Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1886-10-01
JOHN B. COUGHS LAST AND
BEST BOOK.
Platform Echoes.

This new and splendidly illustrated
volume is the last book written by
the world-famous John b. Cough,
and was completed by him Just pre-
vious to his death. Every one is IA
miliar with the story Of his early life,
and of his rescue from drunkard's
grave, and how this once wretched
and despised sot became one of the
most famous men of our time. For
seven years he stood amid the hor-
rors of delirium tremcns, an AFFECT
slave to the bottle; and his condition
and wretched appearance were such
as TO cause people to eXrlaim, "There's
the man who has been in hell" The
rich and poor, the high, the low, the
learned and unearned, have been
alike thrilled and moved by his burn
ing words. lie swayed brilliant au-
diences of royalty and fashion; spoke
in State prisons, jails, poor houses,
penitentiaries, reform schools, and
houses of correction; to the deaf, and
dumb, and blind; TO audiences COM
posed wholly Of outcasts; and to au-
diences numbering thousands of
children. At his feet more than ten
million people sat and listened in adj
miration and wonder. In his library |
NAV be seen set of large volumes
a far better memorial of his life and |
labors than any monument OF marble
or bronze-containing the original
signatures of one hundred and fifty
thousand men and women who were
induced to sign the pledge through
his personal efforts. These names
many of them tear believed and
written with trembling hand-repre-
sent stories OF happiness and woe, of
ruin and remorse, of blighted hopes
and wasted lives, of battles fought
and victory won. TO give some of
these thrilling life histories to depict
scenes of Joy and sadness; to lift the
curtain on life's stage and show its
tragedy and comedy; and to draw
Giving truths" from the lessons thus
taught, and bring them home to every
heart, is the prime object of this vol
ume. 1t also contains the history Of
Mr. Coughs life and career with the
story of his death, by Rev. Dr. Lyman
Abbott, the eminent editor and di-
vine.
"Platform Echoes" is John B.
Cough in print. In it he has given
to the world in permanent form his
best thoughts, his most touching
tales, his most stirring anecdotes and
incidents, his most telling stories. AS
story teller he has never been
equslled. But whether he narrates a
story of mirth or of sorrow, it is al
ways to illustrate great and living
truths. Stranger stories are here
told than romance ever dreamed of,
every one of them drawn from real
life by master hand. In every
chapter he weaves in anecdote after
anecdote, incident after incident, sto-
nv after story, and underneath them
all lie diving Truths" that stand
out as beacon lights. lie plays upon
the readers feelings as with an en-
chanter's wand, at one time filling
his heart with gladness, at another
binding his eyes with tears. AT his
bidding, hearts are melted, and stern,
strong men, as well as sensitive wo-
men, weep tears of compassion, are
aroused to indignation, or moved TO
uncomfortable laughter in spite OF
every effort to control their feelings.
Now that the silver tongue is ST.
lent, platform Echoes" is the richest
literary legacy of John 3. Cough.
The aroma of his inimitable humor,
the felicity of his descriptions, the
adroitness and skill which enable
him to captivate and then capture
hearts on both sides Of the sea are re-
produced upon these pages. The or
ator and dramatist, the philanthropy
list and the reformer, for he was all
these, are portrayed here in the free
dom and spontaneity of autobio-
graphy. The book is what its name
indicates-real ECHOES" of the man
whose death humanity mourns.
Its illustrations are the best we
have ever seen. 1t contains two
hundred and twenty seven fine en-
cravings by the best artists and ell
gravers in the world. Many of these
Illustrations are "too funny for any
thing" while others depict wretched-
ness and woe. Sixteen Of these en-
cravings are full-page ones, and are
magnificent specimens Of art. Two
hundred and nine are next ilustra-
tions. There are two fine steel-plate
portraits. One is from life-size full
length painting, showing Mr.. Cough
as he appeared shortly after his
rescue. The other is from photo
, graph taken just before his death.
: All in all, it is one of the finest ever
: produced by the American press.
We advise our readers to buy Plat
form Echoes at the first opportunity.
They can, in our opinion, much bet
ter afford to dispense with dozen
other books than not possess this.
Once begun it will not willingly be