Vol 3 Section 0485

1900

431

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ADVERTS TO FOREIGN TOPICS

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Russia Disappoints Him—Wherein He Agrees with the Boxer—An Idle Man’s Apology.

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The annual meeting of the Public Education Association, held yesterday in the Berkeley Lyceum, on West

Forty-fourth Street, brought out the largest attendance that has been present at these meetings in several

years. Every seat in the hall was taken by women interested in auxiliary educational work in the city, while the

standing room in the aisles was largely taken up.

There were probably a half dozen men scattered around in the wilderness of millinery while two lone

specimens of the male sex were led out on the speaker’s platform. These were Dr. James H. Canfield of

Columbia University and Mark Twain. Both were greeted with an enthusiastic round of gloved applause as

they took their seats meekly behind a big bunch of roses that stood on a table beside the President’s chair.

This seemed to cheer them considerably.

This was the second occasion since his return from foreign shores that Mr. Clemens has faced an

audience composed chiefly of women, and it was the universal verdict that he bore himself with wonderful

composure. Nevertheless, he earnestly requested that an opportunity be granted to him to make his address as

soon as possible, giving the excuse that he had another engagement. Accordingly, he was introduced

immediately after the President’s opening address.

Mrs. Schuyler Van Rensselaer, the President of the association, reviewed the work accomplished by the

organization during the past year, calling attention to the fact that very gratifying results had been attained.

Reference was made to the fact that the association had been appealed to by the Charter Revision

Commission for details regarding the special lines of instruction of the association.

…. [Sam’s speech may be read in Fatout p. 360-3].