The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-01-02
BOB TAYLOR, OF TENNESSEE.
HOW HE WON Il WEE AND TIE
HONORS ora CONGRESSMAN.

HONORS ora CONGRESSMAN.
The Happy Conclusion Of q Very Ro-
mantle Story--The Successful Career
OF "the Beardless Boy Who Fiddles."
On Wednesday the 10th ult, at
AshevilIe, N. c., elect
Robert Taylor was united in mar
riage with Miss Sallie Baird, II niece
Of Governor Vance, of North Caro-
lima. The marriage is the conclu-
sion Of q somewhat romantic story.
When Taylor was nominated by tho
Democrats as their candidate for
Congress, Miss Baird promised him
that, if elected, she would marry
him if defeated, it would be an in
definite time before their union
could be consummated. The district
contains some Of the strongest Ro-
publican counties in the State, and
has always given Republican ma~
jority Of 1900 or 1890. The pros
pect for Taylor attaining his
dasires were, therefore, not at all
promising. Besides, he had us IN
opponent Pettibone, one of the
Republican chieftains OF the State,
an emigrant from Michigan, pos
sessed of unusual shrewdness. In
the Presidential contest, rs one of
Republican Electors, he bore the
banner of his party as gallantly as
was possible, worrying the Demo-
Gratis considerably. For Taylor he
entertained seemingly nothing but
contempt.
Taylor's nomination was simply n
lucky stroke Of fortune. In the
Republican Convention Taylor's
brother, very pronounced Re-
publican, was the principal candi
date for the nomination against
Pettibone but the latter, after q
bitter fight, secured the honor.
Taylor's Republican friends were all
angry, and the Democrats conceived
that it would be good thing to
nominate his Democratic brother,
who would probably draw votes
from the Republican ranks This
plan WAS carried out Taylor was
only twenty eight years old, and in
that region had made considerable
reputation and popularity as fiji
der At the frequent gatherings
for dancing he was most welcome
guest. His nomination seemed to
five the young men with enthusiasm
Numbers of Republicans and two
Or three Republican journals left
the party ranks and went over to
Taylor's side. Pettibone was &C
cused of being in with the Revenue
and Custom house Rings, which had
controlled politics in that section.
It was an understood fact that
Federal money was to be showered
on the d strict. Taylor, as he
afterwards told friends, had only five
dollars to commence. the canvass
with, but once out, money and assis-
tance of every kind poured in on
him, so that after the campaign was
over, very little of the five dollars
was spent. Pettibone looked down
on him with contempt, and in the
opening speech merely alluded to
him as the "beardless boy who
fddles."
When it came to Taylors rejoind.
er he approached the table with
fiddle in one hand and q carpet-Ea, !,
in the other He commenced with
the statement that he was u fil,ller.
Then laying the fiddle AMI the car
pet-bag side by side on the table,
he asked the crowd to choose be-.
tween them. The point was taken
up and carried from one end of the
district to the other, producing any
amount Of merriment at Pettibone's
expense. Pettibone, afterwards,
never alluded to Taylor's fiddle
more than once or twice. Taylor
also taunted Pettibone with the
fact that his regiment, at the close
of the war, disbanded with more
men than it had started with, The
young Democrat was q ready,
eloquent speaker and never failed
to awaken enthusiasm. Frequently
when the speaking WAS over he
would entertain the crowd with
music from his violin. The district
has it's share of moonshiners, and
they, with oil their friends, were for
Taylor, as Pettibone was in with
and supported by the revenue men,