The advocate., 1894-03-07


now turned might have worn an un.
shaved face without detracting from
the nobility Of his look and bearing.
Everything about him, his voice, the
serenity Of his eye, even his very gest-
ures, indicated a Well-pOised, powerful
mind, and one look at him standing
there sufficed to command the respect
of every person in the audience. He
rose near the middle of the house; and
as the words, "Mr. Chairman" were
heard from the musical, manly voice,
the impatient people suddenly looked
in that direction and became expec-
tantly still.
"Mr. Chairman, | hope this audience,
as well as the gentleman who has the
right to reply to the distinguished ora
tor of the evening, will pardon me
few WOrds.'
$50 on!' came from all parts of the
house. Certainly" said John, and he
sat down. The chairman nodded as
sent. .
81 am stranger in your city, Mr..
Chairman, and / wandered into this
meeting merely as place in which to
spend an idle evening. But | am now
inclined to think my coming was the
work of Providence, for / certainly
have been greatly edited, as well as de-
lighted beyond measure, by what have
heard. Although l do not fully agree
with all his views, the distinguished gen
tleman's principal address was so enter
tanning that | found myself invOlun-
tarily applauding him. But that Of
which ! rose to speak is the tone of the
two speeches of the last half hour 1t
is so unusual to hear moral discussions
at a political meeting although this
was not so once-that to right-feeling
man the episode was extremely hopeful
as well as agreeable. Let anyone in
this intelligent audience say whether it
would not be an encouraging omen if
all political speeches should thus deal
with the great moral questions which
underlie all political issues"
"That's SOP came from all parts Of
the hall.
81 have not the slightest doubt that
the distinguished party leader who had
so entertained us in the earlier part Of
the evening himself enjoyed most the
brief address he has just delivered on
the precepts of the Sermon on the
| Mount"
The Hon. Bradford Hornbeck nodded
a hearty assent.
"In his principal address, the gentle
man made us admire his logical acu-
men and laugh at his humorous sallieS;
but the two latter speeches stirred our
hearts; and / often think that in solV-
ing these troublesome questions,
aroused hearts count for more than
active minds. AS Sidney Lanier has
put it,
"'Vainly might Plato's brain revolve IT.;
Plainly, the heart of child could solve It,
l rose, therefore, to congratulate you
upon this new form of political discus
sion, and to express the hope that we
might in future hear more Of it,"
"You won't hear more of it from re-
publican speech-makers, though" said
someone in the rear of the hall.
"Put him out!' yelled several up in
front in concert, while many turned to
get sight of the diSturber. But he
was as undiscoverable as was the Elder
Weller when he had interrupted the
court during Pickwick's s trial.
81 rose only to say this, and as a gen.
tleman on the stage has the right to be
heard, l shall not interrupt him fur
ther."
"Go onl" shouted almost everybody,
including John, who had been atten-
lively scanning the strangers face, and
had arrived at certain conclusion. If
this conclusion should prove to be cor
rect, John felt certain it would be
highly profitable for his side to allow
the speaker to proceed.
"You are very kind, ladies and gen.
tlemen, to an utter stranger, and shall