Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1886-05-22
Toombs Catching the YANKEE.
Atlanta Constitution.


Several months before the outbreak
Of the war Robert Toombs was booked
for a speech in Atlanta. when the
night came for the speech the streets
were swarmed with people streaming
up TO the court house. 1t so happened
that fell in with New Englander
who was stopping at one Of the hotels
for day or two, and as he expressed a
desire to hear the great Georgian ! took
him along with me.
"Wait until you hear Toombs."
broke out.
my dear SIR" said my New England
acquaintance, 81 feel in advance that
he will not please me. I ara so con
stituted, have such a judicial mind, as
it were, that cannot help iadging d
speech simply upon its merits as logi-
cal argument. Ii it is only what you
Southerners call eloquence it has no
weight with me"
We walked on sometime in silence.
The New Englander was man OF
about forty-6ve, and his appearance
sustained what he said OF himself. He
was as stiff as figure cut out Of card
board. His eyes had a cold, fixed stare.
His thin lips were curled in perpet-
ual sneer. He seemed to have about as
much life as a marble statue.
What is that noise?" he asked,
| "The crowd shouting for Toombs," I"
answered. "They are impatient. /"
There is where you differ from us
again, he said. "In my part OF the
country we are not SO demonstrative.
We never lose our heads. 1t is rare
thing to hear boisterous applause at our
public meetings. AS for me, | never
applaud
was Disguised with this icy egotist
and relapsed into silence. Arriving at
the court house we secured seats in the
crowd. Fortunately there was plenty
OF room as the meeting was held out
doors. gave myself up to the enjoy
ment OF the occasion, and did not even
take the trouble to look at my compan-
| ion who sat seat or two back OF me.
Tbonibs was at his best. His indict-
ment OF the Republicans and abolition
lists was terrific. His words seemed to
have wings OF fame, and went straight
to the mark. Rising higher and higher
and higher with each flight OF eloquence,
he looked the very genius oireyolution
The speech was literally thunder and
| fame.
The wild cheering OF the audience
did not annoy me. 1t was music to
my ears, but towards the close OF the
speech / came to the conclusion that
there must be amaniac just behind me.
Such delirious yells Inever heard in my
life. Finally shifted my position and
managed to get a look at Toonib's noisy
admirer. Could / believe my eyes ?
Standing on wooden bench, pounding
with his cane and shouting at the top
Of his voice stood my New England
| friend
/ stared at him in paralyzed amaze
ment. This was the man who couldn't
be moved, who never applauded
Knowing what | did the spectacle was
ludicrous. In his excitement the poor
fellow had broken his eye glass. His
glossy beaver was the worse for the part
it had taken in the applause. The
mans face was red with excitement,
and his eyes fairly danced. Jast then
the meeting broke up, and / drlfted of
in the crowd.
But | saw my man again that night.
There was a torchlight procession down
town, and in the very front ranks rush
ed a bare-headed man, waving his pitch
pine torch and roaring at every step
'Rah for Bob Toombs" 1t was the
cold, undemonstrative gentleman from
New Englandl
The next morning / called at the
hotel where the stranger stopped and
inquired after him.
Asleep" said the clerk: "you sec
he got plumb full OF Tcomb's speech.
and then fooled around with that torch
light procession until he signed all his
hair of, and got all mussed up with hot
pitch until he was sight to see. Then
he set 'em up for the boys, and / reckon
he'll want some seltzer when he wakes.