The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-12-19
RALPH PARLEETE TELLS WHY
''''8 A HE IS'A GREAT LECTURER
He Addresses the Stunt Club of the Lyceum
eg Association at One of it's Meetings at Oshkosh
Wisconsin, Clever Piece of Humor


turn reproduced 1t from the rThe
Spectator" publication in Chicago
u Is given because 1t concerns one of
the citizens OF Marion who has gained
quite a wide and envied reputation
upon the lecture platform.
AL a recent meeting of the Stunt
Club of the International Lyceum
Association In Oshkosh, Wisconsin,
Ralph Parlette was asked to address
the club upon the art of lecturing
and the following is what was hand
ed to the members without tongs.
'T have often been asked to ex-
plain the secret Of my marvellous sue
cess on the platform. am modest
and retiring. | would prefer to have
others tell the story, but as they are
too jealous to do 1t, and as | have no
right to keep It back from the thou
sands now struggling to start, III
tell It myself.
"1 owe my stupendous platform
coupled with long years of training
Now, no one may hope to succeed as
j have, because he hasn't the natural
ability, hut he may get some OF the
training.
"My ancestry was unusual. 1t Is
great thing to have an ancestry.
Everyone should have as many an
cestors as he can afford. And great
care should be taken In selecting an
cestors. The market is flooded with
cheap limitations, containing whiskey
and harmful drugs. All my ancest-
ors will stand washing. Ancestors
OF mine have scrubbed the floors for
the first families OF Virginia One OF
my ancestors was janitor in the
Cradle of Liberty, one Of them drove
the bull at Bull Run. Ini fact, the
first man back to Washington from
BAIL Run was an ancestor of mine.
Ancestors of mine are written over
police dockets and inscribed on the
almshouse scrolls. Wherever there
has been any pie to cut, these an
cestOrs OF mine have lined up at the
counter My ancestors have all gone
before me! ! am the whole thing!
The next thing Is my fine natural
appearance. You must have a natur-
al appearance. 1t is rare that such
beauty and grace are combined in the
same person. You notice 1t the min
iite come upon the stage, and II
grows upon you. People always sly
am the limit. | was years Learnt lg
to glide out on the stage. You've fot
10 get that glide. | will glide agdrr
for you. You see something dreamy
and soulful about that glide. Elias
Day comes out as " he had tacks In
his shoes. Alton Packard bobs out
like camel crossing the desert.
Bingham Is top-heayy with a smile.
a am absolutely the only artist in
the business who can glide. Note that
! am come to the front OF tue stage
to get near your hearts. That Is q
great point. Some try to do tab
leau at the back. Some ought to stay
behind the scenery. But ! come
sweeping out to the ragged edge and
take You into my confidence. | put
one foot forward and the other foot
back. That Is another great point.
Suppose | should put both feet for
ward and sit down ON the footlights,
what a panic would follow.
Notice my gestures. paid money
for those gestures, ana carry insur-
ance on them. | am the inventor and
founder OF the whole school OF gest-
ure. Amherst OFT, Emerson and
Byron King cannot even initiate me-
You can see just where every gest-
ure Is screwed on. When | speak the
immortal line, ''The sun in his iri-
descent glory burst FORTH" jab in
10 the atmosphere with confidence.
4 know where the sun bursts forth
and nail him in the act. These Del
sarte disciples wave their hand like
they were afraid to tell where the
burstings Is going on. speak OF the
flowers that paint the laughing soil
and the spires that pierce heavens
blue dome, and thrill you with that
compound fracture that took ,four
years In the elocutionary hospital to
get. Always let your fingers follow
your wrist. That's great point.
Suppose your wrist should go off and
your fingers wouldn't follow
''Now / come to climaNes. There
are a lot OF platform aspirants who
wouldn't know climax from a dill
Pickle. A iclimaxl Is the moment
when the oratorical pot boils over.
Most bahles cry here. You got to
know about cliaxes. There are two
londs OF climaxes-wet and dry.
Thomas 70. Green has brought out
dry climax that needs a rigid spine
and Swoboda, The Guy Carleton Lee
dry climax must be inflated with an
auto pump Governor Handy waves
flag. liobson throws his coat and
exnectoaates at the map of Japan.
leAFather Vaughan does a good wet
climax, and makes It pay dividends,
After tearing out handfus OF the hor-
lion you see him melt into tears.
His tears. .howeyer. are not fresh each
v.foht.-ihav ara salty n ie affact-