The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1881-07-08


company with the late John Bell, q
Tennessee, William G. Dawson anc
Chief Justice Lumpkin, OF Georgia,
met at dinner table in Newark, New
Jersey, Il distinguished gcntleman
who shall be na.nc!css, who was tal
advanced i'll years. During tho dinner
:, lady present said to me, .si believe
you are acquainted with the great
Southern orator, Mr.. Prcntiss ," On
being answered in tho Affirmative She
added, 81 was tempted once in this
city to go and hear him make Il politi-
cal speech, aud l consider it an ora in
my lifc.'
"Did you ever hear him, Judge
Lumpkin?' asked the aged gentleman
above alluded to.
:'I never did," was the Judges re-
ply.
: tsThcn, SIR" continued tho gentle
man, s:you should seek an opportunity y
to do SO, for certainly he is the great
master Of modern eloquencc. l had
heard and read much in the current
news of the day in relation to his abil-
ity, and could scarcely believe heaven
had vouchsafcd such powers to any
man rs were ascribed to him. I was
discourtcOus enough to laugh at my
lady friend there, who had asserted
that he had held her spell bonnd for
three hours. I was incredulous as to
the existence of any human power be-
ing such AS thus to cnchain my atten-
ton for SO long = time, and l was
tempted TO go to Il political meeting to
hear this man from the woods Of the
West. / found an immense concOurSe
present. There were at least one thou
sand ladies seated all around tho ros-
trum in the open air, just whore you
have been speaking to-day. 1 wished
to be near the speaker, and pushed my
way, with the privilege of age, through
the throng until, reaching 4 conVen-
lent distance, l found standing room.
1t was just as Mr.. Prcntiss was rising
to speak. took out my watch to time
him. The cheering was vocifcrous,
and failed TO hear his comment and
started to replace my watch in my
pocket. was arrested by u most
thrill Of words and stopped to
listen. And l did listcn with an at
tention and interest I had never given
to an orator before. So intense was
my interest that every faculty, every
feeling was concentrated upon the man
and the wonderful flow of burning
words. 1t seemed the incarnation of
clOquencc, clothed in tones so
that they not only cnrap-
turcd but stab the heart, and / lost the
OF passing time and
when he closed l found my hands
my watch at the pockets
mouth. waiting the power to replace
it. l looked at it, and found l had
been listening for moro than three
hours, and, though over seventy years
of ago l felt no fatigue. y friend, Il
who had followed me into
The crowd, stood, pale and agitatcu,
looking at the man after he was seated.
AS l approached him he exclaimed:
''Will yau ever again doubt that God
Inspires man ~
TIE FATAL APPETITE.
But with all his God-lilSc mind and
great nobility of soisl, there was coil
ing about him the serpent that was to
crush him. Indulgence was his fatal
habit, and it was soon apparent that
the power of Wine was mastering his
viii and threatening ruin. Slowly but
surely tho poison was doing its work.
genius feeds upon excitement,
Graves it, and when not found in the
turmoil of life, then it will seek it in
the social bowl. The genius of Prem
tiss was frey it kindlcd with his sur
led him captive in defiance
Of his better sense, and ultimately
the control Of his will until he
yielded resistance, and in its fatal
folds, by slow degrees, finally pcrishcd
while yet in young manhood. Prem
tiss was but fortytwo years of age
wilcn he died, when his fame was fill
ing the nation and his usefulness most
required. His last words were uttered
in delirium. He imagined himself in
court. Turning his head towards his
friends in the chamber, he said "NVill
your honor adjourn the court until to
morrow I shall then be better pre-
pared and better able to go on with
this case" Closing his eyes, for Il mo-
mcnt he was silent. Again arousing
himself, he said: 81 am grateful to
your Honor for this indulgence" In
a few moments aftCr he ceased to live
FRiSTIsS' GRAVE UpoN \ BLUFF.
John Sargent, who was distant
connection of Prcntiss, was one of Mis-
sissippi's territorial governors. He
built a beautiful residence two miles
below Natchcz, and lived until his
death Immediately upon the bluff and
near the river he was buried, By his
side repOscs all that was mortal Of s.