The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-04-21

canada twhcn he Is not In polltics). II
they do not consider themselves proper
material to begin the reformation on,
repent at once of their ways, and incl
uehtly, vote the Citizens Reform ticket,
something awful will happen to them
IN the unhappy hereafter-after the elec>
The orator reached the scene of his
present missionary operations Sunday
anu conducted services at ST. Johns
"a M. II. Church. Yesterday a stage was
erected In vacant lot on Cumberland Il
street extended. near Scott, and thither,
petween the hours of Z and O'Clock last
nisht large proportion of the popu-
iatiun or the precincts rounda bout, bent
on learning something about Good Gov
Ierhihent. not having had an oppor-
! tunlty to do so for some time, wended
| their way and spent an hour and half
listening to an eloquent speech by the
preacher-orator on purity in politics,
prohibition and many other themes, all
OF which were skillfully and impressive
| ~ handled beyond doubt.
Not to get ahead of the STORY, mem
| ton should not be neglected of an incl
dent that occurred just before the fire
works began. Lieut.. George w. Fore,
man. chairman of the meeting, had
hardly called the restless thing to order
when the stage. upon which had crowded
many who. though not expected. were
anxious for seats of honor or of any
thing else TO obviate the necessity of
standing up, began TO give away at the
right. and before the tottering extremity
could be relieved OF Its burden half of
the platform had given away, and u
large percentage Of those upon t, pre-
cinitated to the earth, from whence
they came. Thomas Millions leg was
ItFh ..f..
speaker OF the evening had his ankle
injured In the melee. This did not pre-
vent him from making his speech, how
ever.
at this point number OF reflections
might be lndulged In, but 1t Is not neces-
sary 1t might be argued that this ac-
cident was strange and significant
omen, happening as II did at the first
mass meeting and political gathering OF
the municipal campaign. There are
those. too, who are cruel enough to. hint
that the falling OF the platform was
symbolic Of the collapse of the Citizens
Reform platform, upon which occasion
1t Is predicted that those upon 1t will
be hurt worse than they could possibly
be by the mere spraining OF an ankle.
The meeting thus inausplciously be-
gun did proceed with remarkable tran
guilty. even thereafter. for there was
4 man I'm the audience--there always Is
In political meetings-who persisted In
asking personal questions OF the speak
er. such as. who paid his way here?''
WHO paid him for thrusting so much
moral pickle down the throats OF his
audienceY" Where did he come from
and why?" Where was he going to,
aud when?" and How did he get his
foot into the mud. anyhow" All these
and other embarrassing queries were
propounded at judicieus intervals until
Rev. Hector's life became burden, and
the obnoxious auditor In quest of infor-
nation, was removed from the grounds
by policeman. who. by the way, turned
him loose on the outside.
After this there were no further in
terruptions of a personal nature, though
there were some in the audience who
wondered why G.. l.. Pryor did not pre-
side as they had been informed he
would. II is understood that Rev. Hec-
tor and Frank Gillian will meet to-
night at the same time and place in
joint discussion upon local topics of the
day. Certain 1t IL that he will continue
TO instruct the colored voters of the city
until and including Friday night, and
II is also true that 4 o'clock meetings
have BEEN arranged for every afternoon
between now and that date, to be held
at ST. Johns a. NJ. T.. Church for the
purpose OF giving the mothers. wives
and sisters of the aforesaid voters an
opportunity to learn a thing or two about
good government themselves; not that
they are expected to vote just yet. but.
as one old fellow ssgely remarked last
night. there's nothing like gittin' the
wimen folks started"