Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 35, Number 126, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 October 1903 — That Was Long Ago. [ARTICLE]

That Was Long Ago.

Some fanciful stories are being circulated about Joseph Chamberlain and his oratorical powers_as a youth, but from what a friend of his says concerning the great statesman's collego days it is a great mistake to say that young Chamberlain could speak well when at school. In fact, he could uever be Induced to speak, and in this he somewhat resembled the retiring Arthur Balfour. One day one of the mastera of tho school which he was at askea Chamberlain to make the reply to a speech which had Just beeu delivered by one of the elder students of the debating cjnss. The hour came, and with a firm step Chamberlain mounted the platform. With perfect outward selfpossession he faced the audience and made his bow—a low bow. Everyone waited expectantly. People became anxious wben the young man again bowed, but said 'nothing. Then a titter went round among the boys. Suddenly the coming colonial secretary, with a look of otter despair, sidled off the platform with another bow, not having said one, word I Loudon Answers. , The average man boasts seventeen times as much about what going to do aa be does about what he has Silk