The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1879-07-31

the excitement lapsed, to afterwards go
down and talk to twelve men in the
corner Of country court house? Why
had he been cursed with gift SO fatal
as oratory, when it in the end brought
him SO much loss and suffering and dis
appointment, for he was broken in fort
une and health, and even hope itself, as
the result?
And when, on the same evening, he
made his appearance for few moments
at the outskirts of political gathering
in the public square, and was shouted
for by the concourse of people until
they were hoarse, hoping they might
have chance to listen once more to
one of his eloquent and mastery eff
forts, can I ever forget his gloomy looks
and his savage exclamations as he came
back with angry strides and as if pur-
sued into my room at the hotel close
by? a g1
Let them yell-curse them! It is
such as that that has r11ined me; and,
instead of making them a speech, I
should like good deal better to hud-
die them Like sheep and drive them to
HI" a6
And when young man, on the same
occasion and evening, retired from the
orators stand with exultant step and
sparkling eyes, because he had been
cheered to the very echo, it was some
thing never to be forgotten to witness
the very different greeting he received
from the man I have been delineating.
"Do you know" said he scornfully,
laying his haxd on the young orators
arm, I" why they laughed and yelled so
at your speech tonight? It's because
they've no circus here now-no mon
key-no Dandy Jack and pony in town.
My young friend" continued he, bit
terly, take my advice. If you've got
anything to do at home, go home and
do it. II you haven't, get a; basket on
your arm and peddle oranges or eggs,
or chop wood. But don't let the ac-
cursed mob vile you to destruction as
they have me-" 3h
Speaking further of "stumping and
Of it's trials, shall never forget one of
them at which incidentally I was vic
timized. It happened to be my fortune
on one occasion to attend upon notable
gathering of the kind in a country
town, the speaker being one of the
really distinguished statesmen of the
South, United States Senator whom I
shall designate for the occasion as Mr..
Brown. The visit to the place was
made exceptionally pleasant by a really
splendid dinner given by wealthy
friend and resident of the town, to the
statesman and his family, who were
travelling in their own carriages, and
happening also to be a guest, I con-
Guided to ride to the next appointment,
being on horseback, the speaking to
take place the next day.
The speech was concluded at about 3
o'clock in the afternoon, and mounting
our horses we-the orator and myself
started for a stopping place for the night
some ten miles off. Commended to a
certain country tavern at that point, the
Senator being assured that the landlord
was staunch political adherent of his,
we were assured further that we would
be made comfortable; so we two rode on
with pleasant-enough anticipations, get
ting to the place just before dark. The
family had gone on in advance, getting
there little before sunset. ~
We found queer condition of things
indeed. The tavern was simply great
log cabin, the huge fat landlady being
the most remarkable feature about the
place. Meagerly furnished as was the
establishment in all respects, the supper
was still worse; the chief articles on the
table being some thick slices of bacon,
some badly-made corn-bread, and some
stewed pumpkin; or rather some slices
Of this vegetable simply boiled and
placed upon the table in dishes. This,
with sort of creosote coffee, consti-
tuted about the whole of the repast.
But all that was nothing to what was
in store for us. The old landlady, who,
by the way, threw her poor hen-pecked
husband into the shade, literally and
metaphorically, was dreadfully classic !;
so she began-two cubs about 10 and
IL years old, with unwashed faces and
all else to correspond, having put in an
appearance, and being thus formally in
troduced- s)~s 't'l'i
"This is Cicero Augustus Pugston,
Mr.. Brown; he has read your speeches,
Mr.. Brown; and this is Marcus Julius
Pugston, Mr.. Brown; he, too, has read
your speeches, Mr.. Brown" ~
"Diana"-to a fat negro woman
"bring in that stewed punkin-we call
that Tennessee luxury, Mr.. Brown"
"Vulcan"-to lame old negro who
poked his head into the doorway to
take look at the fireplace" put some
more wood on"
venus, girl, fly about; that table
amt set square; and you, Hebe"--to
another darkey damsel- "set up the
chairs"
And so she went on with as many of
the heather mythology as she could
find pegs in her household on which to
hang their names.
The evening imped away, under
! horrible infection of Plutarch, in addi-
ton to what have already Indicated;
and, to crown our misfortune, we found
4 - L IL