Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1860-06-01

"Eary Wave.o

inc sSlltUt4tS 77fnCi1cBt ID tBtiftiJ tOO
good 70 be overlook d. Returning from the
Charleston Convention. PR. T. Il. FLouRSoY
of Ark, delivered speech in Memphis. Re
ferring 10 the speech, Col. BoRIASD, of The
Enquirer. spoke Of Mr.. F. as being somewhat
notorious in Arkansas as the man who got
'nary score" The PECULIARLY of the express
sion, and curiosity as to its meaning havi
called for the following explanation, which
is furnished by Little Rock correspondent.
whose accuracy the Enquirer Endorses aud
avouches:
During the Presidential canvass of 1856
Flournoy went abOnt considerable and made
speeches TALL about Corinlanus and C.retnu-
"a, e:c.,l wherever he could get an audisnec-
In the csurse Of his p-rigrinatious he cane to
Little Rock, and soon made it known through
a newspaper. and conspicuous handhills. that
he woald exhibit himself at the Courthouse
certain evening. Our people being fond
of shows, and the evening bright, beautiful
and balmy. pretty NEARLY all hands turned
out; and at an early hour the house wss fall
of men. women, and esp cially of little boys.
Of which last, our town, you are well
aware, can boast goodly numb, r. who are
not to be eye. lied for activity, enterprise, and
an appreciation Of the ludie-nu-. The orator
arose, opened his mOu % such a mouth y
and sIake. as il was universally conc ded no
one in that place ever spoke before or since.
But it were vain 10 undertake To tell all be
said, for if | did, should certainly fail. as
did the old time r.porisr who found il impos-
sible to follow Patrick Henry " hen he got lin
onc of bis WAYS Nor is il necessary even
If IL were possible, firiher than will serve to
relate the story for whici. set out; and that
can b. told in a few words. Suffice it, hat
the orator was advocating the election of
J1mes Buchanan. whom h. now rcpudiates.
Having churned himself into fever OF ex-
citement, and evidently imagined ev,ry body
present to BE- IN the same condition. he sud-
denly D.,Gsrd-dresr himself to his full height
(~Ome six feet three inches in bis boats). and
in = voice the most solemn. aud ut the same
time, the most D rsnasive be could command,
be said in substance, at least, If not in 20 ma
ny words:
..L,di.s and gentlemen the salvation of
the country depends upon the election Of
James Buchanan to the Presidency. OF This.
/ have no Doubt j have convinced every one
of you wln have heard me tonight. And to
prove il. will .ioV draw forth my bandkcr-
clrief and when shout hoorGy for Buchanan!
and wave it over my head. shall Exp CT ~
cry one of you to do likewise. Nov make
readyi''
Then .'suitipg the action TO the word and
the word 10 the action h. drew forth his |
white cambric. waved il high over his head
fairly iiptOing as he did so-and shouted al |
the top OF his voice." HOOray for Buchan-
aui"
But. alas. for high-strung human hopes. not |
a handkerchief waved, not 4 voice was |
raised. in eSpOnse.
Evidently little dashed, but not wholly |
dauntcd. 10y this signal failure, (fur his self |
conc'it is wonderful in the strength of its |
hackbone) lie resolved TO make another trial |
OF the same maueuver. But this time be sp- |
I'D frral.T laI hit-fu
perhaps, that their heads. well as their |
hearts. were softer than those of the other |
sex. And thus he SPOKE!
"Ladies! | address myself especially to
you, and feel that | shall not do it in vain;
for when were you ever wanting in patriot
ism? pledge you my honor that the coun-
{ V is in danger, War is al the door! Thr
election Of James Buchanan can alone keep
il out! And if III war should come. yonr
husbands. your fathers. your brothers, and
your sweethcar will all have To take up
arms. aid leave you for the bloody battle
field! and. you will probably never see them
agaiil o ladi :! ladies dear. dear ladi"s!
can you bear the thought Of This! o. ! know
You cam! / know you won't! Then prove it.
10y Joining me in waving the handkerchief
and iai>ing the shout for Buchanan. Now,
max ready.
And '.suiiing the action to the word and
the word to the action" he again waved his
handkerchief high over his head, aud again
shouted at the top of his voice. (ihis time
II little fearful and soothing in ills tone) Hoo
roy for BucIaHanF'
Aud still. again, not O handkerchief was
waved not a voice raised. On the con-
trary it was, perhaps, the quietest aud most
silent me: thug that bIs ever been Seen--iL
could hardly have been more so if all who
com posed il had been sleeping, or dead. The
himself seemed stricken with amaze
mcnt, and paralyzed tito silence. Like a
statue he stond: his condition bes Described.
perhaps. by the Irish schnal-boy's translation
of a famous passage in Virgil, Which says:
II was very much ask"ared-my hair stood |
on ecnd and the dell of u word could
spakcl"
But, 10 break up this dead sea of silence,
aud bring relief 10 this painful state Of af
fairs, one Of hose active and enterprisiIg
little boys of whom spOk" before. now came
upon the stage--or rather perched. like II
mugpir. upon cross bar--eXt ndicg he
tween Two pillars on the onier circle of the
rOnm. his neck stretched forward tu il fullest
extent and his lille black eyes flashing like
diamonds in the light. hr cried out, ina
voice a. shrill and piercing > ii iile--''NAPY
wAvE,'
This. of conrse. brought down tn. honse in
ihunders OF applause, which would have
awakened the seven slrrPrs The orator
wil,cd. and the meeting broke mp aud dis
parsed. amid peals Of sde-shnking laughter.
such a. will never be- forgotten by any one
who heard t. or joined in il. And the whole
garg Of little boys. huIrying down the street
leading from the Court House. stationed
themselves hire and th.re, al the crossings.
and as the orator, passed along. greeted him
with sort of tasilldc of Mary wave!'' at
eyeIy corn T.
From that night, F'orrnOy has been known
as the man who got mary wave;' aud il
has b'cume ey word To describe any one
who makes dead failure. aud gets laughed