Platform Echoes: Living Truths from Head and Heart

Hartford, CT: A.D. Worthington & Co. , 1886. Title page says: Platform Echoes: Or Living Truths for Head and Heart illustrated by nearly five hundred thrilling anecdotes and incidents humorous stories, personal experiences and adventures, touching home scenes, and tales of tender pathos drawn from the Bright and Shady Sides of Life by John B. Gough author of "Sunlight and Shadow" with a history of Mr. Gough's life and work by Rev. Lyman Abbott, DD, Superbly illustrated with two hundred and twenty-five (225) engravings from original drawings by the most eminent artists. Sold only by subscription." John B. Gough (1817-1886) was a well-known temperance orator and public speaker. After the death of his mother in 1835, Gough became an alcoholic. It cost him his family. In 1842, he attended a temperance meeting and signed a pledge to abstain from alcohol. Successful in the struggle to stop drinking, Gough devoted his life to temperance reform. He traveled the world giving more than 5,000 temperance lectures during his career. Later in his career, he also spoke on other issues. This book contains his lectures on both temperance and on other subjects. Gough published six books during his lifetime. This collection was published posthumously, but was planned or produced prior to his death. 8vo size brown clothbound hardcover with embossed borders, front and back, with bright gilt titles and illustrations on cover. The book paginates to 622 pages - but this is a sample book - and it includes only a selection of what would have been in the finished book. We estimate that it numbers about 200 pages. (The pages aren't missing - they weren't included in the sample.) It is profusely illustrated with black and white decorations and engravings throughout. After page 622, there is a testimonial section, followed by the the order taking section, a section of lined paper for the orders to be filled in. All of these sections are bound into this one volume. It looks like this book traveled the world. We can see orders for Boston, Cleveland and also orders for Hungary. At some point in the book's history, it looks like a young child filled in some of the (what were then blank) order pages in pencil. There is also a page penciled "I love you with all my heart." (Perhaps written by the lad's mother.) Interspersed with the child's play, are the actual order pages, domestic and foreign. There are two or three pages in this section that appear to have been used for order, some pages in this section were written on by the child and other pages are blank. This unique volume has some external war and tear. Covers have some wear, and bright gilt titles on front cover are a little rubbed. Bumped and worn corners; edgewear. Fraying to top and bottom of spine and small chip on side. External tear to spine allows you to see the newsprint using in the manufacturing process. Salesman's sample is penciled on the flyleaf along with price. Name written on inside cover. Half inch tear on bottom of title page and quarter inch tear on bottom of opposite pace. Frontispiece has left ghostly sepia transfer on preceding pages. Inside back cover had something pasted in, now gone, that has left stain on printed back endpaper and preceding pages. Several pages in the back of the book have some soil to page margins, including the first page in the testimonial section and there may be spots of soil on other pages. Thanks for shopping with us. 100% of your purchase benefits charity and supports literacy and life-long learning.. Cloth. Good/No Jacket. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. Salesman's Dummy.