Show why the lecture was wag a Fal failure lure one winter nye was at Jeffer jefferson sou city and as the legislature was in session a I 1 number of newspaper men of the state were there too and to show what they deemed proper courtesy to one of their number they arranged an informal reception cep tion with nye the principal attraction on the afternoon of the day in ia the evening of which billias bill was to lecture and they expected of hirthe him the samelor same cordiality and that marks maaks the average writer eiyo was at the reception cep tion but bat he ha was a dead stick never once did he smile neither did he at any time attempt a witticism his entertainers were disappointed and disgusted and sorry that they had paid him the compliment of purchasing a couple of boxes at the opera house to hear his lecture but bat they got even when nye mounted the stage that night and began pouring forth his jokes and drolleries droll eries not a news paper man in the box smiled all looked solemn as owls and occasionally glanced with astonishment at the audience that kept in a roar of applause nye continued and became conscious of the fact that this portion of his hearers was not pleased please dand and he directed his shafts of wit at them but they smiled smile d not but bat only stared at him in solemnity their coolness soon communicated itself to the audience by some occult means and it ceased to cheer and before the entertainment was halt half over it was voted a dead failure charleston mo Demo democrat craL |