Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1862-08-15

pealing to Rose, who was only girl and
did not understand logic, yet very CRATE
ful to her, after all.
Fortunately, she seemed to understand
his confused IDEAS far better than he did,
and in due time they had together COM
posed what Will regarded as sensation
speech, commencing with Mr.. President,
and ending with few deep lines from
Milton.
"Now, Rose" said VIII, that's lust
about the thing, But | found the ideas.
didn't L? I'll learn it by heart, and see
if don't deliver it with grand flourish
There's great deal, you know, in the
gestures. It's enough to make you ache
to see how stiff some of the fellows stand
when they speak ! They get scared, |
suppose
But viii exulted too soon. People
are very brave before they ever had a
tooth out, and boys are very brave before
they have ever tried to speak in public.
Will thought he was not afraid of any
thing, but when called out to speak he
felt a. if the joints in his body had all
turned to hard wool, and wouldn't bend
lie supposed he was walking but could
not tell how he did it. lie heard a sup
pressed litter from the little boys, and
the eyes of the audience seemed to prick
through his nerves ike needles. Every
body took a savage pleasure in his misery,
that was plain. Oh. to think he should
ever have laughed at boys for being stiff,
when they couldn't bcud.
He made his bow to the wrong side,
and turned his back to the President
Mr. President said he, in a whisp-
er, wheeling right about face. Mr.
Prcsiient-sir," repeated he in hoarsc
voice, that sounded to him as if it came
from some other boys throat.
MIR. Lawrence" replied the rrcsi-
dent, smiling eneouragingly.
But if VIII had been trying to get
possession OF rainbow, or fash OF
lightning, he could have caught either of
them as soon As one word Of his speech
Whittier had it fled ? Five minutes ago he
had it by heart.
Mr. President" he began again, in
desperation. Il will ask to be excused, -
thought the poor boy, ''and then rush out
Of the house and hide where nobody can
ever set eyes Gu me again.
Tut Rosc, meeting his glance, nodded
with smile that sail "don't give M,
Will" She did not seem to b. ashamed
of him. And Roses friend, that wicked
little Faanie Warner. Va, laughing anI
whispering TO somebody. and VIII was
sure she was saying, That's what cal
4 smart boy Gtael joke!
Wills pride was touched in n moment.
The speech would not come back to him.
to be sure but he Was determined to sly
something.
The question is-ahem-Nr. prcsi.
dent. Does the lelr Of reward have a
greater effect on mankind, sir. than the
nope Of punishment - e9ntrul TINT it
has. II | was IN the army, Mr.. Prr,i-
dent, should want to be promoted, |
hope, and that would help me some but,
tell you, ii got into tx, sir, as the
men did at Phtsburs, and wanted to back
out, the fear Of being coward would
make the fight como, AMI | ul!n't give
in, no, not il died for it They should
not have it TO say rHa!
Now, Mr. President, I've forgotten
my speech, aud if it wasn't for the fear
OF getting laughed at, | wouldn't have
said a word You might kaow didn't
speak for the hope of getting clapped =
That's all I've got to say, SIR
But VIII did eatclappcl clmost heartily.
And next day, when he showed his teach
cr the elaborate speech which was never
spoken Mr. Garland declared that, in
spite of the closing verse of Millions, ne
liked the oii-hanl speech better, because
it was a great deal more natural, anl not
at all far-tetched.