The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-12-17
LECTURE or JouuN 8. COUGH
snow ana Them

! LIND, was delivered on Tuesday evening by
! the eminent orator John i. Cough. The
occasion was one of great interest from the
fact of the established reputation of this
great lecturer and was made especially SO
by the large and almost universal turnout
of people from this town and from many
miles around. People from all sections OF
the country ilockcd into town on every in
coming train during the afternoon and as
consequence the spacious Opera House
was crowded full.
The veteran lecturer has lost none of his
od-timc power to charm and control an
audience, and his lecture last evening was
one Of his best efforts. 1t was largely
composed of humorous stories related in
the speakers dramatic and perfectly inim-
liable manner, each one of which. APPLY il
Illustrated the special point under discussion.
One or two pathetic and thrilling anecdotes
were introduced by way of variety, which
held the audience enchanted by the power
and fervor with which they were related
The sad story of a promising young mans
downfall from the fatal curse of the wine
cup and the awful end of the poor victim.
reminded one of the speakers early tenn
perance addresses which so electrified the
people throughout the land
1t has been IA notorious fact for some
years that men will 90 as far to hear Cough
as they are reputed to have done to hear
Whitefcd preach in olden times. 1t is
perhaps not so much in the power of elo-
quence as possessed by many great orators
which attracts the masses whenever Cough
| appears, but it is owing IN a great measure
to his wonderful dramatic forcc-thc facil-
ity Of expression and gesture, of effective
facial powers and an easy presence upon
the stage. The power of being able to tell
a story with effect is possessed by compar-
atively few speakers, but il is the panoplyof
Cough to a large extent This orator has
the reputation Of controlling his audience
at will to bring laughter or tears, applause
or perfect silence. At this time. however,
laughter was the prevailing order of the
evening harmonious stories rather than
touching incidents
Suffice it to say the lecture was success.
and the audience dispersed at the close
well pleased with the evenings entertain
| mcnt.
Joel VI. Haven introduced the speaker.
announcing that the next lecture of the
course would be delivered by w 5. An
drcws, January 9th, on dialect IIumor,
TIE LECTURE.
Your committee selected as the theme,
"Now and Then, "a subject which gen
orally means something about this, that or
the other, but which engcndcrs thoughts
worthy of higher significance, and
might almost announce as my subject the
events of the now, which is, and the then,
which was. 1t is well to review, at times
the history of the past, and garner up its
fruits, reckon its gains, that we may thus
learn better to guide our course in the fu-
turc.
One hundred years ago the good old town
of Boston was agitated about the subject
of piece of paper. That paper was the
constitution of the colony Of Massachu-
sets and the question was as TO whether it
should be preserved or destroyed. The
firing of snow balls brought on the mo-
mentous struggle of the revolution. Those
snow balls were frcighted with mighty
consequences, and on them hung the dcs-
tiny of great people. The speaker then
| rnfa fln ,,f tl,o oil
known events of the early history of the
revolution, including the battle of Bunker
Hill and the contest at Lexington. II
would be profitable to dwell upon the after
features of the struggle, but other events
must claim our attention. Within the pas
fifty years we have made more wonderful
progress than is recorded of any previou,
age of the worlds history. In every brancl
of science and industry is tbs progress
manifest Every thing in the line of fas
travel has been accomplished within on
f memory. Special features of this improve
ment in locomotion were fully described
and apt illustrations were given in many
humorous stories.
: There is much TO stir cur pulse when W.
remember the rapid progress of the last fif
{ ty years. But should we not stop in th
f wonderful race to take note of our prog
rcss, and look well to the future. 1t re
{ qulres more caution to cross the path o
the lightning express than it does to get on
of the way Of donkey cart in countr.
lane But standing in the gold and gor.
- of this radiant age what shall be our cours
to attain the best ends for our own AM
4 others prosperity. Much of the so-cale,
I refinement of the present time is like
G certain liquid which when applied to steel
S supplies the polish but destroys the tempe
of the metal. For how many foolish rea
5 sons do the young people Of our land MAJ
S ry to-day When see some Of the gaud
u y attired young ladies as they promenad
c along our streets, | think that there coul
u be no real idolatry in worshIpping then
for they resemble nothing in the earth, SIX
: or sea. If more kindness was shown b
a married people to each other, the worl
n would be much the better. The old maid
e are not such terrible creatures as they al
70 painted, as witness the long and honore
AZ list OF spinsters, such as Florence Nigh
he ingale, Emily Faithful, and others If
y, much care were taken to hold in the ma
10 rage relation as there ia IN catch thpi