Cheyenne transporter. [volume] (Darlington, Indian Terr.) 1879-1886, 1885-12-21
Eggs us PrOJectiles.

ten -egged and otherwise maltreated
not long since by n conservative mob
Mt Brentford, where he was addressing
meeting of electors, naturally leads
to "a comparison between what is called
addressing the electors" in England
and stump speaking" here; and com
parson shows clearly to the impartial
mind that America is at least Il century
ahead of the Albion in the conduct of
such affairs. During presidential cam
paigns in this country party spirit runs
high and the boys whoop'e up lively;
yet it is very seldom indeed that
ancient eggs and over-ripc vegetables
are thrown at a speaker. The practice
used to be somewhat in fashion. but
nova days such extreme measures are
seldom restored to. The orator may
be interrupted by such remarks as:
"Oh, come OFF, ''choesc it!' ''pull
down your vest'' "wipe OIL your
chinr' or later popular expressions of
dissent, but he usually succeeds in fin
fishing his speech, unless it is n maiden
effort, when he breaks down and re-
tires in peace to kick himself and curse
the crowd for an unmannerly set of
hoodlums.
The Improvement in American audi
spcct during the past thirty years.
The writer remembers wildly gong
to hear the renowned Stephen A.
Douglas speak from the old North
Market Hall, CHICAGO, about thirty
years ago, to n multitude of people.
Even the eloquence of the Little
Giant" did not carry him safely
through, for soon yells and cat-cails
| hno 70 ha hno I'd nd
occasional egg was exploded against
the brick wall and door at his back
! For half an hour the senator stood his
ground and roared his scathing invec-
! tives at the crowd, but had to retire at
last unable to finish the speech. And
vet, even then, there was no particular
danger of personal olence to him,
although the fact that he was well
backed by number of resolute men
may have held the ringleadors i'll
check.
1t may be that the scarcity of aged
eggs in this country is the reason that
they are not more in fashion at public
gatherings. Eggs are always in de-
mand here, and prices rule fairly high,
hence comparatively few are allowed
to spoil; and besides, dealers have got
the business down so fine in the way
of packing and handling, that hen
fruit remains in good condition n long
time except in very hot weather, which
is Just the time that stump speaking is
not very brisk.
But probably, after all, one must
look deeper than this for the reason
English yeOmeh still cling to the rotten
egg rs means of discOuragng public
speakers, while the American citizen
depends almost entirely upon the voice.
May ii not aptly illustrate the two
types of character: the Englishman -
conservative. slow to adopt any change
preserving as well rs may be the
customs of his forciathers, and the
American-progressiv always ready
for change and possible Improvement.
AS an appropriate finish to the odOrOus
subject, n little anecdotc IS giVcn Illus
tratng the thrift of some American
small farmers: a queer old Wisconsin
codger known as "WatermclOn Smith,
because he appeared regularly every
season in the village with a stone boat
drawn by yoke of oxen, on which
(the stone boat, not the oXen) he car
ried few watermelOns for sale or
"dicker," afforded lots of fun for tho
} villagers 10y his well-known penurious-
ness and peculiarities. He had habit
of smacking his lips in conversation,
which cannot be described, but was
very ludicrous. On one occasion he
brought seven eggs to the store to ex-
change for sugar, and the boys, as
usual, began TO guy him. He took it
all in good part, and kept them laugh
ing by his odd remarks. Finally, one
| of the hVstandprS said. Uncle Smith,