The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1895-08-01

five feet ten inches high, some fifty
| years old, with STOPPING shoulders
noble features and a bald spot on the
top OF his head that seemed to cap.
like a patch of snow his nigh, noun
| famous forehead He received me as
cordially SIS If he had thought / re
garded him as a great human bene-
factor. and not as a mere ice-breaker,
that the higher powers were using to
clear the stream Of human progress;
and motioning me to chair, he threw
himself back and oneleg in horizon
tai position. Then not stopping to
apologize for his shabby linen coat,
his rumpled shirt and soiled dingy-
drab trousers, he plunged at once in
tC conversation with, Nv hat have you
been doing lately-what have you
written?"
| / told him, whatever it was, and
then he poured for a stream OF musl-
cal words, the sentences as rounded
and balanced as would have beent these
Of any other man who had connned
| his subject for fortnight. / heard
HIM III silence, for one Of the first les
sons [ ever learned from the good DR.
Emmons- that great light Of New
England theOlOgy-was 10 listen and
| not talk, if ] would grow IN knowledge
| and wisdom. But [ remember that
| after awhile I did dissent from some
OF his opinions when. with Il gentle
smile, he said; Tn sorry we don't
| agree: but you are wrong. L answer
cd your objections III the last speec-
L sent you. Have you read it,"
Yes, and am not convinced You
always run a thing into the ground.
You would make more friends il you
! used little more moderation"
= don't agree with you" he said
10 get small slice We must ask for
the whole loaf"
But you might at least ask for it
! in "a respectful manner You can win
no man by abusing him"
There, egain, you are wrong" he
| answered, In the same kindly tone.
Nothing will split a rock but charge
Of gunpowder.'
In this LAST remark lay the secret
OF all the personalities that were ever
observed in the speeches and public
addresses ST Mr. Phillips. While in
| private intercourse he would not apply
a harsh word to his bitterest enemy,
he held that, as men are, to gain their
attention he had to resort to harsh
| eDlthets and unsparing denuncIatlOn.
For this reason those who merely read
his speeches or heard him from the
! platform knew next to nothing Of
! NendeIIPhillips, He was in reality one
Of the most courteous and kindly Of
| gentlemen, sympathetic and tender
hearted to degree that was almost
wom0nly He would shed tears over
some affecting story and empty his
pocket Of It's last dime at the falntest
call OF charity. And all this he did
| without the least ostentatian, his left
hand never knowing what his right
hand was doing. A simple incident
will illustrate this phase of his charac-
| ter.
Late in 1868 there came to me in
New York a Mrs. Van Benthuyson, a
cultivated lady. who was the wife of
a nephew Of Jefferson Davis She
was a woman Of Union sentiments and
had come north because, with her
husband away III the Confederate
army, she could not endure the
secession atmosphere by which she
was surrounded She was destitute
OF both friends and money and asked
me TO point out to her some way y
which she could gain an honest liyeh
hood. Satisfying myself that her ia e
was true, | suggested that she should
inlighten the public on the real con
di.ion Of the South, in lectures before
literary associations, and l advised
her 10 begin II Boston and its vicinity
where a woman was most likely to
secure respectful hearing. She as
sented. wrote a lecture which she sub
mitted to me, and then | helped her
on to Boston and gave her Il number
of letters 70 nay friends there. Among
these letters was one to Wendell
Phillips.
l soon heard from the lady that she
had been kindly received, and was
succeeding beyond her expectations.
! Then, some weeks later, being IN
Boston, / sought out Mrs. Van Ben
thuyson. She had experienced some
thing OF 4 struggle, for the field was
full, and there was even in New Eng
land some prejudice against a woman
lecturer; but she had toiled on with a
brave heart, and never been obliged
to ask dollar Of aid from any society
or individual. Her most kindly, con
siderate and efficient friend had been
| Wendell Phillips. And now" she
said. Il must tell you something
about him. He has charged me to
say nothing Of it. but l know you
won't repeat it. A few nights ago L
lecturca at & little place about ten
miles from Gloucester, and nearly
that far from the railroad. La the
morning l had to ride that distance
in a binding snowstorm to catch the
train to Boston; aud when | got upon
the car met Afr Phillips. He beck
oned me to a vacant seat by his side,
! and when l had taken it, lie asked me
where / had spoken the night before.
! told him, and then he said;
L wouldn't be impairment, bat tell
me how much did they pay you!'
Five dollars" Ianswered, land my
| fare to and from Boston,
Five dollars he exclaimed. why,
l always get SO or 500; and your
lecture nust be worth more than
mine, for you can give facts, l only
opinions"
Small as it is | am very glad to
get it, Mr. Phillips, / would talk at
shat rate every night during the
winter
"He rode on for a little time in
! silence, then, drawing roll OF bank
. notes from his vest pocket he said to
! Inc in a besitating way. 4 don't want
to give otfense, but you know preach
: that woman is entitled TO the same
t pay a u man il she does the same