Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1870-01-27
Nat. HARRISON,
REPRESENTATIVE FROM HAMILTON

REPRESENTATIVE FROM HAMILTON
In early days old Nat Harrison
was elected to the Legislature
from this county, said a fellow, a
we were all seated around thu
stove in the little hotel at Nc
CainsbCro, Hamilton county, ILL
nois.
Old Nat was a regular old brick
He was elected just because there
was no one to run against him.
Our country was rather bad off
for intelligent people in those
days. A few days after old Ma
had gone to Springfield to attend
to the duties OF his Office, I hap
pened to be there on business of 9
private character, and thinking be
would be glad to hear from the
folks at home, / concluded to call
on him at the Prairie House, and
inquire after his health. . s.sss
'I've been well, Tom, said he,
"but I got awfully scared the first
night ] stayed in this ere dsrned
place" y
Glow was that7" / inquired.
"Well," said Nat, "rll tell you
all about it. You see that fellow
there behind the counter; the fel.
lows here call him the hard well,
/ told him / wanted to see my
bed, SO I'd know where to sleep
when I'd come in after awhile
He took me up stairs to q little
room, and said that / could sleep
there, and then be went down
| took good notice of Thrown
door with yaller streaks here and
there, and white yearthen lock
handle. / started down a think.
in about this, and / wouldn't look
at another door for fear I'd get 'em
kinder mixed up in my head, and
then forget which was mine.
"Abnut twelve o'clock that
night / came in with a kind of
half grown hummin' in my head,
and the very first thing | found at
the top of the stairs was my own
door, with the yaller
streaks and white lock handle. -
Good, says /, and in | lumbers.
/ walked up to tie bed, and what
do you thinkH Why,I finds one
of your lOng-legged, black whis-
kered town fellers in it, fast asleep.
/ takes him by the beard, rears
him up on his end, and gives him
a short sarment; tells him toleave
as quick as double triggers, or I'll
be id if I wouldn't kick him
down stairs; tells him I don't
want to do it nuther, for I am a
of the Legislature, the
Representative from Hamilton,
but if | git to fighting he'd find
me to be q full team. The fell
low looked awfully scared, and
without saying word he got up
very humble like, and started for
bis dry goods, which hung on a
chair up in one corner. Isot down
the light and begun to undress,
and says | to him, "draw on them
duds and toddle from here, for rll
be cussed if Turning around
at the same to look fercer at him,
l sees him a comm at me with
one of the drottedest butcher
knives in the world.
"WeH, thought l, Nat, you've
got yourself in close place, by
lingo, and SO we begun to lumber
around the room like the very ma
tion. Here / went, and here he
come. At last I got between him
and the door, and out / shot.
I" This beats all hell, said I; "a
Representative to the Legislature
treated in this way Iwent down
stairs and told the fellow behind
the counter that some cuss was in
my room.
" No, / guess not said he;
perhaps there is some mistake
your room is No. g.
"Thinks ! perhaps there may be
some mistake; and so ! goes back
and opened the eighth door and