The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-07-09

at the Prohibition assembly hall. The
large building is a pleasant resort on
hot days and a larger crowd than usual
attended the morning exercises.
At 1890 John R. Clark addressed a
very good sized and appreciative al;
dience. His subject was John B.
Cough, the Man and His Work"
He said the sins and deeds OF great
men are favorite themes for lecturers.
A recital OF the events Of their lives is
full of interest to all. Poets, historians,
soldiers; great men Of every calling,
those who have distinguished them.
selves in any walk Of life, all are fruit
full subjects for the lecturer. To this
class belongs the subject of the morn
ing, John B. Cough. A greater man
never trod the platform. Up to the
time OF his transition he retained the
undisputed title of platform king. The
death Of such a man is q cad bereave-
ment even to those who only
knew him by his works or by
hearing him speak. but to the
friend it strikes deep in the
soul. We are all called upon to part
with loved ones some time during our
lives. Sometimes they leave us in the
morning of life, again at noontime when
%ripeness of age approaches, and again
as the evening of life approaches, but
| whenever it comes 1t brings to the
friend poignant griefand sorrow. When
Cough departed he left q record, a beau.
tiful testimony, a lovely legacy behind
him for the benefit Of mankind.
Here the speaker saidth he wanted
to give o few OF the anecdotes used by
MI. Cough on the platform and a few
selections from his addresses, and he
asked the audience to forget for a time
that he had been an actor or they might
think it merely a bit of poor Goughic
mimicry. Speakers have done better
work by initiating him, even though
they could not approach him. Alter
all, it is best to have an ideal in life.
Who could live in this world without
an ideal; without an aim in life, without
a mark to reachf
We all have cur ideals, and, on the
whole, it is far better that we have ora
tors of to-day, plenty OF them, get their
inspiration from the illustrious Cough.
He said he had no logic, but he did
have experience. He thought about
the force of what he said and let the
logic take care of itself. He was not
like the darkey, who gave advice to the
young candidate for tie ministry:
"Above all things you must put on the
rouseness." He followed this advice
strictly. He put On the "rouseness." He
always had something new, some new
surprise. There was no sameness, no
dullness about his manners, his gestures
on the platform. He was an acrobatic
orator. On the platform Cough was
/ continually making people wonder what
he would do next Down east he lee
tured in a church after being warned.
by one Of the deacons that that body
would occupy a front seat aud to be
careful. He was careful. He pinned
hts elbows to his body and
gave o quiet, straight-laced talk.
All wondered what was the mat
ter with Cough. After finishing that
evening he announced, that he had
given a lecture after the idea OF the
deacons and that on the next evening
he would be himself, and he was and
gave the audience q genuine GouGhic
address. He was a bacchanalian ora
tor and could give limitations OF the in
toxicated man that were, positively in
imitable. He had a Roadway in this
that other orators did not have. There
was nothing coarse moi rude, nothing
impure nor questionable about the
matter nor manner Of his addresses.
He was pure in all things His sole
object was to say and do that which
would do most good and to cay 1t in
the manner beat calculated TO reach
his hearers.
He possessed wonderful power over
men, He could reach them anywhere.
He called them up from the depth OF
| despair and carried them to the heights
OF hopefulness and happiness. He said
in a lecture at Cincinnati that he would
rather lose all his worldly possessions,
rather 90 to the poor house, rather die.
a pauper and be buried in an unmarked
grave, than to get drunk again. He alb
| horred the very idea. He mover
thought that o man got too low to be
reached. God never made a mar dead
TO the touch of human kindness. While
there was life hope still hold
sway. He loved children and took every
opportunity to cultivate their acquaint.
lance and friendship. lie had none OF
his own, but adoped four friendlcss
waits. He sent $1,000 each year for
many years to keep two missionaries
working among the outcasts Of London,
What q grand use for money. He was
always a friend to the boys and a favor
lie with them. He had a hard boyhood.
He learned experience by toll and his
sympathy always went out to boys who
were compelled to struggle and he lost
no opportunity to take them by the
hand.
He also spoke Of the first timc he
heard Cough, when he was q ragged
urchin, but even then the great tenn
perance apostle WINS an inspiration to
him. He had never seen his like before
and never expected to again.
This was one of the grandeet ad-
dresses of the assembly, and one Of the
best crowds present yet at a morning
session listened to it.
In the afternoon Mr.. Van Bennett, OF
Kansas, delivered another address, the
attendance being very light The ad-
dress was principally OIL political lines,
The school OF methods, by Miss New
comb, closed the aiterro n exercises.
In the evening Mr.. p. A. Burdick, OF
New York, addressed a good audience.
Let There BIO Pence
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