The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1895-11-08
by WAY OF ANECDOTE.
O,FEkRALL's STORY SPOILED.
It Took All the Impressiveness From
BOurke COckrNn's speech.

II Took All the Impressiveness From
BOurke COckrNn's speech.
Now and then in the course of a
speech some member will tell very
effective story one which in moment
will brush aside all of the results OF
some very strong speech, as If it were
a cobweb, says the Washington Post.
A notable case was on an occasion
when O'Ferrall, now governor OF Vir-
ginia, followed Bourke Cochran. The
famous election case of Noyes against
Rockwell was before the house.
Cochran had just made a speech for
Rockwell, and against the committees
reports, which was in favor of seating
the Republican, Noyes. Cochran, as
usual, was very violent and demon
strative in his oratorical method, while
one of the best takers in the house, and
on this very Noyes- Rockwell occasion
he delivered one of the great speeches
of his life. Cochran made great deal
Of noise and employed multitude OF
gestures. He was very much in earn
est in his defense of Rockwell's seat,
and used his voice to its limit, and
fairly made the house chamber shake
with It's thunderous volume. Yet it
was all very impressive, and the house
was very much affected by Cockran's
speech. O'Ferrall, however, arose and
told one story and tipped its impress
siveness all over.
"The gentleman from New York,
said O'Ferrall, as he arose and was
recognized by the speaker, "has
words and afflicted it with great deal
of noise. AS | listened to his oratori-
cal roarings, Mr.. Speaker, and l
listened very carefully, for ! wanted to
gain all the aid | could 10 coming to
conclusion about this Natter
must say that was reminded strongly
of the story, and found my position
very similar to that of the old Virginia
negro in the thunder storm.
"The house will recall, Mr.. Speak
or, how the honest old negro, trudging
home at midnight, was suddenly
caught in a fearful thunder storm.
1t frightened him greatly and shook
his nerve. He couldn't see his hand
before his face, but Numbered along |
in the darkness, stumbling over OBJ
stacles and occasionally falling down.
While the rains descended, now and |
then a brief flash Of lightning very
brief it was, Mr.. Speaker would split
the darkness into a knife. For sec
ond the glare would show the poor old
negro where he stood, and then he
would be left in deeper darkness than
ever. The thunders, however, were
more constant and the crash and roll
of their voices would have made the
biggest artillery in the world seem
small.
''It all served to terrify the poor
old colored man very much the light
ming, the darkness, and especially the
almost drove him out of his
wits with fear. After one more fearful
crash than usual he broke down and
fell upon his knees and began to pray.
" oh, Lord, he cried, | recognize
your goodness and your power, but if
it is all the same to you, oh, Lord,
couldn't you furnish me little more
light aud little less noise? Amen
And that, must say, Mr.. Speak
or, expressed my sentiments very fully
rs | sat listening to the mighty voice
IF the mighty gentleman from New
York
This story destroyed at one blow the
whole effect Of Cockran's oratory.