The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1898-07-21
How Miss Willard Captured the
School Boys.

Rev Charles A. Savage, In Chrletlan EnueaSof
World
While grief is fresh yet over the loss
of ssthe most loved woman in America,
every incident in her public lie will
have special interest.
One. which has never been published
occurred several years ago, when Tor
short time Miss Willard was an honor
ed guest in my home. -.
It was university town, and Miss
Willard had consented to speak on the
only evening at her command, In the
available church. 1t so happened
however, that, some weeks before, the
students of the university had engaged
the church for that evening for a
Shakespearean reading for which they
had been making elaborate prepara-
ton. The Temperance Union woman
tried to persuade them to change their
entertainment to some other date, but
they we're unwilling to do so, and some
! bad feeling was aroused in consequence.
Miss Willard was then comparatively
unknown, and the students felt atfront-
ed by the effort to get them to change
their plans, and give the right OF way
to a Temperance crank.
I At last 1t was arranged for the Shake
spearean reading to come Off as expect
, ed. onlv shortened somewhat, and that
) Miss Willard should then have the op
, portunlty to speak to the same audi
ence. ,
Many of the students yielded to the
proposition with little grace, and were
t determined to express their dlsapprov
, al. as students can, when the iectur'
should begin.
The elocutionist himself, feeling tina
. he was being thrust into corner
. made several ill-natured illusions t
the entertainment that was to foilov
y after he was through.
The friends of Miss Willard sa
. with no little apprehension through
/, the reading, but she remained as cain
and self possessed as if no storm wa
- brewing.
II When the time came tor her address
- and she was introduced by the paste
" of the church with quiet dignity sh
- stepped to the platform, an In a voic
y clear and musical, with distlnctnes
: and power far sIrpassing that OF tn
=, 81 professional elocutionist who, had pr
= ceded her, began:
I "And what else said the myria'
3 minded Shakespeare? % thou inv
~ ible spirit of wine! If thou hast n
~ name to be known by, let us call the
81 devil
u Never did an orator capture an aud
20 ance more completely. In an lnstal
10 70 the silence was almost deathlike. N
~ another allusion was made to Snake
peare, and not word about the emos
-, RAISING circumstances.
~ But so gracefully was the transltlt
~ made from the subject the audlen
"a had been thinking about to that Will
y filled her soul, so calmly did the spea
~ er face the situation and speedily
IT, come master Of it, that not ripple
disapprobation was heard. Her m;
netic personality cast spell over !.
wv large audience of students, and WI
it characteristic gallantry they ackno
JUS edged their defeat and declared al
of glance to the conqueror.
les For nearly an hour Miss Wiils
The held that audience with Thrilling
7il oouence which, I am sure, she rar
red surpassed. Few in that audience 81
,ur as she did, the demon in the wine G.
he and with tender eagerness and m
ur- netic power she pleaded with tn
en- young men and women as 1or tn
ON lives.
If 30 Shakespeare was made to
of service on a temperance platform 81
om- as he never intended, and the appla
Yet that followed showed how successf'
l'te 1t was done.