Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1886-11-13
UP SALT RIVER
Laughabte and Enjoyable Description Of
the Excursion
TO THE ISLAND OF DEFEATED CAM,
DIDATEs, AS DESCRIBED BY OUR
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.


ic candidates and host of weeping
friends, began arranging to journey
up Salt River. With woe-begone
looks and wild-gazing eyes, they
packed up some cheese, eggs and
sour-kraut, and after imploring the
powers that be, to vouchsafe them
a safe return, at 3 o'clock, passed
down Queen street, then down Mar
tin to the wharf The desire was to
start before daybreak, but, as the
tide was running high, and the
steam not quite sufficient, it was
seven o'clock before everything was
ready. BY this time large crowd
had gathered at the wharf, among
them, George Feidt, w. H. HI. Flick,
b. M. Kitchen, George Bowers,
George Ropp and your special cor
respondent. The crew were at their
places, and though lacking exper-
lence, did quite well. Captain Billy
Colston commanded the boat. He
was anxious to start, and with his
aieutenants, Will Dodd and Alex
Parks, paced the deck impatiently,
with hat far back on his head, and
hands deep in his breeches pockets.
Dave Westenhaver was pilot, assist
ed by Bob Criswell. He sat by the
wheel on an empty beer keg, looking
lonely as an organ grinder in q snow
storm. will my dream of prescott
ing attorney and greatness never be
realized? Will it forever lure me
forward like the mirage in the desert,
only to disappear when almost in my
graspr he muttered. "Like Wade
Hampton, | am wel-nigh discour-
aged.u The engineer, Mr.. Frank D.
Staley, was found looking in be-
wildered way at copy of the States
man containing the plea to the de-
mocracy to vote the ticket solid.
II don't understand it, said he
II thought this would fetch them,
but all our efforts have come to
naught, and we are undone,n and he
chucked into the furnace the demo-
cratic platform and lit it with the
county convention resolutions. The
cook, Andy Criswell, was preparing
sour mess Of tripe and onions.
~"What does it signify about Cleve-
lands administration 2" he solilo-
pulsed, sam not cook and how can
the excursionists starve?"
BY this time the passengers began
to arrive. Among them were Stew
art Walker, Ernest Simpson, Fred
Seibert, Charley Hollis, Frank Farms
worth, Charley Lambert, Sonny
Eichelberger, Jim Thompson, Sam
Paul, Lem Howard, Frank Thomas,
Boyd Faulkner and Reddy O'Con-
nor. Walker was singing very slow
ly, solemnly and even dolefully:
sCome We Demmies, scourged and beaten,
Routed sinners. follow me.
Hearts bowed down in pain and anguish,
From this climate let us flee !!
/ will lead you from this slaughter
To our own Salt River shore
Friends will greet us, friends will greet
us
Radicals there will vex no more"
Boyd was smiling, as usual, but
he was a little put out about that
Market House speech having made
such bad calculations. Simpson and
Howard were holding up each others
chin. "All my eloquence did not
save us, moaned Howard. "Voters
are ungrateflul," and he eyed Seibert
who was wandering up near the pilot,
under the impression that the key
was full. "Gentlemen," began Frank
Thomas, "our candidate for Con-
gress is" ooh, hip said Sonny,
"we've had enough of that!" and he
folded Thomas up and put him in
O'Connor's overcoat. just here n
heavy, hurried step was heard, and
Randolph Ramer turned the corner
He had not yet taken in the situa-
ton What said he, "would not
the Solid South" "The Solid
South is gone to the Devil yelled
'Colston. "Get aboard here if you
are going. The whole democratic
party will be there before us, and we
won't get within ten miles of the
corpse. Start the boat, Staley r.
Poor Mayberry Tabler "Even
Kreglow and Stuckey couldn't stay
the storm" he moaned. With long
drawn sigh and a shake Of the head,
the engineer laid down the Salesman
and turned on the steam. The ropes
were cast off, and the boat pulled
slowly out, while the crowd smiled