The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-12-20
INGALLS, AND MIR. INGALLS,
The Man of the Lecture Platform and
the Man rs kansas Knew Him.

Kansas City Star.
One evening this week a crowd numbering
perhaps $500 or 1000 people gathered at an
Kansas, deliver the first public address he
ever made In Kansas City. \ tall, fhin,
bony gentleman dressed in black and tnfted
with gray, walked with all the grace his
figure could down the stage to
the footlights and began his discourse. Inc
applause that greeted him was not en-
traordinary; the enthusiasm that he IN
spired was of a temperate quality ana a re-
spectful quantity; there was nothing In
decorous; nothing nothing mat
has not taken place at a dozen similar en-
tertainments. nothing to stamp on the
memory OF the pleased and editied audi
ence the fact that Ii was listening to one
OF the most unique characters on The 70
litical stage. The audience paid to hear
ingalls,: but they heard only Mr.. ingalls,,
and there is a vast difference between these
two gentlemen Mr.. Ingalls, lectures; In
galls-"old" Ingalls-as he is proudly called
drama
No one may pay money to hear Ingalls,"
Out in Kansas they have heard him; at
Washington they have heard him; but no
where else. When ingalls, appears, the
stage must be set for him: not with can
vas flowers and painted trees, not with play
people who have come TO be entertained;
the whole thing must be real; he only must
be the actor, the makebeliever. the scenic
accessory that is made up for the occa-
sion. Those who have heard Ingalls," in
Kansas will recall the scene so long as
NAAty i've <lha GAC tAAOol v VI AL LlC
scenes were those at the close of his sena-
torial career. while he was making his last
hight against the enemy. That was a glori-
GUS fall three years ago; all Kansas Octo-
bers are ideal; but the October Of 1890 was
probably an October that was sent out for
a PATTERN; every day was made, for outdoor
meetings.; and in the towns where ingalls,
was billed, every morning saw flags and
banners waving across the main streets,
and teams by the hundreds from all points
of the compass headed for the favored VIII
lage. Special trains crowded to the aisles
sailed across the prairie ladened with Kan
sans singing to the time of the clank OF
the rails political hymns and %hurrahing for
'Old Bill for judge" All roads that year
followed Ingalls," and when he was an
day that town made that day a holiday.
By 8 o'clock the livery stables are full; by
10 o'clock a band from some neighboring
community has filed down Main street and
stopped to play a tune in front Of the big
hotel. BY noon the sidewalks are crowded
and every tavern, restaurant and boarding
house table is filled, and the floor OF the
Joint" sloppy with spilled beer; bands, not
one or two, but a half dozen, play the old
~well-known band tunes, in which the tuba
takes the tune, and. going into partnership
with the base drum, leaves the poor little
dazed clarionet to mourn his premature
flight into another time. Girls in white,
with pink and blue ribbon, and town girls
in their new fall gowns, huddle in the dry
goods store or peep from the windows OF
Offices; country women, with children pick
ing at them, sit on shaded stairways ana
under trees in the courthouse yard, pass
ing around the family lunch. The marshal
of the day, In his Grand Army suit, his
SLOUGH hat and his red sash, Frances hither
and yon on the dancing, strutting horse
that every town keeps for just such FORMAL
functions. After dinner the old soldiers
line up, and with flute and ME go through
the old-time maneuvers: gradually the seats
in the courthouse yard fill up: the canopy
over the raised platform flaps in the breeze
and the platform Is embelished with an
| organ Then come the glee clubs; one after
another gets up and sings its doggereI 10
niger songs" and the crowd roarS with
each succeeding, raillery at the stupldl.y oI
grows inpatient; IL finds out some way that
the hero Of the day Is coming on a special
train, and every ocom9tive wnissae IN 'ne
railroad yards is greeted with a cheer.
At last the impotence breaks out In a
nervous getting up and walking around anu
talking wise: the crowd breaks into groups
even the band cannot quiet the fever OF
fear that is ~throbbing In the heart o.
everyone; here comes a man on horseoack
he brings the news that the speclal tram
has come; again the band starts up, the
glee clubs cut monkey shines, and the
crowd bowls and boots in gusto and salts
faction; suddenly every one turns back
ward; a group of strangers is walking VI
the aisle. Then there is a mighty shout; ii
lasts a minute, and as it goes up again
there seems bat one stranger, a tail mar
in a light grey overcoat, a scarlet necktie
and a gray SLOUGH hat. He walks like a
king; every movement. is consciously I'M
pressive; the steel glints out OF his eye in a
premeditated smile; he mounts the stage
the glee club cannot make itself heard; the
town orator cuts his INTRODUCTION short,
and then the drama begins. For two hours
five thousand people are entranced; an
actor Is saying his lines: lines that he has
practiced, memorized and polished for hours
and hours. The monologue closes; the
crowd signs for more. and night drops the
curtain. 1t Is a scene in a real drama OF
history. with everything real but the hero,
who has added artistic finish to the scene
This is hearing ingalls,.