Public Speaking: Principles and Practice Part 36

"So Sary went down to the kitchen an' brought up a plateful of hot baked beans. Dock Smith raised Bill up in bed, an' Dock Brainerd put a piller under the small of Bill's back. Then Sary sat down by the bed an' fed them beans into Bill until Bill couldn't hold any more.

"'How air you feelin' now?' asked Dock Smith.

"Bill didn't say nuthin; he jest smiled sort uv peaceful-like and closed his eyes.

"'The end hez come,'f said Dock Brainerd sof'ly; 'Bill is dyin'.'

"Then Bill murmured kind o' far-away like; 'I ain't dyin'; I'm dead an'

in heaven.'

"Next mornin' Bill got out uv bed an' done a big day's work on the farm, an' he ain't bed a sick spell since. Them beans cured him!"

SECRETARY CHASE'S CHIN-FLY

From "Speeches and Addresses of Abraham Lincoln," Current Literature Publis.h.i.+ng Company, New York, publishers.

BY F. B. CARPENTER

"Within a month after Mr. Lincoln's first accession to office," says the Hon. Mr. Raymond, "when the South was threatening civil war, and armies of office seekers were besieging him in the Executive Mansion, he said to a friend that he wished he could get time to attend to the Southern question; he thought he knew what was wanted, and believed he could do something towards quieting the rising discontent; but the office seekers demanded all his time. 'I am,' said he, 'like a man so busy in letting rooms in one end of his house that he can't stop to put out the fire that is burning the other.' Two or three years later when the people had made him a candidate for reflection, the same friend spoke to him of a member of his Cabinet who was a candidate also. Mr.

Lincoln said that he did not concern himself much about that. It was important to the country that the department over which his rival presided should be administered with vigor and energy, and whatever would stimulate the Secretary to such action would do good. 'R----,'

said he, 'you were brought up on a farm, were you not? Then you know what a _chin-fly_ is. My brother and I,' he added, 'were once plowing corn on a Kentucky farm, I driving the horse, and he holding the plow. The horse was lazy; but on one occasion rushed across the field so that I, with my long legs, could scarcely keep pace with him.

On reaching the end of the furrow, I found an enormous _chin-fly_ fastened upon him, and knocked him off. My brother asked me what I did that for. I told him I didn't want the old horse bitten in that way.

"Why," said my brother, "_that's all that made him go!_" Now,' said Mr. Lincoln, 'if Mr. ---- has a presidential _chin-fly_ biting him, I'm not going to knock him off if it will only make his department _go_.'"

REVIEW EXERCISES

EXERCISES

There exercises should be practiced in only a moderately strong voice, at times perhaps in a very soft voice, and always with a good degree of ease and naturalness. They had better be memorized, and as the technique becomes more sure, less thought may be given to that and more to the true expression of the spirit of each pa.s.sage--or let the spirit from the first, if it will, help the technique.

TONE

For rounding and expanding the voice. To be given in an even sustained tone, with rather open throat and easy low breathing.

Suspend the speech where pauses are marked, for a momentary recovery of breath. Keep the breath easily firm. Don't drive the breath through the tone.

1

Roll on, thou deep and dark blue Ocean, roll!

Ten thousand fleets sweep over thee in vain; Man marks the earth with ruin--his control Stops with the sh.o.r.e.

2

O Tiber, Father Tiber To whom the Romans pray, A Roman's life, a Roman's arms, Take thou in charge this day

3

O Rome! my country! city of the soul!

The orphans of the heart must turn to thee, Lone mother of dead empires! and control In their shut b.r.e.a.s.t.s their petty misery.

4

Ring joyous chords!-- ring out again!

A swifter still and a wilder strain!

And bring fresh wreaths!-- we will banish all Save the free in heart from our banquet hall.

5

O joy to the people and joy to the throne, Come to us, love us and make us your own: For Saxon or Dane or Norman we, Teuton or Celt, or what ever we be, We are all of us Danes in our welcome of thee, Alexandra!

6

Liberty! Freedom! Tyranny is dead!-- Run hence, proclaim, cry it about the streets.

Some to the common pulpits, and cry out, "Liberty, freedom, and enfranchis.e.m.e.nt!"

INFLECTION

Give these with a rather vigorous colloquial effect, with clear-cut form, with point and spirit.

1

Armed, say you?

Armed, my lord.

From top to toe?

My lord, from head to foot.

Then saw you not His face?

Oh, yes, my lord; he wore his beaver up.

What, looked he frowningly?

A countenance more In sorrow than in anger.

Pale or red?

Nay, very pale.

And fixed his eyes upon you?

Most constantly.

2

But, sir, the Coalition! The Coalition! Aye, "the murdered Coalition!" The gentleman asks if I were led or frighted into this debate by the specter of the Coalition. "Was it the ghost of the murdered Coalition,"

he exclaims, "which haunted the member from Ma.s.sachusetts; and which, like the ghost of Banquo, would never down?" "The murdered Coalition."

3