The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-03-20

N "heu VIC udy came lne crowd
was tremendous. The democrats had
Ifleu 10 get Howell Cobb aud Herschel
Johnson and Absolom Chapel and 9th.
ers TO come up, but thay all had other
nsh 10 Try, and so little Alex had it all
Dis own way. Well, not exactly either.
ior there was feller there by the name
OF RUSSELL, an eccentric, smart, cheeky.
RANDOM sort OF man who had wonder.
inl GIT OF language and who, like Fran.
cis Tram, dident care much wha, he said
ana WAS no respecter Of persons. Rus.
sell swole by all the gods that if nobody
else would reply to Stephens he would.
ana ne would skin him alive, and let him
ride home in his bones. "Conding him"
ne sad let him stay in his own district
and shlnny on his own side"
Mr.. stephens made fine speech. and
lhe crowd cheered and shoutet tumultu.
ously as he arrsigned the democracy and
beid them up to ridicule, and when lie
got through the w!'igs were more ;han
satisfied, and MIR. Stephens was satisfied,
too-he came down from the stand and
was receiving the congratulations
OF his friends, when suddenly Russell
mounted the rostrum and, rapping G..
the plank in front Of him, screamed out
IN an unearthly yell Fellow citizens v'
Everybody knew him, and everybody
wanted to hear him, and hushed into
silence. After sentence or two Mr..
olePhens was attracted to him, and with
curious and astonished interest, inquired.
WHO is that man?" After Russell had
Paid an eloquent tribute to the glorious
oid democratic party, and giving it credit
lof every good thing that had been done
since the fall of Adam. he then turned
To Mr. Stephens and, with witherirc
6corn, said: "And what have you and
your party been doing and trying to do !
what made you vote away the public
lands so that yankees and furreners could
get ''em and our people couldent? What
made you vote for high tariff on sugar
and coffee and raise the price so that our
poor. people couldent buy it?" Mr..
stephens rose up excited and irritated
and stretching out his long arm to the
audience, screamed out: II never did it.
my tellow-citizens-I deny the fact and
call upon the gentleman for lis proof.''
WITH the utmost seif.possession, Russell
said, "You do-you call for the proof.
sir, 1t l was to go two miles from home
TO make speech | would carry my proof
with me. wouldent be vain enough to
go without it; but, sir, em at home
these people know me-they raised me
and when assert thing they believe
1t. You are the man to bring the n-cof"
The crowd shouted and laughed as
unanimously as they had done for Mr..
Stephens, and he sat down dsgusted.
Russell continued: "And what was your
motive when you were a member of the
legislature in voting for law that pro.
hloited q man from voting unless he was
worth 500? Answer me that while you
are here face to face with these humble
citizens OF Gordon county," At this Mr..
stephens rose again furious with indig-
nation and screamed: "It is false, sir-it
ia false; deny the fact"
You do," said Russell, scornfully II
supposed you would-you deny the fact.
That Is just what you have been doing
ior twenty years-going about over the
country denying facts." And the crowd
vent wild with merriment, for even the
wings couldent help joining in the fun.
Mr. Stephens turned to his companions
and said with tone of despair, "Let us
go to the hotel" and, they went.
thought of all this while Mr. Ste
phens was telling us of his triumphs over
Terteran foes, and so when he came to q
pause / timidly said "Sir. Stephens, did
you ever encounter man by the name
of Russell up at Calhoun"
With merry glisten of bis won derful
eyes he strengthened up and said: II
did, l did, yes, did. l will never forget
that man. He got me completely. If l
had known him would not have said a
word in reply, but dident know him.
He cured me of one expression. 1 fire.
quently used to emphasize my denial of
lies and slautier, and that wds to say II
deny the fact" II had never thought of
it's grammatical absurdity. but that man
Russell taught me and quit it. l think
he had the most wonderful flow of Ian.
guage and lies of any man l ever met"
Mr.. Stephens then made a pretty. fair
recital OF his rencounter and bis utter
defeat" as he expressed it, all of which
we enjoyed. Where are they now? Old
father time has cut I'LL down but three,
Hardeman aud Thornton and myself are
here, bni ri! .ho rest Of that bright,
intelligent crew are gone. 1t looks like
most everybody is dead. If they are not
they will be before long, and another set
will be in their places and have their
jokes and flash their wit aud merriment
all the same. ~
BILL ARP.