American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1875-09-18
"The Campaign"

L I THINK the campaign haa opened.
am no politician myself, but Think so be
cause drunken man ran against me last
night and yelled:
"'Rah for Thompsonp's-@
And he had scarcely staggered out OF
sight when another intoxicated individual
came running around the corner and
hoarsely inquired: r.
Where's the reptile that called our can
didate q horse-thief?"
I Later in the evening several men halted
in front of my house and thus addressed
me as I slumbered:
"Come down here, you old gray headed
heather, and give us money to buy pow
derI'
I didn't go down, and they unhinged
and carried of my gate and broke down
two shade-trees.
| As I said ct the start, I don't keep my
self posted on politics, but am convinced
that the campaign has opened this is the
way, if remember rightly, that all cam.
paigns have been opened for the last fif
teen years.
roast at the butchers man with red eyes
and wicked face came up, slapped me on
the back, and as he twisted around SO as
to give me the full force of his lanyard
breath he remarked:
"Gimme yer handles holler for John
sonp s-..-
| He seized my hand and shook me around
and continued:
II kin lick any human being who says
a word agin JOhnsOnn'
"WhO's johnson" asked, for Ifeally
ing of him.
"Who's johnson ~ he echoed, gazing
at me in establishment and indignation
"why, he's lived in your own ward for
ten years"
II never met him."
"Never did? Why he keeps the big
gest and best saloon in the ward!''
"AhP'
He looked at me for moment in a puz-
zled way, not understanding what " ahr
meant, and then he pulled off his coat
and exclaimed:
"See here, maybe you are going to cut
johnson and vote for Spicerp'
Maybe I am"
"You are, Ell ?" he yelled. you are
going to cut johnson off the regular ticket
and vote for that long-haired Spicer?''
A policeman took the man away just as
he was preparing to demonstrate the free
got my roast and went into the grocery.
Old Mr.. Lovejoy and old Mr.. Arnold hap
pened in at the same time l knew that
they differed in politics, but also knew
that both were good men and had been
friends for twenty years. -,s
Going to be a hot campaign, guess, :"
remarked Mr.. Arnold, as he hunted for a
match to light his pipe.
"Oh, dunno" replied Mr.. Lovejoy.
without much EFFORT
"You will, .eh2 I'll wager that you are
the sickest-lOok.ng man in the county be-
fore snow fiies.''
"Guess not" said Mr.. Lovejoy in
nettled tone; 1.-THE people are tired of
being robbed and plundered and burdened
and roasted at the stake, as it were, and
they are rising in their might to hurl the
villainous party from power.''
"What party do you refer to, sir?" de-
manded Mr.. Arnold.
"Yours, SIR" replied Mr.. Lovejoy.
Then, sir, you are dotard and
liar" shouted Mr.. Arnold.
"And I'll knock you down!' cried Mr..
LovejOy; and they struck and kicked and
fell over a barrel, and were separated only
to vow eternal enmity.
From now until the campaign is over !
shall see such things every day. As l
come up home men will demand money
of me to drink the health of this or that
candidate; men will seize me and rush into
a salosn, and oblige me to swallow some
villainous drink to show that favor their
candidate; men will throw brick bats at
meif come up a back street to avoid
them. If / ride on street-car I shall
hear men. abuse and malign every candi-
date on my party ticket; If / ride in the
omnibus I shall hear men relate villain
GUS lies about every candidate on the other
ticket.
The chances are that my butcher and
grocer and tailor will fall out with me be-
cause I refuse to hurrah for their candi-