Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1869-01-15
"TuC AMERICAN YAVDAL.
ABROAD"

has gained the title Of American Humor
ist." delivered the fourth lecture Of th
course under the auspices Of the Davsnpsi'
Library Association, at the Opera Hour,
last evening. The attendance wss quit
select and the largest that has greeted any
lecture sftbe cour,e.
Twain 10 IN original yankee. with ar
interesting drawl to his voice and certain
losseness Of manner on the stage. Hi
bsdy is 1.-the and muscular, %. upon lons
legs with fee. ST no size within tie ken 0
q shoemaker, and 10 surmounted hy . round
head. Fun turks in the corners Of hi,
humorous mouth. His eyes are deep So
and twinkle liss stars in . dark night
The brow ovsrhangs the oyes. aud the head
is protected from the weather by dArk
and curling lseks. The face 10 sminen,ly
good one, q laughing face beaming with
humor and genuine good nature. His fire.
appearance upon the stage put the audiene,
in good humsr and ready for nything b.
might say.
Bv way Of introduction, he gave . humsr
Gus account Of the adventures Of himsel
and his associates with the "guides" q
Rome. lie liked anything that reminded
him of them because he hated them. They
expect you to 60 into scstaciss over what
they show YOU. We tosk advantage d
their wishes ~ soon % discovered. W.
we're suddenly indifferent-sven to imbscil
ity. WsDwere able to BE- so. The Captain
Of the vessel was easily vexsd. lie Wal
ambitious 10 show Us sights and wonders
We worried our guide. He showed " th.
bust Of Columbus. The Docter examined
fle asked, as he dead? What did he dia
for!" Imsgins the disgust Of the Captain.
The Doctor asked alss. "Ars his parents
dead =? Which 10 the bust and which the
psdestali Has he been On bust before p
lie then commenced his lecture proper
stating that he used the word vandal, not
ia its harshsr meaning. but as representing
an individua. who was . jelly, good
natursd, csmpanionabls .advsntursr. The
vandal 10 not heard. He 10 not like Others
who write for the newspapers. He goes
everywhere. Is always at homo. lie il
always a. every place just Gin advance Of
ysu. Always at homo everywhere. In
Damascus, the vandal views the historical
points; he attempts to investigate tho -
,rets Of ihe hArsms he views the rock
where Paul was let down 10 . basket, and
seriously asks whore the basket is. He
leasns to smoke in the Turkish style. Hs
sishs ss il he expected . rich uncle to die
but he didn't die. He learns to ride q
camel. lie packs his trunk with figs and
ether little vegetables. Hslseks picturesque
when bsholding Rome on the dome Of St.
Peters. His seul is full Of admiration. He
rises above earthly cares. He is An Amsri.
can looking on grand scenes. Itis grand 10
be an American he feels. He is proud and
looks proud. His countsnancs is bsaming.
1t 10 kept before the public that he is an
This 10 net fault. 1t 10 com.
mendable. Have seen him in company with
kings and queens, lords. popcs and such.
He is always sslfipossssssd, always un.
touched, unabashsd-sven in the presence
Of the Sphinx. Tho speakers description
Of the Sphinx was brilliant and eloquent
effort. in strange contrast with the drol and
specimens Of humor which
had prece led and followed it. Continuing
his description OF the American vandal, the
speaker said tha. in Paris he was the most
otficious and conceited. They all like Paris
better than any other city. He drinks
oceans Of champagne, is nonehdlant. Don t
know what that means. 1t is q good word,
though. He weeps everywhere and at the
first opportunity. lie goes 10 the opera
eomique and laughs. Hs applauds when
the audience applauds. lie learns smat.
tsring Of the French language. He 10 vain
Of his accomplishment. He speaks what
he knows at every opportunity. There is
no pretensisn to wasting the language. 1t
Is only for . show. Il 10 Just the same in
other countries. At Honolulu one efthsm
took breakfast with me. He was . nui'
sancs. We ere not on good terms any
longer. The vandal learns the Language Of
Of any country in six weeks. Seine Of this
class change their names after short stay
in foreign country. When the vandsl gets
through with France, he generally takes in
Italy. He visits Genoa, that stately old
city, where the streets are 20 crooked that
that you come out in the same place that
ysu 70 inf ysu have coed luck. He then
goes t. Milan. and is inevitably locking after
curiositiss he paddles around in the lake
Of Gene, and Afterwards vlsits the great
city Of Venice, tho oldest aud proudsst city
Of the world-a city Of poetry and ro-
nance. He licked on it BY moonlight
scene the like Of which earth nowhere else
exhibits scene never to b forgotten.
The gondola glidss through the canals
nsisslessly. There 10 music on board. and
happy parties pass to aad fro in the height
Of happiness. The ladies Of Venice are
like those Of all ether countries. They e
about from door 70 dser in the gondola the
same as ladies g about here in their car
riagss. We become humblsd when We
lock on that city. Il was . Republic fss
1,40O years. II was here that Shylock
used to loan money % human 6ssh and
ether osllaterals.
The vandal eentsmplatss Psmpsii and
Herculsnsum in his usual placid manner
lie appears in ancient Greece with its ruins
and nsurnful grandeur. Al Athens HI
6nds himsslfln In the midst Of the nest nebl.
ruins he has ever behsld or that the world
centains. Works Of art meet his eyes .,
almost every corner. Hs walks to the bat
Elements Of the city u the midnight hsur
whom the meen 10 at the zenith.
The reception given the speaker
party BY the Czar Of Russia, Alex,
sndss H., was described as sem,
length, and the Emperor was char
actsrizsd - . kind, benevolent man