THE SPEECHLESS FLYING MAN.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 2903, 24 January 1911, Page 3

THE SPEECHLESS FLYING MAN.

The Wright Brothers are going to teach the English how to fly, and how not to make speeches. As a rule, any celebrity who comes to this country is forced by a sort of moral pressure to rise after dinner and to talk platitudes. Be he Swede or Italian or Greek, he is not let of! this infliction, and though a roomful of British gentlemen would sooner that he spoke in his own language than that he did not speak at all, they consider that he should have mastered the A agio- Saxon tongue sufficiently to commence with "Mr. Chairman, my lords and gentlemen, the honour yoe have done me to-night," and to straggle on lor half an hour in broken English. Mr. Wright was dstlgbted to lunch with his brother fliers—the Mayor of Pau having vicariously taught him to like French cookery—but he wonU not talk to them at length. " HAOW ! •' My hero in the matter of speeches always has been a countrymen of the Wrights, who, having distinguished himself mightily, was begged to return to his native township, in order that his fellow-citizens might entertain him. A strong appeal to nis patriotism was necessary, for he pointed out that, though he was a hearty eater, he was no talker. However, he consented to be banquetted. He was met at the station by the Mayor and a brake decorated with flowers, and the town brass band. All the citisens had put on their Sunday clothes in honour of the occasion. Old Glory was unfurled from every house-front, and long bands of canvas with inscriptions of welcome were hung across the street. The banquet in the Baptist recreation hall was described in the local press as a "recherche feast worthy of Olympus.'' The Mayor excelled himself in his patriotic stream of eloquence. Then the great man rose. He looked round on his fellow-citizens and beamed. "Wa-a-a-al !" he said<, slowly, and paused. Then he raised his glass, filled with champagne. "Ha-a-ow !" he ejaculated (the usual salutation between men whsn they drink in a Western saloon), drained his glass, and sat down.— The "Clubman," in the -SketA."