One On Dr. Depew

1895

How a Rural Editor Got the Better of the Genial Orator.

The more stories a man has the more difficult it is to say which is the funniest. I know a great many story tellers and still more stories, but just which one is funniest I would not dare to say offhand.

A friend of mine, a newspaper man, tells me that he was in a small town in New York state where Chauncey Depew was billed to make a speech that night, and it happened he stopped at the same hotel Depew did. Just after supper the editor of the local paper dropped in to see Mr. Depew, and the distinguished gentleman proceeded to have some fun with the country journalist. He had fun, too, and every now and then he rounded up a sentence against the editor by saying, "Oh, you can't believe everything in the newspapers," the editor having used the newspaper matter very largely in his argument.

After the speechmaking was over the editor met Mr. Depew in the hotel office again, and there was a big crowd present.

"Well, my friend," inquired the genial Chauncey, "what did you think of my speech?"

The editor hesitated a moment.

"Are you," he asked solemnly, "the genuine Chauncey M. Depew?" "Certainly. Why not?"

"Are you the one that all the newspapers have been saying was the finest speaker, the greatest talker, the sharpest stumper and the brightest wit before the public?" pursued the editor.

"I guess I'm the one," blushed the gentleman. "Why?"

"Oh, because you can't believe everything there is in the newspapers."

And Depew shook hands with the editor and called it square. — Demorest's Magazine.