Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1884-10-23


around farm houses and ere long
'Landsireet's oatApult," "a Carswsll
called thsir queer carriage, was rattling
over the streets OF Durham.
After they had eaten dinner at the
we'll 6lled with people and teams Of all
sorts were hitohed to the wooden railing
that ran around three sides Of the court
house square, while men sat on every
thing that oould be used as seat, most
Of them either smoking or chewing
industfiously and all OF them talking
politics for this was the county
meeting" survival Of the prerepressr-
tstive age when Democracy meant an
actual and direct government by the
people. Why 1t was kept up, now that
all nominations were made by delegate
conventions no man could tell, but II
pas kept mp, and WAS universally re-
garded as the formal opepipv Of the CAM
paiRn by the Democrats Big speeches
were made there by the senators and
congressman Of the State, and now and
then, though rarely, some celebrity from
another ttate appeared. All present had
an equal right to participate In the pro-
ceedlBss aud at the meeting resolutions
were adopted declaring the psrty's
opinions on county and stale and some
times on national questions. Tom Land
street regarded II as the most interesting
OF all the political meetings held by his
party, and liked it all the more because
sit wss," as he said "a strictly Dimmi
cratic institution, and this d--n new
tangled party hadn't II nor nothin' else
ecmin' down from the past"
As Tom and Carswsll came out of the
tavern everybody seemed to know Land
street aud he was greeted and shaken
hands with ON all sides. He carefully
introduced Carswell TO every body he met
as q ,'young feller and good Dimmiorat
who has settled 10 that d-n Radical
Lincoln district" and the young man had
to submit to great deal Of hand shsk-
ing and accept more invitations to drink
than he cared to, till Mr.. Worden,
young lawyer 10 whom he had been
introduced got him of to take icok at
the old town, Tom Lsndstreet going
directly over 10 the court house. The ring
ing Of the court house bell recalled Cars
we'll and Worden to the business in hand
and the latter took the stranger through
q sids entrance and found him q seat
within the bar. Looking across the little
enclosure hs saw Tom Lsndstrset en-.
soopsed In the high chair OF the court
crier, looming up above every b,dy, the very
picture OF heat and bsnsvolsnoe. He was
clad in his linen duster, and Tanning him
self steadily with q large palm leaf bich
only stopped as he sopped up the per.
spiration on his big bald pate with
flaming red silk handkerchief.
Pretty soon the chairman Of the county
COMMITTED, a kesn-eyed, batohst faced
man stepped mp 10 the judgs's ae&t or
"bsnch" aud rsppsd sharply on the dtsk
with hickory switch sayii4g 'tthe mset.
ing will please colna TO ordcr.n Harry
Jones', a young pOltLiosn, vt once sprsng
10 his feet and moved that Mr. FithsnD
Cal ender be made temporary chairmaT.
Tne motion was numerously sscOn led
and promptly adopted without any dis
sent.
Mr.. Calender went forward with
pleased expression and took the chair,
and he WAS greeted with sous sppl snse.
He did not appear entirely al ease and
passed his hand nefv0usly over his chin
several times and clsared his throat twice
before he attempted the few remarks in
which hs thanked s'the Democracy CT
Durham county in mass mseting assem-.
blsd foe the unexpected honor" they
had conferred upon him. Harry Jones'
vss then elected temporary secretary,
quite an enthusiastic "aye" coming up
i'om the younger men present WhJ took
quite seriously any merely lorna! action
oonfsrring honor on heir leader
"The meeting is now ready for busi
NESS" announced ths chair, whsreupon
another man arose and moved that q
comm'ttee Of FIVE bs appointed to nomi.
nate permanent officers. The motion was
carried and Mr.. Calender slipped his
fingers 10 his vest pocket aud drew ont a
nall piece OF paper which he splead be-
fore him on the desk. This mar Wuvre
was not psrosptibls to most those present
bat was observed by Tom Landstreet
from his elevated perch.
"What's thatf Mr.. Cheerman,n he
shouted from his chair, ave don't want
no ont aud dried business at this here
meetin'.n
The chairman looked as helpless and
confused IS though he had been caught
IN some felSnious act, bus prompted by
thS unblt H4eh Vi hho oo0hhl SShAhdNhSO AAS
startsd to read the liss which that gentle
mau had handed him some hours bs;ore
the "nnex peoted honor" for which he
had jnst thanked the meeting had been
conferred ION him.
Bat Tom Landstreet was not to be
| ignored. Getting out of his chair hut
standing on the high platform which
elevated the chair he loomed up above all
others and shouted, "Ses beEe, Mr.. Cheer
man, ys can't do nothin' OF that kind
| hare. This ia a Dimnicfdtic meetin' yell
please 10 undsrstand, and we don't want
no boss to run l.. l move that a COM
mittee OF oue from each district be ap
pointed by the meetin' to nominal,
permanent oHicers."
| Prompted again by the chairman Of the
county committee, Mr.. Calender DECLARED
that motion for q committee OF iv'
having been adopted Mr.. Lsndstreet'l
motion which contemplated committe,
OF eleven was not In order.
"The devil 1t aintl" shouted Tom, :"
appeal to the crowd. Gentlemen is thi
Dimmioratio meeiin' or is IL a d.
Radical poW.wow. Are We the Dimmi
orats OF Durham county, or is Bill SioaI
the county meetin' 2" Then turninI
toward the chairman of the county CON
mittse he commanded, "Come down ou
of that Bill Sloan. Who the devil elected
you chairman OF this here msetin' 7"
But "Blll" did not come down, bu
sat there snilinsly and encouraged tn
chairman to insi,t that Landstreet wa
out Of order-as he clearly was.
Young Worden, though amused at thi
''fuss over trifis," as he whispered .
Cars we'll, was too good q friend OF oil
TOMS not TO 20 to his assistance and h
therefore moved to reconsider the vote b
which 8 committee OF five was ordert
The ohsirmau put the motion and scat
,ering fire Of "syes" f,llowed Toms bi
and loud response. "Contrary opinion
mo-" said the chair. Young Hhrr
Jones shouted i'no'' almost as loudly a
Tom had shouted ''sye' and soatterin
fire Of "noes" followed.
"The nays appear to have i" said tn
chairman, prompted by Bill Sloan.
aDivision," shouted Tom and the ds
mand was echoed from all parts Of th
court house.
San in favor please stand up" sal
!. the chair. Tom Of course stood up an
! vigorously famed himself and oounte
the others standing as carefully as di
the chairman, the secretary and th
unAbashed Bill Sloan, each of whom ha
! his finger going as he counted.
Gan opposed please rise," said th
chair. Again a hustle followed by
/ silent counting, Tom participating