The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-04-29
FUN on THE STUMP.
" IS AS POPULAR NOW AS IT WAS IN
THE cooNsKlN CAMPAIGNS.
Humorous stories Always Amuse the Tn
decided Voter BILLY Mason Tells Of IN
Experience He Had When He Was New
To the Campaign Platform.

Stump oratar- III today are as popular al
they ever were. The wit OF the speaker o
today may be shade sharper and fine
than In the robustuous days OF old, but
the happy allusion and TIE well pointed
anectiote sill catch the crowd. The boy
and the blind puppy story, the woodohucl
and circuit rider fable, make as big hit,
now as they did before the hero OF Tippe
canoe had n grandson.
| Perhaps William Il. Mason Is the most
successful Illinois campaign speaker OF to.
day. lie Is naturally story teller, mag.
netic and Of ms great drawing power az
circus. His anecdotes are told with the
ease and naturalress Of an actor reoiting
his lines, and TO the campaign crowds he
Is a joy and delight. Mr.. Mason has IN
marked degree the unfaillng attribute of
successful public talker. He Is at ease
with himself and his audience.
II well recall my first practical lesson
I'm public speaking" said Mr.. Mason to n
/ Times Herald man. lit was given me 22
years ago. ] was making speeches with
| Judge Morse, a candidate for the bench
| He heard mo talk once or twice. and then
| gave me some advice.
| Mason. no said, you're young yet,
| and your oratorial future is all before you.
| Don't try to emulate Demosthenes or
Cicero, or any of those boys as see you re
| pointing out To do. You'll surely fall
down. Talk to your crowds as II you had
one man alone and had him by the lapel
OF his coat. Don't talk over their heads
Get down among 'em and jolly 'em up.
Tell 'em stories, Bill. That's the winning
play. Tell 'em stories. Make your point,
and then make 'em laugh
1T seemed 10 me good advice. had
made but a few speeches at that time, and
reckon 1 was too ornate or something. ]
had been chilled twice-nearly frost bitten
and so i decided to take a leaf from
Judge Morses book. Our next appoint
ment was at little country town near
Des Moines. i made the opening speech
in the town hall while the Judge was out
side doing the personal acquaintance, the
'Howdy, Bill; howdy, John; how's your
wife and children bandshaking act. He
didn't hear my speech. and he had reason
To regret IL. had decided to try that Irish
man and the bull story-you know it-how
Pat thought he'd shake red handkerchief
at the bull and then jump over the fence
and enjoy the bulls rage. Ii was good
joke, and the man lay down on the grass
and rolled in the excess of his delight. He
famed himself laughing, and after he had
shaken the handkerchief and stirred up
the animal he was so tired he couldn't get
out OF the way, and the bull tossed the man
into pond. The Irishman waded out on
the other side reinarking:
80 1t was fine joke, but it's good
thing did me laughin first
II started In my speech by compliment
ing the gathering on their intelligence, as
Is customary, and then led up TO my story
like this: Il SEQ the Democrats are getting |
pretty gay over their prospects and are do |
ing "a good deal of Boosting and a whole
lot OF laughing over the way they are 60 |
ing to lick us election day. They remind |
me of the lrishman and the bull. And /
then l gave IL To them. Remember. the /
story was 20 years younger then. They |
not only stood II, but acted as IL they liked |
IL. told few more In the course OF my
speech and then gave way to Judge Morse,
who had finished his Handwriting outside
and had como in toward the close of my
talk. He said he was glad of the oppor-
tunity to talk to such an Intelligent gath
ering Il have observed he went on,
that the Democrats are getting very gay
and clipper and are doing great deal OF
laughing over the licking they are going
to give us at the polls. My friends and
neighbors, he said they remind me Of a
story-a little story about an Irishman
and bull
Then he started In with the yarn, and
the crowd began TO laugh. The Judge was
pleased, and as the laughter increased
with every sentence he took advantage of
one OF the stops for the applause and yell
ing TO subs,de to turn to me and say I'm an |
aside; i told you there was nothing like a
story, Bill IL always gets EN- But,
ndge, 1 said In whisper, Il told
hush, he said, waving me back 10 my |
seat, don't interrupt met So he went ON.
ma before he finished half the crowd were
exhausted with the fun they had. And
hrough the rest OF his speech there were
'utbursts OF laughter at the recollection OF
ne Duil story, and when he finished he
got such an outbreak Of applause as no
nan pefore or since has received from q
iouse of the same size. Ii
when we were going back to Des ,
aoihes that night, he said: You see my
Ian Is good one, Bill A story is the
ming to get the people with you But.
70 added, 1 WAS surprised with the sensa.
ion that one created l never knew II 90 ,
70 received that way before.
Neither did /, replied Il told a.
0 them not ten minutes before You did Q
nd IL fell dead by comparison.
= Is that true Masony
" It's as true as Republicanism Il said Z
thought It was singular. Saw
Jill, heproceeded gloomily, ~ You WON'T =
I've 1t away to the boys I'm Des Moines
ity.'" :" '"'
The bull stories are not the only ones
ith which Mr.. Mason points morals and n
iorns his addresses. Far from 1t. He !.
us an endless list, and when he shakes
is name and walks out on the platform J.
man may tell when the laughing will d
'ase. One story he frequently offers as n
Illustration OF an argument is the warn
10 oy mark Twain. One Sunday, when ~
'ey were boys, Twain and his brother do. 9,
'u inc paternal restraining order and | al
emu swimming. Fifteen minutes after
eir return from the river the fatber T.
usht personal interview with the
,other ana urgently busted his jocket
ioh ranrod, all In the interests of re-
I'm ana the proper observance of tho n,
sbbath. VI '"o al
don't see why the old man whipped p'
Q, said the victim. 'rNN
ts wrong to go swimming Sunday"
piled Mark.
wei, you went too. Why didn't no
md you out oneP"
because made up my mind To con.
IS, and told him about IT. ca
he should have licked you inst tho ID
me- argued the boy with the warm IN
de- WIZ war" ca
He might have done It." said tbe ,y,s.
Ark, "ont. you see, didn't confess ON -.
Times Herald. vi
.-------- or
THE MEN WHO BUY NOT. in,