Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-09-04
.NUI[NT'S AEFL|C1|0N
WELL KNOWN PRIEST LOSES
THREAD OF DISCOURSE DUR.
ING LECTURE.
UNABLE TO PROCEED
AFTER SEVERAL EFFORTS
Puts Speaker and audience in an I'm.
pleasant situation-TroubIe Attrib-
uted to ovsrworkins Of Mental Fac.
ulties-F.ther Nusent's Physical
Condition Unimpairsd.,
Special 20 Times-Republican.

Special 20 Times Republican
Missouri Valley, Sept. Anxiety
over the condition Of Father Nugent,
who suffered a singular attack while
speaking at the chautauqua here, has
been relieved somewhat by the receipt
of telegram stating that he had prac-
tically recovered since his return to
Des Moines.
Father Nugent was apparently in the
best of health and vigor when he began
his lecture on 'The Philosophy Of
Civilization" and had made a number
of oratorical FIGHTS when he became
strangely affected. Suddenly he halted
IN his speech. He stepped to the stand
and took drink of water. Resuming
his position he would proceed, or rather
attempt to do 50, but he did not, could
not. Again taking sip Of water and
resuming his position in the center of
the platform, he attempted to go on but
failed.
The situation was incredible to the
hundreds of people in the chautauqua
tent. The silence was oppressive and
the situation most tense. Father Mug
ent was unable to proceed word. The
embarrassment, most painful to both
him and his audience became more and
more so every second. Father Nugent
made reference to the situation for the
first time, having previously, it appears
believed the trouble only momentary
and that he would be able to proceed.
In his own language "the trolley had
slipped
He asked a moment of time assuring
the people that the thread would soon
be caught up again. Taking his hand
kerchief and saturating it with cold
water he 'bathed his forehead. But it
was of no use. He could not catch up
the thread. It eluded him completely.
The situation became more and more
tense. The platform managers brought
the people to their feet and song was
sung. Happy thought. It would relieve
Father Nugent of some of his embar-
rassment and would help him from his
predicament.
But alas. At the conclusion Of the
singing thes peaker once more essayed
to go on, but he could not At this
juncture Judge Boreman, the lecturer
of the evening program, sprang for
ward and relieved the tension in a ring
ing talk Of three minutes. In the
meantime Father Nugent, unknown
save to those directly in the front seats,
had been assisted from the platform
and he did not go back. It was a COM
plete lapse of memory.
The remarkable incident has been the
talk of the community. That a man of
Father Nugent's stature and robust APP
pearance could suffer from lapse OF
memory even temporarily, was to the
auditors a mystery, an uncanny mys-
terry. For twenty years upon the lee
ture platform Father Nugent Is one of
the most striking characters in the
state. His trouble had every appear
ance and indication Of being unusual
and most serious and his friends have
been worried. He showed no indication
Of physical collapse, only mental, and
that was complete so far as the sub
ject in hand.
TO friends before the lecture Father
Nugent complained of feeling tired and
drowsy. It is believed that he has been
oyerWorSing