Part 35 (1/2)

As the last words were spoken, I leaned over and grasped the rope fastened to the flag that enveloped the statue The flag parted on either side and was removed by the attendants The statue stood revealed in all its beauty under the shade of the great elms of the Mall

Mr Depew concluded his eloquent oration with the folloords:

”We are here to erect this statue to his s to America and to the people of every race and cliave succeeding generations the opportunity for life and liberty

We, the heirs of all the ages, in the plenitude of our enjoyality of the favors showered upon us, hail Columbus our benefactor”

xxxVI A PLATFORM NOT DANGEROUS TO STAND UPON

A CITIZEN WHO LONGED TO BE A MEMBER OF THE MISSOURI LEGISLATURE--A COMMITTEE APPOINTED BY A MEETING OF HIS FRIENDS--DIFFICULTY IN ARRANGING THE PLATFORM--THE RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED UNANIMOUSLY

The builders of political platforms, which uniforlean a valuable suggestion fro incident related by Governor Knott In the county in the good State of Missouri in which his fortune was cast for a while, there lived and flourished, in the ante-bellu-continued yearning was to be a islature So intense, indeed, had this feeling becoth openly declared that he ”would rather go to the Missouri Legislater, than to be the Czar of Roosky” And in passing, it may here be safely adht make this declaration in these early years of the twentieth century

Following the exa to public office, Mr Rodes called aof his party friends in his precinct, to the end that his ht be successfully launched After the accustoanization had been effected, a committee of five, of which our aspirant was chairman, was duly appointed to prepare and present appropriate resolutions

The co in the rear of the schoolhouse, leaving the convention in session No rattling orator being present to arouse the enthusiase, wearied by the delay, at length despatched a er to expedite, if possible, the labors of the coer found the co The resolutions had failed to , with pencil in hand, and gazing pensively upon a blank leaf before him, seemed the very picture of despair Upon a second ad, that adjournment would immediately take place unless the resolutions were reported, the committee hastily concluded its labors and, preceded by the chairman with document in hand, solemnly returned to the place of assembly

The resolutions, two in nureat enthusiasures as follows, to-wit:

”(1) Resolv that in the declaration of independence and likewise also in the constitution of the united states, we recognize _a able and well ritten document,_ and that we are tetotually oppose to the repeal of airy one of the aforesaid instru

Resolv:

”(2) that in our fellonsman, Solomon P Rodes, we view a onest islater”_

xxxVII ANECDOTES OF GOVERNOR OGLESBY

OGLESBY'S GREATNESS IN DISCUSSING QUESTIONS CONNECTED WITH THE REBELLION--HIS WORK IN THE MEXICAN AND CIVIL WARS--HE VISITS THE ORIENT--FAILS TO FIND OUT WHO BUILT THE PYRAMIDS

Few ree of popularity than did the late Governor Oglesby of Illinois He hole-souled, genial, and at all tihtful of con orators when slavery, rebellion, war, and reconstruction were the stirring questions of the hour In the discussion of these once vital issues, with the entire State for an audience, he ithout a peer But when they were relegated to the domain of history and succeeded by tariff, finance, and other coreatly haone

Cold facts, statistics, figures running up into the ave little opportunity for the play of his wonderful iination

In his second race for Governor, in a speech at Blooton, he said, in a deprecatory tone: ”These Dehtn't to do that They can't possibly understand it The Lord's truth is, fellow-citizens, _it is about all we Republicans can do to understand that question!”_

He was a gallant soldier in the Mexican and in the great Civil War, and in the latter achieved distinction as a co, McNulta, Fifer, Rowell, and others as listeners, he once graphically described the first battle in which he was engaged Turning to his old-time comrade, McNulta, he said: ”There is one supreme moment in the experience of a soldier that is absolutely ecstatic!” ”That,” quickly replied McNulta, ”is the very ets into battle”

”No, daets out!”_

In his early e extended even to Egypt, up the Nile, and to the Holy Land

Few persons at the tilesby's descriptions of the wonders of the far-off countries were listened to with the deepest interest With both ination in their prime, it can easily be believed that those wonders of the Orient lost nothing by his description Soon after his return he lectured in Bloohted, especially with his description of the Pyramids