The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-06-07

sense knew this. We Gnothautlians all
did
Somehow l felt that this was my
chance to do a great deed for my So
ciety, not by Grating for 1.-THE idea
gave me cold shivers-but by putting
some kind of crimp in the Adelphi
programme This was a most uncom-
Portable feeling to have, because | didn't
have the slightest idea how to carry 1t
out No crude methods, like putting
bisulphide in the hall or cutting OF the
heat, would do. That would I've like
winning a race by hi",ng some one to
held ones rival. had to make Adelphi
smear up its own meeting.
1t was an awful ambition. I was al
ways cursed by plans five sizes too
large for me. They kept me feverish
and out of condition half the time.
I tried to tell this plan to go lie down
and let me alone. 1t was keeping me
awake nights. But IL wouldn't. II
hung around and sat on the edge OF my
bed and got me hollow eyed and 80 ner-
vous that got to wandering around
the town nights to get away from my
self That was how I happened to
tumble into an entertainment in
little church In the south end.
1t was being given 10y church liter
airy socety--every one had literary So
Cicties in Jonesvile--and as soon as I
heard the extempore speaker I began to
get all prickly and pcrspiring. This
was the first + IN .om of n great Idea
with me.
The extempore speaker was very
young man with wavy hair and a flow
of words that made Niagara sound
t"!ckly in comparison. He was a natural
orator. Any one within three blocks
could tell that They told me as he
Numbered that he could speak on any
subject, and that his word pictures were
marvellous. They told me also that
they always put him on at the end Of
he programme. in order that the aud
fence might leave when II got enough,
for the young man had no terminal
facilities whatever.
Beyond this one fault he was n fine
sp akcr, they declared, and | admitted
It as | listened to him. lie rode meta
rhors and SMILES as soaringly as the
earle rides the gale. He plunged into the
past and drew out hundreds OF years OF
history at a grab. He rose shriekingly
to denunciation and sank gracefully into
poetry. lie was unconquerable and I'M
quenchabe; also his grammar was most
interesting.
stayed until most of the society had
gone. and when ! left ! was happy The
| young man was still speaking. and each
hoarse wAoop which followed me down
the street made my idea seem more
dazzling.
The freshman speech was one of the
features Of our open meetings. 1t gave
| each society a chance to parade its
most promising freshman orator. Us
ually 1t was acclaimed with a great
fury and as much eloquence as the
youngster could muster. We all laughed
at these speeches-you couldn't help
laughing at the wildly revolving arms
but we took deep interest in them
for these boys were future college ora
tors and debaters, and whenever a So
ciety had an infant phenom it gave him
full swing at its open meeting.
This year there We're no phenoms on
either side. ! was resigned to this fact
as far as Gnothautil was concerned. but
| was desperately anxious to round out
Adelphi's programme. IL only Adelphi
could have this young man to begin its
open meeting I didn't seem to care
who closed it. They might even import
their Senator alumnus IL they choose
II would give me great pleasure to see
him wait his turn.
took my large new idea home with
days. But 1t didn't hatch II was
fine idea, but the shell was too thick
To begin with. the boy wasn't in college.