Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1885-11-20
CAPT. BOB BLACK
Don't See Why There Should Be Oppesi.
ti0n to MADDEN, and Yet Thinks
Seriously
OF Running Against Him Old War
Horse Positively Telescoped by the
Perplexing News.

The Old War Horse had his big army
overcoat hnttoned up to his chin yester.
day, n his large benevolent nose seemed
to have been shifting the winter afar off.
He was in a good humor, however, and as
he blew a trumpet blast and waved his
immense red handkerchief in the breeze
with one hand, he extended the other to
the APPEAL man.
Haven't seer you since Gen. William
son declined" he declared. NOW, as /
have often said before, 1 am taking no
hand in this thing, but a sort of instinct
prompts me to keep awake, and / can't
help thinking a little, and sometimes a
great deal, about what 1 see and hear.
Now, the two candidates opposed to Had
den, who have been already shelved,
represented a strictly political element.
Now the last man"
"Is there another opposition candidate ?"
"You ask me that! Oh, l see, the pre-
vailing complaint, not on deck. Yes, there
because n OF his hackers alone has been
offering anything from $500 to $4,000 to
beat Hadden. Of course you know whom
l mean"
"And who is the standard bearer ?"
"Capt. Robert J. Black. You know he
is a member of the Memphis City Railway
Company, and on that account Mr.. Barrett
feels very kindly toward him. Besides, he
is related by marriage to Col. R. Dudley
Frayser, the president of the old company,
and you can plank your last chip they will
make a hot fight for him. The old COM
pany, you kn0r, feels that a change in the
government is absolutely necessary to it.
Whether they induced Capt. Black to go
in or not, of curse l cannot say, but any
man with a CLEAN of intelligence must
know that if he runs they will make a des-
perate fight for him."
"Has he consented"
The old War Horse neighed softly, and
looking cut of the corners of his eyes, an
swered:
81 said it was Capt. Black who was
talked CT. You know him, and if you
don't you ought to, for he is a very clever
man, and yet if you knew him you
wouldn't ask such a question. He takes
his W time about making up his mind,
and the more you push him the more he
will put you off. He will get there after
awhile, but he won't be quite certain abou ut
it even then. Suppose you ask him."
With this the old War Horse galloped
off, and the APPEAL man took his advice.
CAPT. BLACK ENDORSES Mr.. HADDEN.
Capt. Black was discovered on Main
street in the act of bowling, in that cspti-
waiting way he has, to some of his numer-
Gus lady iriends. He was informed of the
fact that his name had peer mentioned as
q candidate for Rresident of the Police and
Fire Commissioners, and answered with a
laugh which might might have meant yes
or 10.
"Then it is not news to your" the AP-
EAL man said.
Well, no, yes-that is l have heard Of
it. | heard it to-day, l believer"
&C ~ -AolIr AL.-L II ----
capdidate?"
"Really, you know, L haven't had time
TO think about 1t. 1t takes time, you
know, to consider things Of that kind"
which is to say that you are consider
ing the NATTER Another one of the CAP
tain's own laughs did him good service,
and the APPEAL man endeavored to i'm
press upon him the anxiety with which
the dear public was hanging upon his
words.
"Oh, l don't know about that" the cap
tain said. "You will get it all as soon as
it is decided. The time to make it public
has not come yet"
Then it has heen decided that you are
to run, but the time for making it public
has not Gomez"
"The fact is" said the captain, "lhat l
have not had time to think about the mat
ter. Oh, it will be like other elections, l
suppose. You can't just put one ticket
out and elect it. 1t is customary to have
two tickets, you know"
SIS there any real necessity for two
tickets?"
81 don't see any," said the captain.
MADDEN is a good man, and 1 can't see
the necessity for making up an opposition
ticket. Can you?"
"But surely you do not intend to run
for the fun of the thing, or simply because
it is customary to have two tickets in the
field"
"Why, OF course such reasons as those
would not induce me to do 80. But, look
here, now" said the captain in a deprecat-
ing way, this is no interview. You will
know the result when the time comes"
The APPEAL man willingly owned that
there had been no interview, but simply a
little friendly talk, having for its object the
good of the dear people.
THE WAR horse A
Straight as an arrow the reporter HE'D
him to the stsll of the Old War Horse,
who, after a preliminary snort or two, in
sisted upon knowing whether the captain
had made up his mind.
He was informed that the captain had
not, but that he had distinctly and en-
pbatically declared Mr.. Hadden to be a
good man, and had admitted that he saw
no good reason for opposing him, except
that it was customary to put two tickets
before the people on election day.
The Old War Horse allowed his head to
sink slowly down between his shoulders,
until the top of his bald head disappeared
behind the tall collar of his great coat.
Then his body settled down between his
hips, and all was silent. the Old War
Horse had undergone a total eclipse.