The leader., 1897-01-13

Hon. Luther Manship, the Rising
Star of Mississippi" as he has been
appropriately dubbed by Governor
Robert Taylor, of Tennessee, was born
in the city of Jackson, where he has
spent the greater part Of his life, and
indeed, has recognized no other home
than here among his own people whom
he has so long known. loved and de-
lighted and by whom his matchless
talents have in turn been always ap-
preciated and.duly honored.
His education was such as his own
active intellect, aided by the city
schools afforded him, and at an early
age he was taken from school and be-
gan the battle of life. His first en-
ployment was with James Barfleld, the
we'll remembered jeweler, This occu-
patton being neither suited to his
tastes nor talents, Mr.. Manship went
to McComb City, Miss, where he
served an apprenticeship in the ma
chine shops there, and was afterwards
made locomotive engineer on the Illi-
nois Central Railroad, in which capac-
ity he served for some time.
During his sojourn among the people
of McComb, he was twice elected Al
derman of the town. After retiring
from the life of engineer, Mr.. Manship
came back to jackson and engaged in
the hardware business and since his
return has been honored by his fellow
citizens in many ways, being at the
present time member of the Board
of Aldermen from the First Ward of
the city, a position to which he has
been five times consecutively elected.
Two years ago Mr.. Manship was
elected to the present Legislature
from Kinds county and at its last ses-
sion distinguished himself in bril-
liant speech on the Reformatory Bill,
an effort which won for him wide-
spread reputation as master of ora
tory. For years past Mr.. Manship has
been repeatedly solicited to take to
the lecture platform, but his modest
answer has been that while he would
at all times willingly respond to the
calls of charity and entertain his own
fellow townsmen to the best of his abil-
ity, yet he feared the cold critical eyes
of strangers.
Recently, however, he visited st.
Paul, Minnesota, where his superior
gifts were not suffered to lay idle and
he was invited to appear at an enter
tainment in honor of the G.. A. r.
meeting. His audience numbered
some ten thousandpeople and although
properly speaking, this may be said to
be his first public appearance, his sue
cess was phenomenal. Here was the
turning point in his career. Here he
reached the tide in his life which he
wisely resolved to stake at the flood"
and that it will lead on to fortune no one
who knows him can doubt. Returning
to Jackson, where the news of his
great success had preceded him, he
found his fellow townsmen more than
ever bent on forcing him to take the
platform. A petition signed by the
most representative citizens was gotten
up urging him to name day upon
which he would give public enter
tainment. History Of that event has
already been written and is now known
all over the State.
There is perhaps not one among the
brilliant galaxy of American entertain
ers who can equal him in the wonder
full range of his talents. This is not an
extravagant claim. Here and there
you may find one who win excel him in
one particular, but none who can equal
him in all; none who possess at ono and
the same time the power to imperso.
nate any character, however difficult
from the sublime to the ridiculous,
none who can dissolve his own person
ality, as it were, and proteus-like as
sumo any shape at will.
In dreamy flights of fancy, in tower
ing passion, in melting pathos, or IN
side-splitting humor he is alike mas
ter artist. The droll and witty Irish
man, the comic Dutchman, the blum
dering Engishman, the ignorant ne
gro, in short any national character Il
so vividly and perfectly burlesqued b,
him as to bring laughter to the mos
splenetic pessimist.
Simple and unassuming in manner
Mr.. Manship never fails to win thu
hearts as we'll as charm the minds o
his hearers.--Jaekson Ereaiag Nssrs.
Mr.. Manship will visit Brookhaye o.
January 18th, and give one Of his inim
table entertainments in the College
Chapel. See announcement elsewhere