San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-12-13
Goes Back to College Days Tell OF His Start AS Oratc

introduction was. I think, as ,appro-
pirate as any that / had ever en-
ployed. l learned quite early the wis
dow of beginning that Immediately
catches the attention. / noticed this
in speeches, of which / early became
an eager reader, and observed in Wen
dell Phillips when he delivered his IA
nous lecture, THE Lost Arts" at
Jacksonville. during my student days.
The great orator was in the habit OF
commencing with some reference TO n
local object of interest, which he linked
with his address. DR.. Conwell EN-
ploys the same art in his remarkable
lecture, Acres of Diamonds"
PAUL AS EXAMPLE.
As it is my purpose to make my
memoirs as useful as possible to the
young people who read them, / am
led TO add that Paul Las given tho
public speakers of the world probably
the most perfect illustration of easy
and felicitous entrance on the presen-
tation of theme. His speech at Ath-
ems was before the most critical of his
audiences, and he was especially happy
in selecting an opening phrase which
at once enlisted the attention Of his
hearers.
aye men of Athens, I perceive mat
in all things We are too superstitious, "
he began, and then continued: .
For as 1 passed by, and beheld
your devotions, found an altar with
this inscription: TO the Unknown
Cod Whom, therefore, We ignorantly
worship him declare / unto you"
(Acts, II :22-31.)
My speech began:
"Plutarch tells us that men enter
tain three sentiments concerning the
gods: they fear them for their power,
respect them for their intelligence and
love them for their Justice"
BRYAN is SECOND.
The local paper had a compliment
airy account of my speech. (They gem
orally praised, when they could, the
performances of students) and these
early bits of eulogy are very satisfy
ing to participants in contests, espe-
cially those who fail to win prizes.
L came second, my college hackers
insisting, as college boys are wont TO
do, that should have had first place.
The fifty dollars handed me by the
treasurer of the oratorical assOcia-
ton was the largest sum that l had
earned up to that time.
The first draft upon me was made
for the purchase of an engagement
ring for an intended wife, Miss Mary
Baird. i had waited from June until
October to purchase the ring with
money that 1 had myself earned. 1t
was modest ring, garnet set i'll
gold, but it was sufficient to satisfy
our simple tastes and adorned Mrs.
Bryan's hand until it was lost during
the campaign OF 1896.
/ may say that all the gifts L
bought Miss Baird were bought with
money which I earned, and never
from the allowances given me by my
father. During large part OF my
college days / added to my spending
money by clerking in a hat store
on Saturdays.
NAMED AS ALTERNATE.
At the meeting Of the State Ora
torical Association at Galesburg, l
was selected vice president. and had
charge of the interstate contest which
was held next spring at jackson
vile. As winner of the second prize
/ had the honor Of being alternate,
and would have delivered the Grafton
for our college il for any reason the
winner of the first prize had failed
to appear. In o7der TO be prepared
in case l succeeded in this honor, j
wrote an address on Abraham Lin
coin. but rs Mr.. Erskine. my success
full competitor. was on hand. had
to content myself with helping TO ar