The Greene County Republican. [volume] (Waynesburg, Pa.) 185?-1867, 1867-04-24


They have worked all the day,
And of course, want their pay
To buy sugar, bread, butter and tea
REM NISCENCE OF JOHN b. COUGH
The fact has already been announced
,hat John b Cough, the famous temper
ance orator, Is said to have received an
offer sixty-two thousand four hundred
dollars for one nights lecture IN each
week IN the city Of Lonlon In reterr-
ing to this fact, the TituSyiIe Herdld
glve> some Interesting "reminiscences oi
Cough H. f,'ows:
a gentleman of this city gives us
some "reminiscences # this famous man
who 1t is well known, has seen great
deal .ot viclS-ltule, eaten the bread cl
poverty, aud passed through all the mis-
erabe phases OF drunkard's career, un
til by reformation he has risen to the
highest pinnacle OF cotemporary fame,
ecIipslng the spendor Of the stage and
Senate by the magic creation Of his ge-
Mus. Our informant, now IN middle life
well recalls the time when John was n
poor and triendlesS bnok>binder in New :
bnryport, Massachusetts,, in the emp oy
of Mr., IiIion. living from hand to
mouth; c, n.orlipg with fire laddleS, the
victim Of jrliy blenders and desperate
stiai's. lie recollects one summer Ugh;
Of sitting on the steps OF st, Paul s
Church. when john came sauntering
alo. 9 with Il doletul face, as If he bad
lost the las, friend he had in the world.
They icll into conversation, and John
then told his pathetic story OF the bad
Iurk Hhicl' had dogged his heels from
childhood Mr. b., "a we will call our
informant was moved by the pi,eou|
ralc, and besrired himself to make
friends aud business for j, hr, taking
him magazines to nd Sc There was
a debating clab in the town called the
'Circro' Of hlch B. was member,
with olhe, choice spirits. some of which
have since become distinguished it diff,
terent walks Of lite. b. invited John
one night to drop in; he thought at first
he was not good enough tor such associ-
alious, but was finally prevailed upon to
do So. After the several members has
spoken their pieces. b. called on John,
aud with much reluctance he reclted the
Sailor Boys Dream and with such
dramatic effect as overshadowed all com.
petition, and electrified the house. b
then persuaded John to repeat tKe story
he had told him on the church steps, and
he complied, much to the delight of his
auditors Soon after this, brllian,
party was given in town and ouriel ow-
citizen secured an Invitation for John,
who was taken aback at such social re
cognltion. B. and his friends ekrd ou,
Johns scanty wardrobe, to make him
pleSentable, and by concerted arrange
ment with the host, Col. J.--the EN-
bry o orator was asked for song and
recitation, which were the life Of the
evenings entertainment. The Col next
day, leaning he cream tlnce of John
gave him a sub tantlal proof OF his
appreciation The next incident recol
lGcted by B., was Johns first temperance
lecture, which opened by prayer bv Rev
Dr., ID. The same night, John got on a
spree and brought up at Agile Co. No
is Engine House, where he bnrlesqued
his own previous effort as well as the
prayer OF the reverend gentleman, who
had invoked blessing But the ice was
broken, John discovered his gift, but il
was some time after, that he found his
mission 1t was some years before he
hecame resoluely steady, and temper
ance lecturer by profession. His name
Is now hous, hold word, on both side'
of the Atl,ntlc, aud his triumphs as al
orator have meyer been surpassed, in hi
pecniar style and line, Twelve hun
dred dollars in gold for single speech
This beats the earnings Of the leaders o
the bar. popular preachers and the star
OF the stage, aud eclipses all Greek anc
Roman fame.
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