The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1884-04-26
DIED.
JOHN B, COUGHS NEW BOOK,
Sunlight and Shadow"

Ever since it became known that John
b. Cough was engaged in writing a new
book, its appearance has been watched
for with intense interest. 1t has recently
been published, and the enormous sales
afford stricking instance Of the success
that is sure to be awarded to a really
good work. Although only just publish
ed, the seventy sixth thousand is already
printed; and this fact alone is worthy of
notice, for book which sells like this
must be one of extraordinary interest.
John b. Cough, the author of Sunlight
and Shadow, is too well known to require
any eulogy here. Thousands are familiar
with the history of his lie; his early pow
erty, the degradation to which he de-
cended while victim of drink, his
wretched condition and terrible suffer
ings, his superhuman struggles against
incompetence, his reform, his relapse, his
re-signing of the pledge and final victory,
his world-wide-f and his extensive
travels and protracted labors in this
country and abroad. Thirty-five years
ago Mr.. Cough first published his Auto
biography He had then just recovered
from life of unparalleled dissipation,
and was just entering upon that career
which has since made him so famous. In
1869 a new edition of that work, with adj
ditiOns and lamentations, was given to
to the public. 1t contained history Of
his early life, with some recollections OF
his career as public speaker. 1t did not
embody the eXtensely interesting and
exciting record of the many thrilling,
pathetic and amusing scenes from human
life,
"From grave to gay, from lively to severe"
which all the world knew had crowded
themselves into his long and varied career.
These have now been gathered for the
first time, and the new book, Sunlight
and Shddoio, is the medium-and the
only one-through which these thrilling
details have ever been presented to the
public.
Mr.. Coughs recollections of his own
experiences have made him ever ready to
lend helping hand to others, and the
very nature of his life-work has brought
him into close contact with poverty, crime,
restitution, and vice, and he has listened
to life-histories of the most thrilling
nature. and witnessed scenes that testify
anew to the truth of the adage, "Fact is
stranger than Fiction Some of the
saddest and most pathetic incidents ever
told are narrated in the present work, and
the readers eyes will in spite of himself
at the power of Mr.. Coughs pathos in
describing scenes that have come under
his personal observation.
But Sunlight and Shad0o is not alto
gether a record of dark experiences. 1t
has bright and sunny side. Mr.. Coughs
stories and descriptions of the humorous
side of life, as he has seen and eXperinced
it, portrays many amusing scenes. His
remarkable faculty for seeing the ludic-
rous side of everything, and his talent
for numerous description, are well known.
No one can tell more amusing things and
in more irresistibly numerous way than
John B. Cough. The comedies from life,
absurd blunders, laughabe mistakes,
comical incidents, embarrassing situa-
tions, as narrated in this work, and
mostly drawn from his own experience
on the platform and among the people,
will provoke the mirth of the most seri-
Gus. His experience with brazen-faced
people; with letter writers and their re-
markable wants; with aspirants for fame
and seekers after "moddle" lectures; with
beggers without number and bores of all
kinds-are given in Sunlight and iShadOW
without reserve. 1t can be truthfully
said of it, that for thrilling interest,
touching pathos, and ire sistible humor,
no book has ever equaled it. 1t is sold at
a low price, but is for sale only by sub
scription through contrasting agents.