and the firebell at midnight disturbs public peace, but it keeps you
from burning in your beds."

It would seem after years of fruitless effort to silence the platform,
Parliament would accept it as a power for good and give it wise
direction. Yet we are informed that in face of its growing popularity
when Henry Hunt attempted to address an audience in a grove in
England, a regiment of cavalry charged the grove. Eleven were killed
and several hundred wounded. Henry Hunt was thrown into prison, but
when released later one hundred thousand people welcomed him to the
streets of London.

As well now had Parliament attempted to prevent a London fog as to
prohibit platform meetings. John Bright said: "When I consider these
meetings of the people, so sublime in their vastness and resolution, I
see coming over the hilltops of time the dawning of a nobler and
better day for my country."

It is our privilege to live in the good day of which John Bright
spoke. Yet while a public speaker today is in no dread of arrest or
imprisonment for any decent expression of opinion, the platform is not
without its hindrances; and some of these will never be cured, while
babies cry, architects sacrifice acoustics to style, young people do
their courting in public, janitors smother thoughts in foul air, and
milliners persist in building up artistic barriers between speaker and
audience.

Here let me give a bit of advice to my own sex. Gentlemen, when you
purchase a new hat, no matter if a ten dollar silk, or a twenty dollar
panama, do not attend a lecture, and taking a seat in front of some
intelligent lady forget to remove your hat. The lady may want to see
the speaker's face, and he may need the inspiration of her
countenance, while you are interfering with both. "A hint to the wise
is sufficient." This hint may not be in accord with the advice of
Paul, but Paul never saw a twentieth century "Merry Widow" hat. Then
too, Paul was already inspired and didn't need the inspiration of
human countenances. I am speaking for the uninspired, to whom an
audience of hatless heads is an inspiration.

But few persons realize how a public speaker is affected by little
influences. The flitting of a blind bat over a church audience on a
summer evening, will mar the most fascinating flight of eloquence ever
plumed from a pulpit.

When Nancy Hanks broke the world's trotting record at Independence,
Iowa, some years ago, her former owner, Mr. Hart Boswe