The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1896-10-09
Highest of all in Leavenng Power-Laes US Govt Report
R3&!aI! g! RskasSl: BskiRS
ABSOLUTELY PURE
ABSOLUTELY PURE
STOLE A SPEECH.

Back in the campaign of 1876 | was
making tour of the west with Oliver
P. Morton and George Sheridan, one
of the brightest speakers the American
platform has ever known, who accom-
panied him to do the funny business. :"
Senator Morton would usually talk for
an hour-a dull, turgid, heavy discus
sion of the financial problem, followed
by an attack upon the Democrats of
the south for their inhuman treatment
OF the negro. By the time he had fin
ished the audience would be soaked
with wise advice and valuable informa-
ton, but every spark of enthusiasm
would be quenched. Then George
Sheridan would take the platform and
wake them up. For an hour they
would roar with laughter or sit with
their mouths open, fascinated by his
flights of fancy. 1t was rare combi-
nation.
One night, after We had been out for
a couple of weeks, | think at Fort
Wayne, Sheridan said: "Senator, |
want to 60 out into the country with
some friends"
"All right" replied Senator Morton
cheerfully. "You arrange it with the
chairman of the meeting" But when
Sheridan took the platform and began
to deliver Morton's speech, word for
word, as the latter had delivered it
every night for fortnight, the senator
became very uneasy. He gave all Nor
tons arguments against the imitation
Of the currency and in favor Of the re-
sumption Of specie payments; he re-
cited all the statements concerning the
outrages in the south; he repeated all
of the personal "reminiscences of his eX-
periences as governor of Indiana dur
ing the war, which the senator was ac-
customed to work in until the latter
was almost paralyzed with chagrin and
and amazement, and finally, when he
reached point in the discussion ofthe
financial problem where Morton was
accustomed to compare a Pompeiian
gold coin with United States green
back, he turned to the astonished vic
tim of this practical joke and said in
an undertone, "Let's have that coin.'
The senator handed it over without
murmur, and, when Sheridan had re-
cited the eloquent peroation which he
always used at the close of his speech
and had taken his seat, Senator Nor
ton hobbled over to the desk Oh his two
canes and said:
~ am the victim of practical joke.
Realizing the gravity of the issues be-
fore the American people, came into
this campaign with carefully pre-
pared speech, which have delivered
in Mr.. Sheridan's hearing so often that
he has committed it to memory, and he
has delivered it here tonight much bet
ter than could have delivered it. He
also is in the habit of making the same
speech, and l have heard it many times,
but | lack his memory and could not
repeat it to save my life. l will there
fore appeal to him not to punish you
as he has punished me, but to give us
some of his stories"
Then .he great statesman sat down,
thoroughly knocked out. Sheridan re-
sponded and spoke half an hour longer,
with his joke as his text, and after that
if any one suggested his speaking first
Senator Morton would tell this story.
Record.