The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1854-10-14

Mr.. JOHN B. GoUGH.-Some few years back,
In the early morn, staggering from drunken
debauch, might be seen a young man in the
American town of Newburyport he had reach
ed the churchyard of the town. and had come
there to die. In the wide world he stood alone.
His wife was dead. He had no friends. lie
was overwhelmed with misery and debt As he
turned round his anxious eye, he saw no way
Ofescape. and no ray of hope. There was no.
thing left for him but the drunkard S unhonor-
ed grave. Another drop and he would have
bacome suicide but the bottle struck his lips
and that saved his life. He went back to the
town. A temperance meeting was held and he
was induced to sign the pledge. He did more
he left his humble calling-that of bookbind-
Grand became a Jealous advocate of the in
Strumentality that had done so much for him.
Friends gathered round him. AS an orator he
was pcrpetually in request. For ten years he
spoke three times day, Travelled ten thousand
miles year: his name was John b. Cough
His fame reached this country. and Il twelve
month since he was engaged by the committee
OF the London Temperance League to visit
England. He came originally for six weeks.
! but he was induced to stop two years. Nor will
those acquainted with Exeter Hall oratorv
wonder at the result See Cough as he stands
upon the platform. and you at once lcarl the
secret of his success He is a spare, thin man.
with premature age stamped upon bis face.
with stature by no means imposing. Dressed
In ordinary black, you would take him for
! very ordinary man. and the first few sentences
that fall from his lips strike you as little better
than commonplace. Wait awhile and the ora
tor will warm the mass before him will re-
spond, and it will beat as with one pulse. while
he convulses it with laughter or melt; it into
tears. The effect is striking. The scoilcr is
/ touched the drunkard is reclaimed the most
degraded feel that there is yet hope and happi-
ness, and heaven for him. And what is it that
does all this? Not learning: for Mr.. Cough
has never been to school since he was twelve
years old not reasoning, for he makes no pre-
tensions TO the possession of argumcntative
powers not rhetoric. for he tells a plain. I'M
vanished tale, and leaves it to others copious-
ly to illustrate. or gorgcouslv to dcclaim. But
the fact is. that he is in earnest: that it is the
terrible story of his life he unfods: and that
saved as by fire himself he devotcs for the sal
walton of others a real natural eloqucnce that
never tires, never wearics: and tongue that
never grows dull. To save the drunkard-tO
stop the ravages of intcmpcrancc-to build up
barrier between the intoxicating cup and the
unpolluted lip--to bid man be true to himself
and the Divine principle within him: and to
dash down the g flowing bowl. wrcathcd as it
may be, by flowers. and presented by Beauty.
for beneath Turks a serpent that may sting as
" .
is his UNMARRIED theme. Had he been an orator
alone he must have failed long before this: but
he is an actor us well ; he has unusual tleXblity
ofiacc and voice. His features can express
every shade of feeling: his tones can give ut
tcrancc to every emotion of the human heart.
He can bc all things in an hour he is the very
Proteus Of the platform lie walks up and
down it as one inspired: and you trcmble all
the while lest the speaker and the audience, in
The frenzy of the moment. should rise up and
do something eNtravagaut or mad. You feel
what wonderful instrument tn" hum voice
is-what power the orator yields. You feel
that he has As much power over men as when
the Hebrew Paul spoke and Felix trcmblcd. or
as when the Athcnian Demosthenes reused the
decaying hearts of his countrymcn, land full
mined over Greece
/ Mr.. Cough has now been twelve months in
this country. of which he is Il nativc-tor he was
born (August %. 1910 and spent the first
twelve years of his life at SYNDICATE. Since he
has been here he has travelled over England and
! Scotland. and has delivered two hundred and
! thirty-scvcn orations to audiences of an aver
age of at least one thousand five hundred per-
sons. He accompanied by his second wife. an
American lady. to whom he was married in
! 1913. His father was soldier. and lives on
pension in London. He has q sister in Amcri-
I ca. where he has purchased small estate at
! Boylston. Worcester county. about forty miles
/ from Boston. where he usually resides three
months the summer. and where be noys the
society of his numerous friends. who visit him
during the season OF his observation-disclosures
Times.