The herald., 1896-02-21
THE 0RATORY OF OLD TIMES
The Grotesque but Powerful
Bates of Kentucky
JUST A HOMELY OLD CODGER
Whom the Old Blue Grass People In.
tended to Mock
Barren County People Knew Eioquence When
They Heard 1t and the Ungainly
Giant Conquered Them

Speaking of stump speakers, l wish to
relate an anecdote which has the merit OF
truth, il nothing else. 1t was in 1856,
Seiieve-the exact date is not important,
for it WAS about that era-James p. Bates,
then of Glasgow and later of Bowling
Green, made tour Of Kentucky, deliver
ing speeches in advocacy Of the Demo
cratic cause. He was no ordinary man.
!Ie possessed marvellous individuality,
great ideality, Il keen sense of justice and
superb mental and physical courage. The
lines in his homely face were strongly
enough marked to attract the attention of
the most unobservant, and his tall slen-
der and not ungraoeful form rendered him
conspicuous in any gathering. But his
voice was the orowning endowment Of
Batos rs an orator. 1t was commanding,
musical, magnetic and the most inspiring
imaginable.
"On the tour speak Of he had an up
pointment to speak at Harrodsburg Mer-
cor county, and handbills announcing the
event had been posted in that town weeks
IN advance of the date There resided at
Harrodsburg an intense Whig, Thomas
Martin, who had formerly lived in Barren
county, and though he hated Bates poll
tics ho knew the capabilities Of tho man.
He knew that blue grass people, as a rule,
had very poor opinion Of the Pennyr'ile
ard did not think anything very excellent
could come out Of IS pronounced a Penny
rilo county as Barren. So Martin; when
he found Bates was to speak in Mercer
county, began to herald him as one of tho
leading orators of the state. He would say:
just wait until Colonel James 2. Bates
gets here. He'll show you what eloquence
Is His words were received with in
credulity and even with derision, but he
persisted, and finally he succeeded in
arousing the curiosity Of the whole COM
munity, and splendid audience was as.
sUred Bates upon his appearance.
''At last the day arrived, and with it
Jates. Martin and about dozen other
friends were sitting in front of the tavern
there was no hotel then-and about / 1
O'Clock in the forenoon they saw approach
ing tall and uncouth figure, almost gro
tesQue in garb--a soiled linen duster,
soiled stovepipo hat, soled trousers that
had climbed nearly to the knees, expos
ing pair of blue mixed, home knit yarn
socks, loosely covering spindleshanks,
and just above shoes, united, that were
rusty as last years plowshares. All this
bcstride an old flea bitten gray mare, lath-
cred with sweat, for the day was scorohing
hot. 1t was James p. Bates.
'He rode up to the tavern, and before
he dismounted he ballooed out in that voice
that no man who ever heard it ever forgot:
Tom Martin, how are you? | am glad
TO SEQ you, for l want q dram, and you
can tell me where / can get the best
liquor Martin was Mortified, for his COM
panions were oonvulsed with laughter and
enjoyed his evident embarrassment. He
answered Bates by shaking him by the
hand and leading him TO the hotel bar,
where both took hog drivers He then
went out and took Bates saddlebags off
tho old gray, carried them inside and had
the best room in the house put in commits
sion. Bates shirt was not immaculate,
and Martin fished out from tho saddlebags
q clean garment. He sent out for the
town barber and had his friend decently
shaved, his clothes brushed, shoes polished
and hat smoothed
and anxious for an hours rest and was
fast asleep on the bed before Martin had
finished arranging his wardrobe. Martin
went down stairs, and there he was un-
moroifully guyed by his friends and ac-
quaintances OF both parties, but his only
answer was Go and hear him. Go and
hear him, gentlemen, and you'll change
your tune They all said they would not
miss it for any consideration. Upon the
ringing of the first tavern bell Martin took
another hog driver up to Bates, who was
already up and performing his abutions.
After he was dressed and the liquor drank
they descended to the dining room, where
Bates ate q hearty meal, after which he
sat down for awhile under the shade trees
in front of the tavern, gossiping with
Martin about old times and old friends
down in BARN.
when the speaking was announced by
the ringing of the courthouse bell, Bates
and Martin proceeded to that building, al
ready oyerflowing with people, many of
them drawn from idle curiosity to hear
what sort Of talk such an odd looking old
codger would make.
BATES assembled the judges stand and
opened with the stereotyped Fellow citi-
zens. His former aspect was changed
His eyes, his manner, his voice, were those
of the nature nodded orator. He knew
two things-the law and politics-and ON
this occasion he discussed political issues
like the master he was. Those who came
to mock remained to applaud and for two
hours he held his audience entranced.
Tom Martin was the happiest man in Mer-
Ger county that night Bates proceeded on
his way, and at Lebanon, in Marion coun-
ty, he had un experience very like that at
Ilarrodsburg.
He was not practical politician. He
was too impolitio for that. He was no
e'ootioneer. He was too blunt for that.
HIS ambition was to attain a seat in con-
fless, but the only time ho was nominat-
eo was when his election was hopeless. 1t
was in 1865, and his speeches against
hnow Nothingism that year arc yet eulo-
eiHed in the traditions of the old Third
district. He was elected to the legislature,
and when the spawned old state Office Of
president OF the board of internal improve
mcnts WAS yet existent he was nominated
for it because of his transcendent power
on tho stump.
After the war he was frequently q can
didate for Office, but new generation had
appeared that knew not Bates. His mind
was unimpaired, and he was in political
accord with the great majority Of the peo-
ple Of Kentucky and of the Third district,
but he was too blunt, too plain spoken,
too little Of wire puller to succeed in a
convention. ."--Louisville Courier Journal
Mountain Mahogany.
One of the most remarkable products Of
Nevada is species of wood known as
mountain mahogany, which, when dry, is
as hard as lockwood, very fine grained, Of