The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1886-11-04
A "FENSIvE" PARTISAN.
The Calamity Which BefeII the Postmaster at Red
Robin.
tArkdnsutc Trareusr.1


Old Andy Benchly Is as dark as the hour
which precedes the dawn. During several
years Andy has been Postmaster at Red Robin,
a small village situated below Little Rock.
During the campaign Andy was an uproarious
supporter of the Piumed knight" but since
the installation Of Cleveland he has been
violent Democrat. The other day he came to
the city, and, hurrying to the State-house, he
presented himself to the Governor.
"Come in, Andy
"Yas, sab; thankee"
How are the crops down in your part of the
country?"
"Doan know, sab. Been so mighty bodered
dat amt noticed DEM"
"What is the matter?"
avail, sab, er mighty klamity hab fell in
our community"
"That SOP"
"It am, fur fackn
"What is the nature of the calamity2"
"Aint got no mater, sab. Too bad ter hab
one"
"Well, tell me what the trouble is"
"Well, sab, dat man Clebelan' hab moved
me frum my Office"
"That's hard on you, Andy"
"Yas, an I'll make it hard on dis heah Cub
ermint fore da gifts done wild it, dat's whut I'll
do. Fin dat / amt er pusson ter be snatched
up an be shuck like er rat. Dali larn who
blows de hon in dat nighborhood."
:" Da said dat wuz er 'fensive partisan, sah."
"Well did they prove it?"
Didn't try ter prube it, sab. Prubin' it
didn't peer ter be no consarn er tall. / writ TO
Mr.. Garlan' an tole him ter go ober and sorter
shake up de President, but de gennerman didn't
answer de letter. He mus tink dat amt got
nothin' ter do but ter write ter him. Sets back
dab wild his slippers on readin' my letter, an
den when he gifts through wild it he filings it er
side like want anybody. L doan like dat
way o. runnin' or Gcbermint, sab, clare ter
goodness dOan."
ANDY. were you not Republican during
the campaign2"
"Who me?"
"Yes. you"
"Gub'ner, how awful cuis yessef ken talk
when yer puts yer mind down ter hit / neber
was er Publican. 1 wuz bornd er Dimmercrat,
sah."
Didn't you make speeches in favor of
Blaine?"
"Who, me?"
ayes"
"Now, dar yer goes er gin. I'clare ter good
ness dar amt no comfort in talkin' ter high
officers no mo-. 'Twan't allus dat way. lister
come up heah when wanted ter Joy myself"
"You have not answered my question"
"Who haint2"
"Youn
"What wuz de question: I aint heerd it."
favor of Blaine?"
"Dat's er faek; tibber sho' yer did No, sab,
neber said er word bout Blaine, only ter skin
him. De Lawd, how did peel de bark often
dat man / done de wust thing o. all; / skun
him wild er dull knife. 1t doan hurt so much
ter be skun wild er sharp knife, but when yer
skins er man wild er ole case-knife dat's been
layin' out in de dew, massy sakes how it do
make him finch"
"Why, Andy. I understood that in your
speeches you told the negroes that if Cleveland
were elected they would all be put back into
| slavery"
"Da tole yer er campaign lie, sab. neber
said no sich O. er thing. / said dat er fool mig
ger dat wouldn' vote for Clebelan' oughter be
put back inter slabery; dats whut gifts fur it.
| 'CuZed o bein' er 'fensive partisan an turned
outen Office. Ef / want in de presence O. de
Gubner, would say dat it is daim shame,
sab, dat's whut I'd say. Now, Gub'ner, doan't
| wanter tain yer, but wants yer ter do me er
little faber. Why, sab, uster long ter some
o yer kinfolks fore de wah, an it's er mighty
pleasant fack ter recolleek, too sho's yer bornd,
it is. Didn' yer hab er uncle hbin in Tennes-
seer"
| "Yesp
"Whut was his name, bOss'"
| Hughes"
"Yas, sab, uster long ter dat man."
~ don't think you did, Andy. knew all
| or ms negroes"
"Wall, den il mout Nv been ernuder man by
de same name, but dat doan make no differ
ence. / wants yer ter do me er faber. Heah
am er paper dat hab been drawed up. Lemme
read it ter ye:
"'Dis heah am to cercafy dat Andy Benchly
am de bes' Postmaster dat we hab ever had at
| Red Robin'-'dats faek Gubner, fur Use de
fust. Name o. de Office wuz changed. An' dat
We de undersigned, is greatly troubled in de
flesh ease he hab been 'cused o bein' er fen
sive partisan, an nab on dat account been
cheated outen his birfright an his 'heritanee,
an we AK yer, Mr. Preserdent TO put him back
in de office Now, Gub'ner, jes' lissen at de
men whut hab signed dis paper. Lem Gard
ner, Peter Shaler, BueksnOrt Gramley, Nat Pack
man, Brockey Alf an Abe Coats Now, dem's
fine names, Gub'ner, so jes' put yer own signer-
ter down heah an all will be squar'"
ANDY, have given you as much time as I
can spare. Go on now"
"Whut, amt yer gwine to sign dis paper2"
"NO, / am not Go on"
"All right, sab" he said in n voice OF deep
disappointment, call right. / hope it wont be
long till da prubes dat vessel am er 'fensive
partisan. Hope dall boost you outen dis Office
Voted ergin yer once an ken do it ergin
Good-day."
Brave Dog.