The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-01
LILLY s. STALNAKER.

great deal of attention. AS far as oratory
was concerned she was not a success. She
recited her piece like a child chanting a
Mother Goose rhyme, and was as cold and
S Indifferent as & statue The lecture had
been written for her and was a rather in
tereSting paper on current topics. But no
one ever went to hear the beautiful orator
a second time. She finally married and
never spoke in public again to my knowl-
edge"
"a striking example of a woman whose
speeches were dramatic and impassoned
and who was one Of the most celebrated
of woman orators this country has ever
known was SOjourner Truth, a negro lee
turer and reformer. She had neither beau
ty nor education, but her work for the
down in history. She was a slave, but was
freed in 1877, when New York State liber-
ated her slaves who were over forty years
of age. SO as she did not die until 1888
she must have lived good deal over a CEN
fury. l can recall one incident, just after
the war, when at woman's suffrage meet
ing a young clergyman was holding forth
on the audacity and folly of womans ask
ing for a vote. Among other touching allu-
sions he made was one to mans chivalry.
Then suddenly from her seat near the plat
form rose the tall gaunt figure of Sojourn-
er, her black face alight with Indignation,
and, drawing up the sleeves of
her cotton gown, she said, in
her great, ringing voice: Look
at these scars, honey. They were made
by man. and amt L a woman? Look at
these marks cut INTO my flesh with a whip.
Is that what you call chivalry? The young
minister stammered and flushed and sat
down, and the eX-saVe delivered a speech
which thrilled even the opinionated little
minister
Mrs Black considers that women are not
as irresponsible in their statements as are
. men. They have tact and they study their
subjects very carefully before they talk
about them. AS impromptu speakers they
are better than men, because men will talk
against time. If a woman has nothing to
say she will sit down, but a man will falter
and stumble and go back and hem and haw
and finally wind up where he began with
out having said one sensible thing.
LAS to being in the hmOr for speaking.
I admit that there is a great deal in that,
she said Il made speech in Colorado one
night that, If | may be permitted to say so,
was so good that not only the church in
which I was speaking was crowded, but the
doors and windows were opened and people
stood in the churchyard all around as far
as my voice could be heard, and when ii
was over I could, with difficulty make my
way through the applauding people. The
next evening l was in DeS Moines. tired
and worn out. L gave the same lecture
and had large audience, but / am quite
sure that when ! left the platform, more
than one person dubbed me most unin-
teresting person. simply was too weary
to appeal to them or to rouse them.
II do not like q speech that is entirely
humorous, serious or emotional. / think
all three should be skillfully blended. Per-
sonaIly / am never satisfied unless | have
made people both laugh and weep. A little
pathoS puts people in receptive and SYM
pathetic frame of mind. and funny story
will often carry a point where mere state
ment OF facts will not be understood. A
short speech or an impromptu speech at a
dinner, etc, should never be other than
funny. An anecdote or an amusing little
incident briefly told is far more appropriate
when one has but few minutes to speak
than an incoherent attempt TO say some
thing very proud. The short speech should
always be amusing, and the women's clubs
speeches would be better if a little lighter
in tone. brief and funny.