Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1860-04-13
A Douglas Editor Among the Brownies

On the 9Th inst, (the evening Of the day
on which Stevens and Hazlett were executed
at Harper's Ferry,) large number Of their
sympathizers met at Court House in Jeffcr-
son, Ashtabula county, Ohio. Among those
present were John Brown, Jr. Owen Brown
Barclay Coppic and James Redpath, all OF
whom addressed the meeting. Deacon Gray
of the Cleveland Plainaeaier, who had come
to report the meeting for his paper, was call
cd upon to speak.
He could not believe, after the courtesy he
had met with in Jefferson, that this audience
called him out to hiss him down. (Cries of
no! no! 60 on &e.) If they could see his
heart they would know that he was not SO
far in feeling from any Of them as they might
think. He had nothing to object to in the
remarks Of John Brown, or in the quaint,
odd speech of Owen; and although he could
not endorse the position of Mr. Redpath, he
had no wish to quarrel with him. He would
not make speech but asked to be let off by
telling story. They might know that there
were two Grays-J. w. Gray Of the Plain
dealer, and himself, or Deacon Gray, as peo-
pie called him. Laughter. He the (speak-
err was once Deacon of the Presbyterian
Church at Pittsburgh. One day he saw a
ing with drawn revolver in his hand Now,
said the speaker, mind you, I'm not talking
Of my theories, but practice. Laughter.
This negro was fugitive who had once es-
capped into Pennsylvania, but had been fol-
lowed, shot down and taken back. This
was the second time he had been captured
These two mcn---black and whitc-were
crossing covered bridge, at one end Of it
was the Presbyterian church. As the negro
was some ways ahead, he (thc speaker) man
aged to push him into the church door, at
which the sexton was standing They lock-
ed the door and ran the negro up the steep
le, and there they looked down on the slave
holder who was passing about in all direc-
tons, in trying to find where the negro had
gone to.
Three cheers were given for Gray's Demo
cratic practice.
This speech was wonderfully well reciev-
ed. The Deacon's humorous style of telling
the story, and his cool confession Of practical
hypocrisy, were inimitable in their way.
John Brown jr. rose, and asked Mr. Gray
il he would be willing to answer question /!
The whole audience became still, and the
Deacon rose with rather uneasy, and deci-
dcdly serious face, and said g certainly"
John Brown jr.--" Well, sir, let me ask
you If you did not feel nearer heaven when
you were up in the stseple with that negro,
than while standing ON the Cincinnati plat
form2
The Deacon dropped as il he had been shot
through the heart, and the whole audience
rose and chccrcd. The hit was so unexpect-
cd and complete that it was long before quiet
was restored. We suspect it will be some
time before the Deacon win hear the last of
that question.
UNHAPPY SPINsrERs. ugliest and most
mischicvous Miss we ever knew Of was Miss
Government. Her sisters, Miss Management
is no beauty Miss Demeanor surpasses them
both and, while she 10 uglier and haghticr
than either OF her sisters, she is still constant
ly getting courted." While we have no
particular liking to Miss Government, Miss
Management, or Miss Demeanor, We have a
decided disliking for Miss. Fortune She is
ever sticking her nose in wherc 1t is not want
ed Among those unfortunate Misses may
be placed Mistake, who is generally COM
PEELED to bear the blame for the acts OF Miss
Government, Miss Management, Miss For
tune, and sometimes Miss Demcanor. As
for us, we can endorce and even tolerate any
of the above named Misses as well or better,
than Miss Ann Trophy. OF her we have 1
perfect abhorance. There is whole family
Of Misses, whose company had better be avoid
"a Eo. s,,..<>rc. Nice fvsss.e Asas 4 :. a axs..