrying bome to his childron, and as ho stepped across the street to the hotel, Mrs. Depew, a couple of bright lookiug little girls and young Chauncey Mitcholl Depew were on the steps to meet nim, As I stood on the steps of the car going back to New York I saw him kiss them all around, and as the cars whisked me away his hearty laugh mingled with that of his chil dren rang out, and ne seemod as far away from capitalists, railroads, politics and so- cioty as though theso things were not in ex- istence and his only world was homo. FRANK (. CARPENTER, -~ Patronize Home Industry, and specify in your purchases that you want goods made in “Nebraska factories ‘and pro- duced by Nebraska soil. All whiskies and spirits ot any kind manufactured by Iler & Co. and the Willow Springs distillery are the state and from Nebraska grain, consuming 4,000 bushels per duy. Insist unon your dealer furnishing home made #0093 they are equal to the best and cost no more. Assist home inaustries, i catarrh, Dr. B Bee bdig. PER--CENT INTEREST PAIDONDEPOSITS A7 OMAHALOANSTRUSTCO SAVINGS - BANK SECOR, 16" &N0UGLAS 5T S, CAPITAL:% 100.000.00 DIRECTORS | AUWYMAN - E.W.NASH. JHMILLARD GUY-C.BARTON- G.B. L AKE. JJ.BROWN-THOS L.KIMBALL. THE NEW COLLAR TRADE ALY UOT R IX L OUKAUDE ofiam, o0 SN R TtemoveaTan, 1 oK1ENT AUTIFL ples, Freck e, AL i) ST Disonses,and overy bl cllon. 1t has tost of 40 tho Skis. No otlier cosmetic w conntitit of Jar i, Dr.L, G w'a hat ton akin prepara "ok sale by Srugicists and o in tho United PR T 00K FREE HEHEDY._ e iy nuu...;., A A lastn A Firy R o MOORE'S TR]:I: OF LIF Alexandria, Mo., Apr, 5, 89, Dr. J. B. Moor: Dear Sivi—I obtained a bottle of med- icine, Tree of Life, from druggist here, IR, C. Anderson, and have used it according to directions, except fo re duce the dose u little, as it is protty strong modicine and gots in its worlk, in the right time and place. Yours truly WM. WOOD Moore's Tre of Lifa. 0 positive cura tor Kidasy and Liver Compiaint and all 0 00d disaasos. Dosils YLO RUTar W0l y0u 0An UFa1 DY 1alng MOOFS S 00 0 Lifo, Lo irest Lifa tamo1e? free, Carrion will Use it and pay if salisied. ", VON MOHL CO.. nis, Cincinnatl, Ghio. 1.CURE FITS! 1 say cure 1 do not mean merely tostop them timo and then have them return agaic. 1 mean & radical cure. I hiave made the disease of FITS, EPL LEPSY or FALLING BICKNESS & lite-long study, | warrant my remody to oure the worst cases, Becauss others have failed Is no reason for not now recelving & cure. Bend at onee for & treatisa and & Freo Bottle of infallible resmedy. (Give Expross and Poss Office, H. Go ROOT, ML C.. 183 Peurl St No Yo