A SAMPLE "WORKING MAN'S" ORATOR.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3090, 13 January 1879, Page 2

A SAMPLE "WORKING MAN'S" ORATOR.

" Feller-citizens," said he, " I'm a hard-fisted bod of toil. I'm a bricklayer by trade, and not a bit ashamed of it. No sir; I wasn't born with a silver spoon into my mouth, or cradled in the lap of luxury. I'm a self-made man, gentle- ;'; man." "You'd better hare let out the job," remarked a voice in the rear of the hall. He scorned to notice the interrup. tion, but proceeded, " Yes, feller-citizens, I'm proud of baring risen by honest in- . dustry, prond of appearin' to solicit your suffrage as a true representative of labour; as one of which has contributed to build up this community by the sweat of his brow, and the work of his hands. (Applause.) As I was saying, I'm a bricklayer by trade., Tre worked to raise more than half the palatial mansions, magnificent commercial structures, and hearen-pointing. spires which-beautify and adorn our town. (Great enthusiasm.) And here, right here, gentlemen, are the identical tools with which I hare carved out my way to prosperity." Here the orator examined a trowel and hammer amid deafening plaudits. "Pass 'em this way," said an • excited listener, evidently belonging to the working class; "let me gaze onto ■- them relics." The tools were handed to him, and he scrutinised them with deep interest. " You say you work as a bricklayer P " said he, turning sharply to the orator. " Yes." " And with them tools P " " Yes, sir; those are the very tools I bought when I made my first start as a journeyman. To them I owe my prosperity. 1' "Well, then, I must say * you deserve great credit. So does any man who could lay bricks with such weapons. Gentlemen," turning to the audience, "just look at 'em. It's a gardener's trowel and a carpenter's hammer 1"

An English lady at the Court of Vienna with whom an " Imperial Highness" danced three times on the same evening, flattered by his attention, frankly expressed her gratification at the compliment. " I did not intend it as a compliment," was the answer. " Then," said the lady, " your Highness must be very fond of dancing." " I detest dancing," was the unsatisfactory response. "What, then, may I ask, can be your Imperial Highness'a motive for dancing P " " Madame," was the exalted personage's ourt reply, " my medical attendant advises me to perspire.

It is told of Daniel Webster that he was fishing one day when meditating his Bunker Hill speech. As he pulled up a tautog of phenomenal weight and corresponding age he imagined it to be an old soldier of the Bevolution, and holding it up before him, dangling on the hook, he apostrophized it th«g: " Venerable man ! Thou hast come down to us from a former generation. We welcome thee to the light of this auspicious day."