Cairo evening times. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1865-1866, 1865-09-15
THECAIRO THAT WAS.
Dips into old cairo life.
THE PLACE, THE PEOPLE, OC-
CURRENCES AND DPASTIMES.
By NOSE HARRELL.
NUMBER VIII.

NUMBER VIII
The political complexion of the population
of Cairo was not fairly indicated by the con.
test between Cass and Butler and Taylor and
Fillmore, in ls4s. 1t showed an undue per-
centage of. ,Whiggery. Ny recollection is that
the result d the precinct footed up: Cass and
Butler 80; Taylor and Fillmore 80. Taylor
was much admired because Of his brilliant
military career and coming fresh from his VIC
tories, that admiration proved strong enough to
snap party traces and set at liberty number
who had hitherto worked steadfastly in the
| team of Democracy. Usually the political
| complexion of our citizens proper was about
forty Democrats to eight Wings. In the pre-.
| cinct, outside of Cairo, there resided five or
six voters, all Democrats; and it very ofsen oc-
Cured that few river men got in votes. So,
upon the whole, the full voting strength of the
precinct, up to period as late as 1850, ranged
! from SO to 55.
| At the time of the election in lS49 sleek
sign post stood in front of the polls, and upon
this had been placed, by somebody, cabbage
head. To secure this cabbage head, or, fail
ing in that, to prevent others from securing it,
was the purpose of both Wings and Democrats
| all day. Every few minutes some determined
fellow would be discovered far advanced up
the post, eager for the goal tantalizing him at
! the top. He was no sooner discovered than
seized by the leg and hauled down, amid the
taunts and cheers of his fellows One leechy
! chap, unlike Crocketts coon, aUouldn't ''come
| down. He paid for his tenacity by the loss
| of two very long pilot-cloth coat tails.
A clerk attended this election, locking up
| his employers business house to do so. When
| the employer applied for the key he was de-
MED, ON the ground that it was "a patriotic
duty everybody owed to devote the whole Of
| election day to the country" Not long after
wards this patriotic young man was clerklng
somewhere else.
As it is the purpose to exclude from these
papers everything of an immoral tendency,
approach the following anecdote-too good to
be lost-with some misgivings:
1t was the occasion of dance on the old
wharf-boat, Sam Dale, when a considerable
several ladies and gentlemen from Missouri.
About the turn of the night a strapping fel.
low, we'll seas-over, reeled into the ball room
and blurted out some very earnest but badly
turned oaths, spiced to perceptible pungency
with blackguardism. A pretty little Missouri
Miss became mortally offended and in this man.
ner relieved herself: "Oh, the hateful fellow !!
could just bite his head off Him drunk and
a swearing. I just declare to goodness, I hate
to say it, and wouldn't say it of any other man
in the ball room, but I'm so provoked at him
that aOOuldn't euen sleep WHh him -
This innocehtly expressed determination of
the jaunty little Miss drew out perceptible
ripple of merriment. She instantly discovered
it, and, taking crimson hue, she faltered
''N-n-now you know 1 meant but
words failing to come to her rescue she fairly
flew to the cover of a stateroom, where, rest
ing her pretty head upon a pillow, she cried
very copiously.
My chief object in relating this anecdote is
to call attention to the singular fact that women
always find place to rest their heads before
they cry. If there be no head-rester then no
cry.
At "a period, six years later, our present dis
tinguished citizen, Hon. VIM. A. H.. may re-
call a complimentary serenade. 1t was about
O. clock in the morning. esteemed then the
witchrg hour for music. The instruments en-
ployed were two violins, guitar, flute, bass
viol, two tin horns, two pot lids and one gong.
As the melody arose Immediately beneath the
Honorable gentleman's window four pieces of
only half hour S duration brought him forth.
He appeared upon his balcony, an erect col
umn of white muslin, supported by two we'll
turned pedestals and crowned by head most
classical. At least such were the outlines de-
scried by the serenaders, who, to leave him
alone in his glory and to pleasant contempla-
J ton of the compliment, were celeritously ma
king their escape. He was avenged, however
Billy Davis fell over four foot stump, and ac-
tually coffined himself in his violincello. His
companions picked him up as boxed, and, after
| short, mournful march buried him in his own
bed clothes, dead drunk. Mr.. II. felt 80 COM
plimented have been told, that he provided
quantity of powder and shot to distribute
among his friends upon their re-appearance.