Evening journal., 1914-05-15
New News Of Yesterday
Col. Bob" IngerSoll'S
Views on GeSticulation
BY Holland.

For some years Col Robert G.
Ingersoll opened his house in Wash
ington, on X street, every Sunday
evening, so that he might welcome
those who cared to share his hospital
ity. Occasionally there were glances
of surprise and other suggestive man
nerisms indicating that the colonel's
visitors thought they discovered there
some queer people. But It was Col
lngersoll's purpose to welcome any
respectable person. He was true
democrat so far as his personal re-
lations with the masses were con-
cerned, although there was no one
who paid higher tribute to the aris-
tocracy which intellect creates.
He moved around among the COM
pany, putting all his guests at their
ease, saying a few kindly words to
each one and making it manifest that
he, more than any one else who was
there, found pleasure In the occasion.
Those we're fortunate who re-
mained after almost all of the guests
We're gone, for they had opportunity
TO hold informal but delightful con-
versation with Col. Ingersoll. Could
a competent stenographer have been
there 10 record in his note book the
wit, the philosophy. and the wisdom
which characterized Col lngersoll's s
conversation and then have published
these remarks, the public would have
learned that Col. Ingersoll was not
only master of oratory and rhetoric,
but that he also had remarkable tai
ent for intimate conversation.
l sat with Col. Ingersoll for an
hour one Sunday evening after nearly
all the guests had departed. The con-
versation turned upon oratory. and
happened to mention to the colonel
that | had heard. only few days be-
fore, that Senator George T.. Hoar,
who represented in part Massachu-
sets in the Senate, had said when
speaking to friend of Edward
Everett that the great orator was
probably the most artificial of all
American speakers, although he had
a wonderful gift of concealing his
artihceA Senator Hoar was quoted as
having said that Edward Everett
practiced his gestures before look
ing glass, studying the proper effect
and the best methods of emphasizing
his thoughts by gesture.
"I don't care what Senator Hoal
says" Col. Ingersoll replied "NC
man ever became a perfect master o.
oratory who resorted to artifice Th'
looking-glass oratOry belongs to thu
early period of our history as a ma
tion. Today the people have discov
cred that it is acting, and discover,
of that kind spoils an oration.
"I will make the one exception
however, to that remark, and that II
that I believe thoroughly in the cul
tivation of the voice. For it Is tn
voice, after all, which is half of thu
equipment of the great orator. Their
are the best of reasons why any on
who intends to speak from a publi
platform should go to the hall ant
test his voice so that he may discove
the acoustics OF the hall Wendell
Phillips. I am told. used to feel, so Z
speak. the oratorium in which he wa
to speak in the first few sentences @
his lecture. 7 myself always test Il
one way or another the acoustic prop
critics of a hall. The right use of th
voice means almost as much to a pub
lie speaker as II does to a singer
But as for practicing posture
before looking glass, that
what a monkey would do. I neve
think of my gestures. They are mad
subconsciously, and some of tn
greatest orators We ever had mad
use Of few If any gestures. That wa
the case of Wendell Phillips"