Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1901-06-06


lessly and thoroughly to the Gagged sub.
altern, who to escape censure had to-
applaud uproariously and yell: Bra
vo" and you said 'er,' at the end of
every climax.
The historian narrates, and suDse-
quent incidents corroborate his state
ments, that Demosthenes came out of
the cave. But, bless you. he was met
by another difficulty, giddier and more
Fostering than the others. The Athen.
ian girls beheld Demostnenes, that he
was no slouch, and withal a desirable
quantity to have "on the string They
forthwith, after the fashion of girls,
made goo-goo eyes at the orator en-
route, and SO persistently gave him
what George Ade calls the huttering
eye-lid," that to escape their wiles,
and that he might not be overcome and
forced to spend too much time In So
ciety. Demosthenes made himself so
ridiculous by shaving one side of his
head and one side of his upper lip, that
the girls hastily called a convention
and passed resolutions to the effect
that they wouldn't be caught speaking
to the orator on the street for $50.
TO correct his stammering utterance,
he spoke with pebbles or chew
ing gum in his mouth, and
cured himself of Struggling his
shoulders by standing beneath
suspended sword. In case he shrug
ged, his shoulder was cut and this not
being funny, he quit Struggling. To
accustom himself to the tumult and
interruption of the enthusiasts III the
peanut gallery. Demosthenes declaimed
upon the nosiest seashore-and hun
drcds of other trying subjects
Ry this time he could hold an audi
ence pretty well. and seldom, If ever,
was tOrmentcd with cntcalls. or yells
| Of Take IL out Of your mouth" Such
were his Services to Athens that the
people wanted to reward him with Il
City Commssonership but the town
| treasury Being defunct, and the Board
also being made the target Of much crit
iclsm and ridicule. Demosthenes
Strengthened up lii stogie, and took
several puffs before answering, and
then finally, in his dro.l way, told
the citizcns to so plump to with their
gold brick. The crowd then decided to
award golden crown TO the orator
This announcement fell like hot ash
cs upon the feelings of Aeschines, an
other orator, who sald to give him
two weeks for preparation, and he'd
make Demosthenes look like stutter
ing magpie on the stage. He challeng
ed the subject OF this sketch to de
bate to determine which of them was
the better orator. and who was entitled
to the crowd. lhe debate was pullec
off according to advertisement, (set
display ad in another column next Il
reading matter and when Demosthene!
got through Aeschines looked like {
water-color picture of Nothing ia
away. This result SO disgusted Aes
chimes that he not only resigned hi
position as city editor of the Athens
Scatterer, but went into Exile n
Rhodes to remain long enough to tinc
out where he was at, or whether HI
wasn't somebody else. But Time
judiciously applied, healed his wounds
aud he began teaching oratory to SOM
, pupils 10 whom he once read th
speech with which Demosthenes hat
rubbed it into bin. The speech mad
a such hit with the pupils that Aes
+, chimes was recalled several times, ant
finally had 10 acknowledge the corn
:, which he did in this courteous manner
. You should haye heard the wild beas
. HIMSELF "a
b. Ever afterward Dcmosthenes was rt
"a garded as good for his face value |
. any market, and of his orations II
|, said: "Of all human productions the
present to us the models which al
proach the nearest TO perfection"
O Three cheers for Demosthenes..