At the opening of the new hotel The Collins House, Sam was just one of the speakers: Colonel Collins, Tom Fitch, Rollin M. Daggett, Colonel Turner but the Evening Bulletin said that young Sam Clemens’ speech was the speech of the night. MTIVC pg 79 Those not familiar with this young man do not know the depth of tenderness in his nature. He almost brought the house to tears by his touching simple pathos. He accepted free food from the place for the speech telling his mother, “So much for being a reporter” as if she expected reporters to behave like independent journalists unbiased.