Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1879-10-24
FOLLOWING THE SPEAKERS AROUND.
WHAT THE AUDIENCES WERE-WHAT
THE EFFECT WAS.


Reported for the Staunton vINDIcAToRl
Our reporter who attended the political
discussions ut Greenville and MiddlebroOk
last week between Messrs Coiner and
Hanger and Allen, and reported the same
for this paper up to Wednesday night, left
M .ddlebrook Thursday afternoon at l
O'Clock, for Craigsville. AS he was leav-
ing that enterprising Augusta village he
encountered stauuch old citizen who
told him he had just seen four men who
went to hear the disc ussion the night be-
fore, undecided as to how they should vote.
"They went home,'' said he, latter hear
ing the fair and fore ible presentation Of
the subject of the 8 tate debt. oy Messrs
Allen to make out case against the Nc
Culloch bill. decided. to stand by the regu-
lar ticket" A drive through the beautiful
and well cultivated farms between Middle
brook and Summerdean and over the
mountains through Pond Gap. brought
him at sun set to Craigsvllle.
POLITICS At CRAIGSvILLE.
Messrs Koiner and Hanger were prompt
to appointment on the ground. accompa-
MED by an able bodied recruit, Mr.. Harry
Tucker, who Came to represent Gen.
Echols, he having been called to Kentucky
to attend to some important business con-
nected with the c. & o. railway extension.
Shortly after o'clock the school house
was we'll filed, not only with voters, but
with ladies also, who were much interested
in the discussion and it was not surprising
that they were on the right side of the
debt question, as woman's intuition
rarely misleads her; so there can be no
question as to how that precinct will 60
ON the 4th of November. The two Majors
spoke for nearly two hours to a very atten-
tive audience and if there was man or a
woman in the house who did not give cor
dial assent to their earnest appeals and
gathered that night OF the next day while
your reporter tarried among the Craigs
Williams. After the candidates were through
Mr.. Tucker. representing as has been sta
ted Gen. Echols, and also himself, as
canvasser appointed by tho Central Com
mittee. made very happy speech which
was frequently applauded. His points
were well taken, his hits at the candidates
on the other side, telling ones, and his an
ecdotes which were well told put the au-
dience in high good humor with the speak
or and themselves.
AN EPISODE.
Mr.. Tucker for the benefit Of the colored
citizens, fifteen or twenty Of whom crowd
ed around the windows outside introduced
into his speech the stanza of negro hymn
which he had heard sung years ago by an
old darkey. the refrain of which was 1--WE
want no towards in our band" The inim-
liable style in which this was sung brought
down the house, while the darkeys outside
fairly yelled with delight. One old fellow
gasping between his paroxysms of laugh
ter. said. 81 could STAN hyear all night
an listen to dat man." And when upon
concluding, the speaker put his head out
OF the window and said Nov boys, want
to hear good accounts from you all at the
election - the chorus of rough voices that
answered, "Yes sab. you can count on
u.s." showed that the right chord had been
struck with that portion Of the audience.
In conversation with several leading
citizens that night and the next day, your
reporter was assured that the community
might be regarded almost. if not altOgeth-
er. solid Tor 1.-THE settlement,
DEERFIELD.
Sixteen miles over good mountain road
through q drizzling rain brought your
chronicler to the "Happy Valley" of Deer
field, but the circumstances were not hap
by for the candidates, who dropped in one
after another. upon the quiet citizens of
that mountain hamlet looking as dull as
the clouds that came down the mountain
sides to meet them and almost as damp.
! These same clouds, seemed to be having it
all their own way and promised to be pref
| ty much the only audience the men of
words would have, and were apparently
the NEST welcome visitors, as the good
people said they needed rain and didn't
need any speaking, for though they lived
q good long way from StauntOn and Jen-
ning's Gap. they knew thing or two and
their minds were made up. The decided
intimation as to what that ''make up''
was, caused smile Of peace, to settle down
upon the relieved cOuntenances of the two
Majors, which did not desert them through
all the trying scenes Of the evening. The
face of the other man Of words grew a
shade sadder aud the clouds and the night
,athered in and the RAIN came down.
At the appointed hour. a solitary Ian
tern lighted two of the speakers through
the ain and mud to the school house a
half m lie away in grove. The door was
onened .3l,d the lantern placed in the win
dow "a beacon to benighted Deerfield
noliticians. seeking light. After waiting
some time q count was made-result-z
voters. fore igner, 2 boys. 2 candidates.
reporter and lantern. At this Juncture
a courier rode up to say that the 'fellows
over at the store'' had better crowd and
invited the school house audience to make
a combination. The vote being taken the
invitation was accepted and the party
moved in good order over to J. A. j
Funkhouser's store on the turnpike and
upon theiE arrival, there was much con
graduation and band-shaking upon thu
happy coalition, 4 second count ther
showed voters, 4 boys, 8 candidates.
foreigner, reporter, 2 lanterns and can
die.
The preliminaries were seeA arranged
Mr.. Allen led off, taking his stand 4ndl.s
Q a placard, which read, eff you don't SCI
9 | what YOU want ask for it," The audienct