The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-08-25
TALES OF CLOAK-ROOM
 TOLD BY CHAMP CLARK
Orators as a Rule Speak on Their HObbieS-PrOfeS- SiOnd and Amateur SpellbinderS- George
 W. Baiu on the Platform.

| the first circus that ever appeared in Allen county. Ky, an African lion was advertised as one 1.-the attractions It was stated in the bills that it was ths first ever brought to America. When the show opened, among other things the ringmaster said: Ladies and gem tiemen. in this cage is magnificent African lion. Behold him in all his majesty and ferocious glory. He is the king of beasts and can easily whip any of the animal kingdom" When he got that far in his oration," said Colonel Bain. "a great tall. muscular Kentuck- ian arose and roared. Hey. mister, do you say that that lion can whip any sort of animal?' Yes replied the lion keeper. with great pomposity. We'll drawled the Kentuckian, I'll bet you $5 that have an animal that can lick him.! I won't let the lion fight for $5. Make it s25 and I'll go you. provided you tell me what sort of animal 1t is.' All right replied the Kentuckian as he put up the money. it's a warm burger" So the match was made. The Kentuckian left the tent, but soon re- turned with a sack upon his shoulder, concealed in which was his 'warmhur- ger. He opened the sack and out of 1t emptied into the lions cage a huge snapping turtle. The lion walked up to
 
 ly proceeded to smell the 'warsnbur- ger,' alias the turtle. The latter grab bed the king of beasts by the-nose and held on like grim death. The lion tried to tear 1t off with his claws, but could not and finally began whining piteous- ly. Take it off yelled the lions keep CT. The money is yours You take him off" nonchalantly replied the tri- umphant kentucaian. You smell 'warmburger' to test his genuineness Try the same method on any young man you suspect of drinking"
 Sitting under the sade of the trees between two sessions of the Chautau- qua, some one cad from a paper how Mrs. Kennedy. on trial for murder at Kansas City. threw herself upon the mercy of the court Colonel Bain said: That reminds me of an old colored brother down in Kentucky, who was harnessed up before justice of the peace for some misdemeanor. The jus tice. who knew him well, said. Pom pey, have you any lawyer?' No, sah,' replied Pompey. I'll jist throw my self on de ignorance of dis heah cote
 In his lecture he said: An Irishman rushed into the office of a justice of the peace and exclaimed in great excite ment: Yer honor. there's man out there says he's going to kill me! He showed me the pistol with which he intends to do it! Please have him ar restedl' No use to do that, Pat. If he kills you we will have him hanged oh. judge. responded Pat, and if it phases yer honor, couldn't you have him hanged before he kills me, so can attend the hanging?"
 "Poeta nascitur non fit." C'The poet is born. not made'D, is the old saying. Thesame remark is largely true of or ators, but a, man may possess the or atorical gift and not know it. For many years that was the case with Colonel Bain. The chances are that, if the meeting had never been held in Boston to denounce the slayers of Love- joy. Wendell Phillips might never have discovered his great power as an orat- or. Likewise if a great temperance wave had not swept over the blue grass region of Kentucky about quar- ter of a. century ago, Colonel Bain might and probably would have gene on to his dying day unconscious of the fact that he belongs to the tribe of silver tongued orators.
 Colonel William c. P. Breckinridger himself a renowned practitioner of the art of DemostheneS and Cicero, once told me in the House of Representatives at Washington how Bain got to lec- turing. George w. Bain was a brave young Confederate soldier" said the colonel. When the war closed he set- tied at Lexington and was engaged 9n the mercantile business. A temper ance agitation was started. One night Bain was called on for some remarks and did so well that he surprised him. self and all who heard him. The pa- pers complimented him. He began to receive invitations to speak at school houses in Fayette county. His speeches constantly and rapidly grew better. At first he received no compensation - not even expenses. Then he received ex- pense money; then So and expenss. The temperance agitation spread- Bain's fame grew, and his compensa- ton increased until he is one Of the best paid and most famous platform orators in America"
 Perhaps Colonel Brecknridges story of Bains rise aN an orator may en- courage some tiEnid lad to plume his oratorical wings for' flight with the soaring eagles of eloQuence.