Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1886-06-30
Letter from Indianapolis.

Letter from Indianapolis.
Dear Spectator:-
remember began communication for
your paper the week after the obsequies of
our beloved Vice. President. ] never finish
ed it. limo has whisked on in its tireless
evolution since that glad Thanksgiving eve
when the hearts of so many were stunned
in the midst of happy preparations and
home reunions. Our city has taken up its
same routine of traffic gaiety, and the Win
ter has passed, the Spring has come and
gone, and Summer is here in its June loveli-
ness Men are struggling for place and
fame and wealth and bread, just as earnest
ly as if he had not been cut off suddenly in
the midst Of greatness; but his presence is
missed and will be, and his works of kind
ness which went to make up life fully
rounded out still follow him. We miss him
on the street, at the forum, in the church,
and most of all in the councils of State
You are fully aware that he was the leader
Of his party hare. / have not lived in this
'motracy Of tsis day is below par. I hes&d a
staunch old Democrat say the other day she
had been trying to solve the question of In
diana Democracy and be had concluded
that they were not capable of self-govern-
ment." 1t does look that way when one
analyses the local troubles in the party
We hope for reasonable adjustment of the
trouble, as bank creditor would say after
failure and everything seemed lost.
Well, we have had no lack of stirring in
cidents. amusements, and entertainments.
In April, the Art Exhibition from New Or
leans was opened for a fortnight or more
We could walk in the large, airy rooms of
the Masonic Hall, and wander through
woods and over beautiful pastures; lie down
by the still waters and hear their murmur;
they seem to ripple so; we could sail on the
calm waters of Venetian canal, or be toss
ed on the waves of storm at sea; we could
could hear the booming of the guns in the
battle; we could hear the lowing of the kiae
in the quiet landscape, gather flowers and
fruit from all climes, hear the forge of the
smithy, see the faces of lovely children and
the heads of those whom time had touched.
We could wander amongst the realistic in
art, so vivid did much of it seem, and yet
one would be startled at the different char
acteristics of these often celebrated ones,
for the world was somewhat represented in
man could conceive and hold the concep-
tion long enough to paint an execution so
wildly that you would startle to see the
head rolling off the block before you. q
tell you I didn't tarry long in that corner,
and believe I looked back to see whether
the head was rolling after me.) Take it all
in all, it was wonderful collection. I can
not dwell at any greater length.
Than came tha DraDa YatlOnS fOr the GRAND
Musical Festival and the opening of the new
City Hall, or Tomlinson Hall. A public
benefactor, Tomlinson, left to the city $780,
900 for this purpose and market house
The Hall was dedicated by musical festi-
val lasting week, the proceeds to go to the
building of monument for the soldiers of
Indiana in the late war. The musicians
were supported by chorus of 300 voices,
and well-trained voices. You may well
know they made sound, if not music, but
they did make music. The
Hall holds 5000 easily seated, with much
room.
The American opera (Thomas's) followed
at the Opera House, the proceeds to go for
the same purpose.
Then followed, and are now here, "the
two Sans" Jones and Small. To anyone
who has heard these wonderful combina-
tions OIL can scarcely say what need not
add any word, for they speak for them
selves, and as only 'Sam JONES' can speak
1 read with disgust, l must confess, little
clipping now and then, all during the past
year, something of "Sam Jones's" sayings.
l have about come to the conclusion that
the world at large, and the newspaper
world generally, will not do justice to man.
kind. Why select all the uncouth sayings
of Jones and Small and never add the beau
tiful thoughts they utter, the beautiful
they make, the touching ap-
psals, the sympathy they feel for lost souls,
the earnest pleading to come to the only
source aud drink of the fountain opened up
for the cleansing of all uncleanress? Mr..
Jones Stays and spares not. He is fearless
alike of the high and the low, and he seems
hard on the ministers and sa
loon keepers. Curious combination have
made) He tells the ministers they 'tare
too dighifed; that dignity is the starch in a
shroud, and when he is in his coffin he will
be as digniied corpse as any of them, but
he will never be dignifed in life." Says "to
see minister standing up preaching to a
five miles of, and all wrapped
up in his dignity, the old hypocrite SO cold
and mean that if he were to fall in an old
him to pull him out, and they ought not
the old hypocrite with no sympathy for
souls dying around him. Don't talk to me
about dignity i'll the pulpit!' This he said
to the ministers one morning in Meridian
Street Church, when he delivered beauti-
full discourse OH love. He told them in this
portion that "you say, Mr.. Jones, would
not dare talk to my people as you do. Yes
you would if you had the sympathy for
them you ought, but you must 60 about it
in the right way / know minister who
said he would try Sam Jones on his congre-
cation, and he went at it. He told them
something, and said: Now, if you don't
like that, you can all rack out!'-and they
all racked OUT That night at City Hall,
to packed house Of thousands, and many
turned away, he preached one of the most
logical, earnest sermons I ever
listened to, on the judgment-not one word
or line of slang in it, and he slew and spared
not. The next morning his appeal was to
wives and mothers and daughters. 1t was
a conglomeration of eloquent appeal,
of scathing rebuke, of onslaught of the
fripperies of the times, and such was the
sway over the vast audience of 5000 wo-
men that at the close they all arose with
one soul, resolved they would heed his ap-
peals to make home happy. There are
flies in the ointment he pours, it is true, but
let it heal if it will, for one thing is sure
he is in earnest. Mr. Small is simply grand
in his earnest, logical sermons. This is a
wicked city, tits true, and if Mr.. Jones can
stir the people up to better living, we say
his coming is well, and if he does not, tits
NO fault of his or no lack of earnestness on
his part, Or that of his gentle, manly CO.
worker. I would not have anyone think
Mr.. Jones lacks any of the tenderer quail
ties of the refined, learned gentleman.-
There are many men of many minds, and
surely Mr.. Jones has mind and way of
his own.
L. M. L.
indianapolis, June 81, 1886.