The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1876-09-21

ana my 0c3fL SI000S almost still.
AS think of the wondrous power Of Him
Who hushed the storm at will
STORIES OF CuOATE.
Incidents in the Life of the Great Rufus
His Manners in Court.
The Albany Law Journal contains
the first half of a critical article on
Rufus Choate, from which we take the
following extracts:
''The incidents in Choate's life are
very few. Born in 1909; entering
Dartmouth college in 1915; becoming
tutor there on graduating entering
on the study of his profession at the
Cambridge law school, and passing a
year in the Office of Writ; commenc.
ing practice at Danvers in 1924; elected
to the Legislature in 1925 to the State
Senate in 1927, and to Congress in 1882.
removing to Boston in 1884 elected to
the United States Senate, ON Webster's
retirement, in l84l !; resigning that
position in l845 ; practicing at the Bos.
ton bar from that time until his death
in 1859. This is the barren index to
most fruitful life.
"Choate's first appearance at the bar
was the signal for much laughter and
ridicule. His advent was regarded by
the lawyers and suitors of his day
very much as the appearance of Pega-
sus would be received by the steady
going earth-born equine race, if he
should descend and assume the role of
a cart-horse. His ways were not their
ways. His eccentricities, and his
struggles to carry his burden aloft into
his native element, excited much mer-
riment. But soon it was found that
Pegasus drew his load better than any
Of them, despite his antics and his cur
vetlngs. Men soon came to acknOWl.
edge that there was a new and legitl.
mate style of advocate and of advocacy,
and though it proved inimitable, yet it
soon secured ungrudging admiration,
and to the new conner was accorded the
leadership which his unique genius de-
manded. From them until his death
he was as much sovereign in the Bos-
ton courthouse as Webster was in
Faneuil hall.
SIT is no wonder that Choate's man.
ner startled the staid New England
court-houses from their composure.
Nothing like it was ever seen before,
has been seen since, or will ever be
seen again. In its volubility and ve-
:hemence his speech was more like that
of an Oriental than that Of 'Bos-
ton man. His voice, which naturally
was rich, grand, and melodious, he
frequently urged to it's higherst key !;
he shrieked he raved he tore pas
sion to tatters; he swung his fists; he
ran his trembling fingers through his
long curling locks, dripping with per-
spirat ton he shook his head like a
lions name he raised his body on his
tees and brought his weight down on
his heels with force that shook the
courtroom he paused for two OF three
seconds, threw back his head, swept
the jury with a terrific glance, and
violently inhaled his breath through
his nostrils with a shuffling that was
heard all over the courtroom his
weird eyes glared like maniac's his
wrinkled face assumed hundred un.
natural corrugations in short, his
speech tore his frame. and his body
was convulsed like that of the Delphic
priestess in his moments of inspira-
tion.
All this seems very ridiculous in the
description. It is not singular that it
sometimes excited derisiOn. But de-
rision was short-lived. All this time
his thoughts were poured forth with
an unvarying and incredible velocity ;
an orderly and coherent array of felic.
itous and choice expressions, which
none but the orator could have select
ed and combined; startling and beau.
tiful images; soaring fancies glitter.
ing wit; s0ul-searching analysis clas-
slcal illusions Latin quotations
ingenious Illustrations accommodation
rarely employed, but blasting where it
| struck, simple and unadorned pathos
deep and subtle sympathy with nature
and with humanity; breaking down
the barriers of prejudice, raising and
enlarging the souls of his auditors, il.
Illuminating their understandings, and
investing them for the hour with a
portion of the orators own greatness.
1t was the very abandonment and ecs.
otsoy VI CAVluO11COs t110 u uC"1uSp1I cu
frenzy, which, at long intervals, has
descended from heaven and given to
the world a demosthenes or Cicero,
Chatam or an Erskine, a Webster OF
a Choate.
"Choate's personal appearance was
as remarkable as his 0ratory. About
six feet in height, with a powerful
chest and shoulders, a gaunt frame,
huge hands and feet; a rolling. lum.
bering sort o. gait; bilious, coffee.
colored complexion ; his face deeply
corrugated with profound wrinkles and
hollows, and scanned with powerful
lines his head deep rather than wide
and completely covered with lIxuriant
black curly hair, scarcely tinged with
gray at the day of his death ; mouth
large and lips thin and tremnlous; his
eyes large, deep-set, and black, with
a weird, far.away expression in quiet,
but a terrible burning g intensity in ex
element; a face noticeable in: 8
th:eng of thousand, with intellec,
looking out at every point; most hag
gard, woe-begone, fortune-te telling coun
:tenance; his person - arrayed ir
slouchy ill.fitting garments. including
always several coats Of various and in