speaker, known as Penloe."

Penloe rose and came forward to the front of the platform; first bowing
to the Mayor and then to the audience; and as he did so he faced a sea
of upturned faces, who gazed upon one of the most remarkable men this
country has produced. Not very many of the audience had seen Penloe
before, and they were agreeably surprised to see on the platform before
them, so distinguished a personality. It seemed a delight to look upon
him. But few present could begin to size up such a man as he was. Some
of the remarks which one could hear whispered were like the following:

A young lady said: "What beautiful clear eyes he has. It seems as if you
could see his soul in them."

A gentleman was heard to say: "He has the most striking personality of
any one I have ever seen."

A lady remarked: "Is he not handsome?"

A man said: "What a fine head and noble countenance he has. It seems as
if the Almighty had stamped himself on him."

"Yes," said his wife who was sitting at his side. "And did you ever see
a more perfect specimen of physical manhood than he is, so symmetrical
in his build?"

Such was the man who faced the large audience and opened his address by
saying:

* * * * *

"DEAR FRIENDS:

"The Mayor was correct in calling what I am about to say to you 'a
talk,' for if any one has come here expecting a grand oration, with
flowery language, rounded periods, and finished diction, he will be
disappointed.

"Now, dear friends, I love you all, and that is why I call you dear
friends, and that is why I am here this afternoon to talk to you,
because I love you all. Yes, every one of you. I don't care what you
apparently are. Some of you may be greedy and grasping, and some may be
tyrannical and overbearing, or weak and negative; with no backbone or
grit or will; or you may be vain, selfish, ambitious, self-conceited,
carrying your head too high; or you may be one who lives to dance; loves
the whirl and excitement of pleasure; or you may be one who loves to
enjoy eating and drinking and sensual delights. I say, and I repeat it
again, I don't care what you apparently are, I love you all just the
same. I look at you from an entirely different standpoint from which you
look at yourselves. Now you all look at yourselves and at others
according to sex and your environments. Before me I see men who say of
themselves, I am a lawyer; I am a preacher; I am a banker; I am a
docto