Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1903-03-14
ORATORY CAST SPELL
REMARKABLE POWER OF SER
GEANT SMITH PRENTlSS.
Mississippi's Most Famous Adopted
Son Swayed His Audiences at His
WiII-Was Great, Brilliant and Re-
sourceful.

S. s. Prentiss was born in Portland,
Me-, Sept 80, 1908. He was descended
from an old and distinguished family,
which came to America in 1910. One
of his paternal aunts married Nathan
iel Hancock and they were the great
grandparents of John Hancock, the fa-
nous president of the Continental
Congress. When the family left Eng
land the name was spelled Prentice,
but was changed to ssPrentiss'' by an
old minister, Joshua Prentice, and
thereafter all the descendants of Hen
ry of Cambridge adopted the change.
(The great George D. Prentice of the
old Louisville Courier was undoubted-
ly of the same blood.)
Sergeant s. Prentiss was reared un-
der the tutelage of the Rev. Edward
Payson, man of extensive learning
and cultivation. Doubtless the subtle
influences of that man gave tone and
shape to the ambition which opened
up the matchless mind of the boy
When boy Mr.. Prentiss was admired
for his noble, beaming countenance
fine eyes, frank expression and keen
wit, and that intellectual fire which
in subsequent years was wont to flash
like sheets of lightning was predicted
by the old and knowing folks of the
vicinity.
After Mr.. Prentiss had finished
school he studied law in the little
town where his family resided, but
the opportunities there were too small
for a great mind like his, and he de-
cided to go West. Arriving at Gin
cinnati in September, 1927, he made
the acquaintance of several gentlemen,
to whom he impaired his wish to OBJ
tain a position in some school and at
the same time pursue his studies. For
tunately for him, doubtless, and GER
tainly SO for Mississippi, he met two
gentlemen from Natchez, who per-
suaded him to go South. He soon
found an ideal place, where he en-
gagged to teach the children of Mrs.
Shields, near Natchez. Judge Shields
had died, leaving one of the finest
law libraries in the state, which Mrs.
Shields gave young Prentiss the en-
tire use of. Joseph D. Shields, one of
the children whom he taught during
his work there, in writing about Mr..
Prentiss said: 1T is my opinion that
he almost memorized the library. At
any rate, he mastered the contents of
every book in it,
Along the scope of that great river
the name of Prentiss became house
hold word from Louisville to New Or
leans. No man ever possessed so
completely the love and admiration of
the people, and probably no one can
ever hope to do so. AS an orator and
debater he had no peer, as a patriot
he never disappointed those whom he
professed to love.
Lovab1e and gentle as he was, no
man could endure his sharp wit and
keen sarcasm when he was aroused in
debate.
Few men ever possessed the perfect
features of S. S. Prentiss, and it is
doubtful if any man at any time pos
sessed such a brain as his. After he
entered politics he met in debate the
ablest men of that day, and from his
earliest contests was more than a
match for any of them. The strength
and purity of the man was fathomless.
He was great and brilliant and re-
sourceful, because he could not be
otherwise.
On one occasion he was employed to
defend a case before the State SUI
preme Court at Jackson. Gen. Quit
man was his associate in the suit. By
an unavoidable circumstance he did
not reach Jackson until late in the
afternoon, while the attorney general
was speaking, but he plunged into the
subject and changed the whole aspect.
Judge Guion, in referring to his speech
said: ITO hear him was like standing
on the prairie at night, listening to the
wind making melody through the
grasses
While he spoke, every man in the
room arose to his feet, even the
judges. His words, resonant with
meaning, struck a new melody upon
every ear, and he won.
Mr.. Prentiss never learned the mys-
terry of his match1ess oratory. His
power was as unknown to himself as
it was to his friends. He never for
got anything he read or heard, and
there was no element of oratory that
his genius did not supply He died in
this city in 1850, but his body reposes
in the soil of Mississippi, near the
majestic river and among the people
he loved so well.-New Orleans Plea
yune-