Rensselaer Union, Volume 8, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 August 1876 — The Child Orator—A Boy Phenomenon. [ARTICLE]

The Child Orator—A Boy Phenomenon.

Master J. Harry Shannon, the infant prodigy, or “child orator,” as he is called in Washington and Baltimore, where he has come to be very well known, is now in New York, and Monday evening be surprised the large audience at Gilmore’s Garden by suddenly mounting the music stand and beginning to declaim the famous speech which the Irish patriot, Robert Emmet, made from the Green street dock in Dublin. Mr. Levy had just finished his cornet solo, and as usual, most of the audience were in good hearing distance, but when a child began thus on a sudden the delivery of a great speech from the soot just vacated by the musician every person in the Hippodrome gathered as near as possible, and for about forty-eight minutes Muster Harry held his audience. Even the bar-tenders and waiters deserted their places and went out and mingled with the audience, for no business could be done so long as the child continued to speak. The surprise had been arranged by Mr. Shook, who is a friend of the gentlemen who has Master Harry in charge. The child is a native of Washington City. Some time ago he suddenly developed the capacity to commit any speeoh or writing to memory at a single hearing. His mother was reading aloud when her child stopped her suddenly and asked permission to recite what she had been reading. He started off and repeated correctly the piece she had read, at the same time making gestures and modulating his voice where it was required, insomuch that his mother found her boy delivering an oration to an audience of one, and marveled greatly. She was frightened and ran to inform some of the neighbors of what had happened. Ever since that time the phenomenon has remained the same, and two or three public exhibitions have been given in Washington, Master Hairy is now only seven years old. He has never received any education, not even learning to read. He manifests no desire to get book learning, apparently satisfied with what he seems to get by inspiration. His brother, who is only three and a half years old, has, it is said developed a talent for music which is still more wonderful than the phenomenal rhetorical powers of the elder brother. In appearance he is a fine, brightlooking lad of full hight, though rather delicate in build, and with an especially fine head and pair of eyes.