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Show Old Masters Sargent S. Prentiss IH H Bp C. C. G. M DORN in Portland, Maine, September 30, 1808, fl & ho only waited for a superficial education and iM admission to the bar, when he started west and f aouth. He reached Mississippi and made his home in that state. At that time society was in jH a peculiar condition in that state. There was H much family and sectional pride. Mississipplans H believed there never was a superior people to H their own; their hospitality was limitless, but H when anything happened which they construed H as a reflection upon their state, or its customs H or upon any individual, there was at once an H appeal to the higher law either a fierce street H encounter or a duel. Of course, after either of IH these there was a grave trial in court for all the H forms were adhered to and so a thousand trials H were solemnly carried on to a finish, when it was , H known in advance by judge, jury and all the H people that an acquittal was certain. IH Such a rule has a barbarous look but it has jSH its advantages. Men are careful what they say and no foolish woman thoughtlessly starts neigh- H borhopd quarrels; when she knows that father, IH brothEr or husband will have to answer for it. jH (Proiitiss looked over the field and liked it IH The Mississipplans looked at him and listened jH to him and were compelled to admit that he H Beemed brighter than any man they had ever H seen before and when he spoke the charm and H power of his words held his listeners enthralled. H The only question that remained unanswered H was, "would the down-easter from far off Maine H fight?" H That was quickly settled. Either at the bar H or on the rostrum he antagonized U. S. Senator H Foote and Foote challenged him. He promptly H accepted. When the principals took their places H on the field, one of the seconds of Foote objected H to the cane that Prentiss leaned upon, for ho H was lame, at which Prentiss threw away the H cane with the remark: "never mind, I can lick H Foote on one leg" and turning to some boys who H had climbed trees off to one side of the field, he H cried to them: "look out boys, IFooto shoots H mighty wild." H That settled it. Prentiss had shown not only that he would fight, but further, that he could I look death in the face without losing one of his H old careless jolly ways. Thenceforth the inner B circle of Mississippi excluslveness was opened to him. I The stature of his fame grew dally. Never before had the people listened to an orator that ll compared with him. His voice had the sweet- I ness of exquisite music but when fully aroused H it took on an organ roll of power that stirred I men's souls to their depths. But not only in I the voice was the charm. Face, eyes, hands .every .ev-ery feature and movement was Instinct with eloquence. elo-quence. , Once as he closed a glorified speech he fainted whereupon an enthusiastic friend, the tears run- ning down his cheeks, caught Prentiss in his j arms and cried: "Die Prentiss! Die you will never I have such another chance!" Like Starr King he was always delicate and j only lived forty-two years, dying July 10th, 1850. ! But he grew intellectually to the last. His eloquence elo-quence took on higher and higher splendor and power. In his brief span of life he made clear that he possessed a genius that was all-embracing, that had there never been a book printed ho would have gone out among the. other savages sav-ages and by natural selection would, In six months, have been chief of his tribe. No higher soul than his ever walked the earth for a time to charm his fellow countrymen and make them mourners above his bier. |