The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1884-05-03
Bin Arp Sketches Joe Brown.

Bill Arp Sketches joe Brown.
Joe Brown has had a marvellous
history Of thirty years. His youth
vas spent in poverty. He cut
wood and hauled it to town
with a steer and supported his
mother and children. Somebody
told Bob Toombs about Joe
Browns early history when Joe
was first nominated for governor.
Toombs hated him because he was
a democrat-wool hat democrat.
who wore eopperas breeches and
homemade shoes, and had no
manners. They told Toombs that
Brown plowed bull. @Plowed a
bull, did he ~ said Toombs. aYes,
they say it is a fact that he was so
poor he plowed a bull to make his
crop.n
"Welln = said Toombs, shat is a
credit to him. didn't know he
plowed a bull. Its compliment
to him, sir-yes, it is compliment
to him, and | give him credit for
it, but 1t is no compliment to the
bull.r
Joe Brown run with the poor
boys and got a little schooling in
a log house, and then he taught
and kept ahead of his scholars by
studying hard at night. He didn't
have a brilliant first-class mind,
and hasn't got it yet, but he was
everlastingly studying. Then he
studied law and the boys elected
him judge-Judge of the Circuit.
He beat q frst-class man, an aris-
tecratic man, a blooded stock
man, and 1t astonished everybody,
for Judge Irwin was on the bench
and had the inside track. The
common people were for Joe be
cause he come from them, and
there were more common people
than uncommon people. Next he
was nominated for governor and
made poor speeches and lots of
blunders, and talked through his
nose, but the bull and steer were
on his side, and he was elected.
Well, he has been governor four
times, and Judge Of the Supreme
Court and United States Senator,
and he leases the State road, and
he has succeeded in everything,
for he went slow and cautious and
never was what you call brilliant
man. He can swap horses and
ride 'em all. He turned radical
when the radical was on top and
he turned back again when the
democracy held the trumps.
When his enemies attack him for
dodging around, he goes for 'em
in long epistles, and gives 'em
"Hail Columbia" for their own
sins; and the people shout " Hur-
rah for Old Joel" and elect him
again. But Joe got too rich and
the people began to shy of, and
so he gave fifty thousand dollars
to the Baptist church, and that
set him straight again with that
denomination. Somebody told
Bob Toombs about that and he
didn't believe it at first, but when
they assured him that it was a
fact, he said, "he may give 1t aud
be damned nevertheless. If he
thinks that taking fifty thousand
dollars Of stock In water compa-
ny in this world will insure him
against hell fire in the next, he is
mistaken, and that's all of that"
But Old Joe goes along and pays
no more attention to Toombs than
If he was a fly on the wheel of a
wagon. His most remarkable
characteristic is sagacity-politi.
cal sagacity. He knows how to
diagnose the public without feel
ing Of its pulse. When he wants
to carry measure he knows just
what agencies to use-who to buy,
!. who to f1atter, and who to bull
doze, and he rarely makes a mis-
take in his man. Sagacity can't
be taught or acquired. 1t is Q
kind of instinct and shows itsel1
IN the child. Joe Brown not only
has sagacity but he has gratitude
and revenge largely developed
These two things always goes to
gether. The Indian has both very
strong-the negro has neither
Joe Brown never forgets friend
and if IL wasn't for his religion h'
never would forgive an enemy
!. He says but little and is neve1
demonstrative, but patiently bide'