Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1885-03-27

avoided. We should remember the
transitory nature of life, and when
we are tempted to boast of our health
and strength and wealth, let lis rem
embcr the sudden and early death of
Demosthenes.
Demosthenes was not born ai
orator. lie struggled hard and failed
many times. lie was hOmely and he
stalnmered in his speech, but before
his death they came to him for hun
dreds Of miles to get him to open
their county fairs aud jerk the bird
of freedom bald headed on The Fourth
Of July. When Demosthenes' father
died he left fifteen talents To be di-
vided between Demoslhenes and his
sister. a talent is equal to about
$1,000. | often wish that had been
born a little more talented.
Denosthcnes had a short breath, Il
hesitating speech, and his manners
were very ungracelul. 10 remedy
his stammering he filled his mouth
full Of pebbles and howled his SELL
''hNh'o "t tiS uHSis oSh' liOWCNCis ,
Pluiarch says that DelnOsthenes
made gloomy tiZzlc of his first
speech. This did not discourage him.
lie finally become the smoolhest
orator in that country, and il was 10
uncommon thing for him TO fill the
First Baptist church of Athens full.
There are now sixty Of his OratiOns
eXtani, part of them written by De-
mosthepes and part Of them written
by his private secretary.
When he started in, he was gentle,
mild and quiet in his manner; but
later on, carrying his audience with
him, he at last became enthusiastic.
lie Numbered, he roared, he whOoped,
he hOwled, he Jared the windows.
he sawed the air, he split The horizon
with his clarion notes, he tipped over
the table, kicked the lamps out of the
chandeliers and smashed the big
base viol Ovcrtlle chiefilddler's Lead.
Oh, Demosthcnes was business
when lie got started. 1t will be
long time before we see another OFF
hand speaker like Demosthcncs, and
| for one have never been the same
man since learned Of his death.
Such was the first of orators"
says Lord Brougham. AT the head
OF all the mighty masters Of speech,
the alteration Of ages has consecrated
his place, and the loss of The noble
instrument with which he forged aud
launched his thunders is sure to
maintain il unapproachablc forever"
/ have always been u great admir-
er of the oratOry of Demosthenes, and
those who have heard both of us
think there is u certain degree OF
similarity in our style.
Aud not only did | admire Demos
themes as an orator, but as a man.
and though am 10 Vanderbilt /
feel as though would be willing to
head subscription list for the pur-
pose of doing the square thing by
his sorrowing wife ii she is left in
want, as | understand that she is.
| must now leave Demosthenes and
pass onUapidly to speak of Patrick
Henry. Mr.. Henry was the man
who wanted liberty or death. lie
preferred liberty though. If he
couldn't have liberty he wanted 10
die, but he was in 10 great rush
about it. lie would like liberty if
there was plenty OF il, but if the
British had 10 liberty TO spare he
ycarned for death. When the tryant
asked him what style of death he
wanted he said that he would rather
die ofeXtrelne old age. lie was will
ing TO wait, he said. He didn't want
to go unprepared, and he thought il
would take him eighty or ninety
years more 10 prepare, so that when
he was ushered into another world
he wouldn't be ashamed of himself
One hundred and ten years ago
Patrick Henry said; "Sir, our chains
are forged. Their clanking may be
heard on the plains of Boston. The
war is inevitable, and let il come. |
repeat it, sir, let it comet
In the spring of 1860 | used almost
the same language. 30 ana horace
Greeley. There was four or five of
us who got our heads together and
decided that the war was inevitable,
and consented to let il come.
Then it came. Whenever there is
a large; inevitable conflict loafing
around waiting for permission
to come, it devolves on the great
statesman and bald-headed literdE of
the nation to avoid all delay. 1t was
20 with Patrick Henry. He permit
ted the land to be deluged in gore.
and then lie retired. 1t is the duty
of the great orator 10 howl for war
and then hold some other mans coat
while he fights. BILL NyE.
--S>O$e