The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-12-09
~ETON.THoMPsON LECTURES.
Talk of the "Wid-AnimaI MAN. as
entertaining as His Books.

Pittsburg Post.
As a lecturer Mr.. Thompson is incom-
| parable. Others are as eloquent, and in
e~locution pleasing, but he brings a moral
before his hearers that he does not label.
Insensibly it strikes the mind and presses
forcibly upon il. 1t is not the repeated re-
cital of composed effort on some historical
character, or period Of literature or art,
but it was the naturalists plea for his
friends of the mountain and wood, told
even more irresistibly than he writes it.
The lecture had as its theme, Animals
as 1 Have known Them" The stereopti-
con slides were superb, the color effects
being as exquisite as the Photographic
clearness itself. Mr.. Thompson first showed
slides Of birds in their bright plumage, and
described their habits. He told of the
bigamous oriole. found by proper coinci-
dence in Utah. where the male had mated
twice, and the second spouse had built her
| nest below the first. Then pictures of dogs
and cats, with most quizzical whiskers and
tapping ears, were thrown on the screen,
and these inspired the author to tell anec-
dotes of the favorite domestic animals.
Detail after detail was ratified off in his
pleasant baritone voice, never a word being
missed by the auditor, however far away.
He described the protective color arrange
ment animals ENJOY. Ihey turn gray 1ur
toward companions Of their own species,
but If scent of danger is had. then the
white and black colors are shown by light
ming change methods. He dwelt some time
on this interesting phase of animal life.
But he was impatient to break away
from the farm and the woods adjoining
and the fauna known in the central belt
of States. He did pause to throw a scene
on the huge white sheet showing simply
various kinds of tracks made in the snow.
Then he mlmicked how his dog, Ranger,
would bark and bay as he trailed and
freed each distinct specimen OF game
that the locality was known to possess.
Here Mr.. Thompson,s powers of i'm
itating the calls and cries. songs, bel
were first disclosed, and his hearers lis
tened to his reproduction of the minstrel
sy of the forest, or prairie, with amaze
ment. 1t wassnot the mimicking OF the
stage. 1t was the real artist singing like
a bird because he had felt and loved the
song.
Norway and recounts with the vivid.
nervous style OF his books a stag hunt.
1t is a picturesque story. He is a student.
n r,and h, a : faay AT the sr lnni WITH duae a m;ay
a "revolvair," start out into the dense
forest With. a lamp chimney
sends the believing challenge OF the stag.
He answers and comes plunging along
only 10 stop when he detects the human
faint in the air. Rapidly the story moves
toward an unsupported climax. All are
ilSSthiuS LttChAit " III 5ChA - biC Jill
mans powder horn of stories. The comic
element is thrown in, flashes OF wit are
thrown out, with the timid women as the
victims. AT last Thompson shoots the stag
with the Frenchman's pistol. 1t Is all told
I'm a few minutes, but ii Is a whole book,
graphic. thrilling.
One of the most beautiful pictures ex-
hibited during the evening was OF a deer
in the rushes, a camera achievement by
George Shiras, of Pittsburg, which gained
the gold medal at the Paris exposition.
Here was the turning point OF the lecture.
Now Mr.. Thompson began his plea for
hunting with the camera He emphasized
how fast wild game was being extermi-
| mated and advocated throwing aside the
gun The pleasure of the true sportsman
was in the finding and the view. What
profit in the carcass? Landseers Monarch
OF the Glen" was a ma As;ficent slide shown
at this time. ~
It would be impossible even TO family
suggest all the pleasure afforded by the
lecture. The finale was a weird bit OF word
| painting. not that the verbalism itself was
only beautiful, but the scene depicted, the
wolf howls initiated. made an outburst that
was poetry, painting. rhetoric and chiefly
humanity, combined. II was his story OF a
midnight visit 10 the great geological park
In Washington. curious 10 know how the
wolves and coyotes acted during the moon
| light. Mr.. Thompson stood by their wire
fence while they were asleep In their