Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-23
Drawings by Joseph Clement Coll
By JOSIAH
Author of The Psychology and Neurology OF

Drawings Clement
of my Investigations into the physiology of sleep,
and yet, as the hour drew nearer, stronger waxed
within me the fear that should become confused,
lose myself and finally stand gaping speeches., be-
fore my audience. My heart beat violently, its
very strings seemed to tighten, and my breath came
and went as when looks down into a yawning
abyss At last it struck eight AS cast last glance
at my notes, became aware, to my horror that the
chain of ideas broken and the links lost beyond
long periods which l had thought myself able to
repeat word for word all seemed forgotten, swept
away as though it had been.
my anguish reached climax. So great was my
perturbation that the recollection of it is dim and
shadowy l remember seeing the usher touch the
handle of the door, and that as he opened it, l
seemed to feel puff of wind In my face; there
a singing in my ears, and then found myself
table in the midst of oppressive silence though
after plunge a stormy sea, had raised my head
above water and seized hold of rock in the center
of the vast amphitheater.
How strange was the sound of my first words!
My voice seemed to lose itself in great wilderness;
Words fallen from my lips, to trenble and die
away After a few sentences Jerked out almost
mechanically, perceived that had already finished
the introduction to my speech, and discovered with
dlsmay that memory had played me false just at
that point where l had thought myself most sure;
but there was now no turning back, and So in great
confusion, proceeded. The hall seemed enveloped
in mist. Slowly the cloud began to lift and here and
there in the crowd could distinguish benevolent,
friendly faces, and on these fixed my gaze
struggling with the waves clngS to floating spar.
l could discern too the attentive countenances of
eager listeners holding hand to their though
unwilling to lose single word and nodding
sionally in token of affirmation And lastly
myself IN this semlclrce, alone, humbled discour-
aged deJected,-lke a sinner at confession.
The first greatest emotional disturbance over;
but my throat was parched my cheeks burned, my
breath came in gasps, my voice strained and
trembling. The harmony of the period often in
terrupted in the middle by a rapid inspiration,
painfully drawn out, the chest compressed to
lend force to the last words of sentence. But to
my joy, in spite of ALL the ideas began to unfold of
their own accord, following each other in regular
order along the magic thread to which l blindly
chung without backward glance, and which was to
lead me out of the labyrinth. Even the trembling
OF the hands, which had made me shake the instru-
ments and drawings l had from time to time to
exhibit, ceased to last A heaviness crept my
whole body, the muscles seemed stfen, and my
knees shook.
Toward the end felt the blood begin to circulate
again A few minutes passed. of which / remember
nothing save great anxiety. My trembling voice
had assumed the conclusive tone adopted at the
close of speech was perspiring, exhausted, my
strength was failing. glanced at the tiers of Seats
and it seemed to me that they slowly opening
in front of me, like the jaws of ready to
devour me the last word should reecho
within it's throat
Dramatist's Speech
THE other description is by Francisque Sarcey,
which translate very freely: MY heart did not
begin to beat violently until the morning of the
great day. was taken with uneasiness which