The herald., 1896-07-12
ACQUAINTED NTH BRYAN
Citizens of Los Angeles
Who Know Him
TWO OF HIS Old C0LL@ CHOMS
They Have Nothing but Words
of Praise
WHAT DR.. H. B. WING SAYS
Bry an Was the Champion Orator OF His
WHAT DR.. II. B. WING SAYS
Bry an Was the Champion Orator OF His
Class
A Farmer Who Thought the foung Cicero
Was Crazy
Rev. A. W. Rider commsnds the Manhood OF
His Old Schoolmate-The Candidate Is
Considered . Statesman Rather
Than q Politician

Among Hon. William ]. Bryan's ac-
quaintances in Los Angeles are two OF
his collegemates-Dr. Horace B. Wing
and Rev. Arthur B. Rider. pastor of Me-
mortal Baptist church. These gentle
men speak in the highest terms of praise
of the Democratic nominee for president.
Said DR.. Wing yesterday:
my acquaintance with Mr.. Bryan be-
gan in 1875 at Whipple academy, a pre-
paratory school for Illinois college at
| Jacksonville, Ill. He entered the acad-
emy about one year after I did, so
was in the class ahead of him, but I
| came much in contact with the youthful
orator and learned to know him quite in
timately. He entered college after COM
pleting the academical course, and was
graduated, according to the best Of my
recollections, in 1881. He afterwards took
course in the Union College of Law,
branch of the Northwestern Univer-
sity at Chicago, graduating from that
institution in 1888 He then settled down
to the practice of law at Jacksonville.
and after few years removed to Lin
coin, Neb., as affording better field for
a young lawyer. The next heard of
him he was elected to congress. and the
country is familiar with his history since
| then.
! "At school Bryan was conspicuous for
his penchant for oratory. He made that
and politics a special study. it being then
already his declared purpose to make
craftsmanship his vocation. He was
young man of splendid character and
firm resolve, and, knowing his ability
and determination, I fully expected to
hear of his preferment in political life
in after years, but I was hardly prepared
to see him rise to such eminence so sud-
denly.
He is indebted. perhaps, to his father
for the foundation of his correct char
acter, and he also. no doubt, inherited
some of his fathers ability, for the elder
! Bryan-Hon. Silas j. Bryan of Salem,
| Ill.-was a man of note in Southern Illi
nois. Besides being circuit Judge for
number of years. he was also at one
time a member of the state senate. He
was regarded a just judge and an up
right. brainy man, so it is not to be Won
dered at that the son was started right
in life.
II heard Bryan speak many times in
| class exercises and orato6cal contests.
He was always considered to be one of
| the colleges ableso orators. In his jun
ior year he took the first prize in oratory.
1t was rule that junior who took frs
prize could not compete for the oratori
cal prize in his senior year. Owing to
his marked ability he was chosen to
represent his college in one of the inter-
collegiate contests. with what result 1
| do not remember. but I am confident
that he acquitted himself with credit to
himself and the college he represented.
Young Bryan's zeal in perfecting
| himself in ora tory may be illustrated by
| laughable incident which occurred
while he was at college at Jacksonville.
While pursuing his studies he boarded
with a cousin of his father, who lived on
a farm on the outskirts of town. One of
his favorte haunts was a wooded pas
| ture, where he frequently went to re-
| hearSe his orations. One day while de-
claiming to an imaginary audience in
| a remote part of the Seld picnic party
came along, and were about to enter at
| the gate, when an excited neighbor
rushed up and exclaimed:
Don't go in there. Yonder is crazy
man. He comes here often, beats the air
with his arms and talks to himself. If
you would save trouble. I advise you
| to go elsewhere to hold your picnic, as
there is no telling what that crazy fell
low over there might take it into his
head to do
"It is needless to say that the picnick-
ers hied themselves to pastures new,
while BRYAN continued his rehearsal un-
| molested.
while not agreeing with Mr.. Bryan
| on the silver question: must testify to
/ his honesty and charming personality.
| He Is exceedingly magnetic and agree
| able He is a sterling friend and also
a good fighter. but when whipped can
take defeat good-naturedly, As a mat
ter of fact. defeat is not in his vocabu-
larry, for he never knows when he is
| whipped. Should he fail to attain the
| presidency he will not be crushed, for he
is man who cannot be discouraged"
A PREACHERS PRAISE.
Rev. Arthur w. Rider who is Mr..
| Bryans Junior by several years, but
who was with him in Illinois college,
| said
My recollection is that Mr., Bryan
came to Illinois college in 1879. He took
rank Immediately as a scholar, espe-
cially ash speaker He took the first
prize for oratory in his junior year and
| represented the college in the inter-
| collegiate oratorical contest during his
senior year. He comes of good family,
and ! have always known him as a
straightforward, honorable fellow. I
learned to known him intimately when
| i was secretary of the Young Mems
Christian Association. Of which he was
a director He attended the meetings of
the association regularly andtook great
interest in the work. I dol not hesitate
to say that he is one of the cleanest
men, morally that ever knew. 1t is a
credit to both the great parties, I think.
that they have selected clean. moral
| Christian gentlemen for their standard
bearers in this campaign Major Nc
Kinley do not know personally, but [
hear him commended for his exemplary
domestic life. The same can be said for
Mr BRYAN, and in saying it of him 7
know whereof 7 speak. Ever since I
have known him he has been consis-
tent member &c the Congregational de-
| nomination His domestic ties are of
the hapiest nature. I knew him when
he was courting his present wife and it
was pure love match. Mrs. BRYAN is
an intellectual woman in full sympathy
with her husband and his work, She
read law and was admitted to the bar
after they We're married, not for the
purpose OF practising. but that she
might be Of help tc her husband in the
preparation Of his briefs, etc.
Mr.. Bryan's ability as a speaker man.
| Tested itself early. He erasns a snhiact