TEMPERANCE ITEMS.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XIII, Issue 4279, 19 November 1892, Page 3

TEMPERANCE ITEMS.

Mr E. Tennyson Smith.

4TAmong the distinguished visitors flf our sunny shores, few are more "deserving of notice than Mr E. Tenayson Smith, who visits Maeterton next Friday. Some particulars, therefore, concerning the man and his mission will, we are sure, be gladly welcomed by our readers. Mr E, Tennyton Smith is a native of Birmingham, He had the advantage of Christian parentage and a godly training, His family was well connected, and that oiroumstance has not only given him an entry to good society in the colonies, but has enabled him to exerc his influence over high and low with a gracefulness of deportment and gentle persistence of purpose which can only come of education and good breeding, There is nothing in bis conversation, address or life, to offend the most

fastidious, and the stale and unhappy jokes and ungrammatical blunders which sometimes grate on the ears oi a temperance audience are in this

instance oonspiouous by their absence, As a lecturer in England he has |achieved a distinguished position; .jM his work bears the highest en-

dorsement, He has lectured in var-

ious parts of London moro than a hundred times; in hia native town of Birmingham moro than fifty times; also in Liverpool, Manchester, Glasgow, Edinburgh, and the most important towns in tho Kingdom. The Colonial press is unanimous in testifying to Mr Smith's estraordmary success in the colonies. The Illustrated Sydney News says," almost invariably Mr Smith has had erowded houses, and has everywhere been greeted with the utmost enthusiasm;" and at' Wellington recently on four different occasions, the Opera House was paoked, and hundreds turned away from the door. It must be admitted that he is a perfect master of the art of elocution, for while listening to him you cannot realise he jb using other people's words; his stylo is so natural that the vast audiences that have heard him

are entranced and enraptured. There &no need to exhaust the language of I JSjogy in describing Mr Smith's wonderful elocutionary powers. His recitals are their own eulogy, their own description. Once heard, he can never be forgotten. Apropos of Mr Smith's recital on Friday, the following yarn comes from Australia :-A young man of the nil admirari stamp was persuaded to go and hear one of Mr Tennyson Smith's Gough lectures. He was so exceedingly and excessively of the nil admirari stamp that ho would not go until his despairing persuador promised to refund tho money paid for tho tiokot if be did not laugh -or cry during the lecturing process. The lecturer was told of the agreement, and was promised half tho shilling if he could win the. whole, On to the platform ho came,- pale but determined. There, the young man sat in the front row, as cold as a frog and as close as an oyster. Mr Tennyson Smith began—pro-ceeded-tolcl one of bis best stories. Ssign. Mr Smith told a better y, Tho corners of the young l's mouth twitched, and be clasped the chair back conclusively. Mr Smith said to himself: "Up guards, and at 'em,"- and he let fly his best story. The onemy wavered, broke, fled, ind Waterloo was won. Smile I —the young man never stopped smiling. Wreaths and garlands of smiles bung from bis noso, and his oars, and every availablo bohlfaßt. But presently Mr Bnritii grew pathetic, tender. The young man grew seriouß. Hißt What was that 1 Plash! plash I tinkle I tinkle! tubbub— bub—boo—boo—h'do I that callous, cold-hearted young man wept I The shilling wbb accordingly collected and sixpence in stamps forwarded to |he Jectttrer, the witw rem»?kin^

" water lias ever been a scarco commodity in arid South Australia but I never knew it go at a shilling a drop before. Mr Tennyson Smith had the sixponce gilded and drilled to wear oil his watch chain as a souvenir. Now, it would take a good deal lo thrill a Masterton audience in this fashion; but it is only fair to say that Mr Tennyßon Smith comes to the trial with belter chances than most, We may, however, add that we cannot hold out any prospect of tho mouey being returned to the pklegmatio individuals who may manage to pre. serve au entirely unmoved expression while others around are moved to tears or convulsed with laughter,