The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-09-03
INGALLS, SMALL TALK.
What He Said and Did While
Burton Talked.
THOUGHT HIS AUDIENCE MAGNIFICENT

fore Topeka audience yesterday. They
are both masters of English. They are
both straining to reach the same goal.
One has the confidence which comes of
long public experience: the other has
heroic hopes and indomitable energy. 1t
was test of the relative merits of the
two men before mixed audience and it
would have taken the people who heard
them only moment to decide between
the two orators.
J. r. Burton had a polished grafton,
and it is safe to say that mis- diction was
more perfect, his rhetoric more faultless,
and his gestures better timed than those
of Elk Senator John j. Ingalls,, who fol-
lowed him. Bnt there was something
Burton lacked and the absence of which
worried him. He failed to get in touch
with his audience. He spoke with
marked deliberation. but the audience
thought his manner too artificial.
Ingalls, grasped the situation. With
out any special preparation he talked
and the crowd listened. It was ingalls,,
the man, that talked to the Topeka audi
ence. There was no trace of the vitriolic
statesman whose words have been more
feared than any in the senate of the
United States. The other Ingalls, may
have been in his little hand bag, but he
That is why the people said Burton
was Outclassed, and that his speech was
disappointing. 1t was only so by COM
parison. and would probably sound as
well in print as that of Mr.. Ingalls,.
While Mr.. Burton talked Mr.. Ingalls,
listened or pretended to. Sometimes he
looked as if he were bored. At others
he appeared deeply interested. He kept
his head elevated nearly the whole time,
! but sometimes he would bring his short,
bony chin down on the points of his
high collar until they were broken down.
1t was noticed that the hair of the bril-
liant ex-senator has grown grayer since
he was in Topeka and it was not parted.
If it had been the labor necessary to ac-
complish that result would have been
wasted for he continually mopped his
brow with his handkerchief
Ingalls, handkerchief was in his hip
pocket, but when Burton said: Labor
has given to mankind every good thing
he possesses" he took it out and raised
his spectacles while he wiped his eyes
refectiveiy. Then the handkerchief
was wrapped around his left
hand and he kept it there. Once or twice
he took little vial from his pocket
which contained chlorate of potash tab
let's and placed one on his tongue.
His position was most ungracefuL
One leg was thrown over the other and
his trousers were drawn up above his tan
shoes revealing black silk hose. When
Mr. Burton asked: shall we continue
in the way we are now travelling" the
ex-senator pulled his stubby mustache
and looked serious but in moment he
| leaned over to the chairman and said
something in an undertone and then
laughed heartily.
When Mr. Burton said that there is
more corruption in business than in poll
tics Mr. ingalls, bit his lip and looked in
! credulous Soon after he got possession
of a leaf which he whirIsd between his
! fingers like d school boy and then threw
it away with a show of Impotence.
During Mr.. Burton's peroration Mr.
Ingalls, sat with his arms over his head
/ tilted far back in his chair, but he was
the first to give the Fifth district aspir-
ants hand a hearty shake of congratu-
lation. Mr.. Burton bowed and said
Thank you"
Then the tall ex-senator was intro
duced. He walked to the front of the
! platform with a stiff, stately air and
| coldIy nodded his head There was y
| short period of silence, and then the APP
! plause broke forth, terminating in a
shout from some of the most enthusiast
! tic. Mr.. ingalls, bowed in response.
| Like everything else associated with
| him his bow has a distinct personality
1t is unlike any other bow. Take your
penknife and open the big blade. Then
suddenly half shut it, and you have the
nearest representation of the Ingalls,
! bow
Then Senator ingalls, talked. He said
| funny thugs, and when the audience
got in very good humor he would sud
denly say something serious, which,
under the circumstances, they might not
have liked All the time he was. taIking
he kept his handkerchief closely
wrapped around his left hand. The rea-
son he did so was because that hand was
disfgured by a slight Inflammation and
eruption that appeared there a few days
ago.
Part of Senator Ingalls, speech was
beautiful and his attitude was very
| striking when he said: THE rebel battle
| flags shall not be returned so long as
valor has a votary or freedom a cham
pion"
Once some one tried to interrupt with
a question while the speaker was talk
| ing of rich men, but with an upper cut
from the senator the interlocutor wa
silenced Then the creased pig
escaped and ran near the stanC
! with two hundred men and boys in no
pursuit. Their cries naturally created
some conmotion in the crowd, and Mr.
Ingalls, dropped the thread of his speech
long enough to say: at seems l have
some competition"
When the speaker had finished there
was another stately bow, and as he rush
ed from the platform, to be driven to the
train. some one called "Three cheers"
! few cheered, but every one arose TO catcl
a last glimpse of him as he hurried tt
the carriage.
Secretary Samuelson and JOURNAL
reporter accompanied the ex-senator t'
the train. There was only fifteen min
utes, and he had to be driven to the Santa
Fe junction in North Topeka, but he haC
no fears of missing the train.
It was evident that the senator wal
| pleased with the result of the meeting
i