Cheyenne transporter. [volume] (Darlington, Indian Terr.) 1879-1886, 1886-02-20

Eggs as PrOJectiles.


not long since by conservative mob
Mt Brentford, where he was addressing
Il meeting of electors, naturally leads
to q comparison between what is called
'addressng the electors in England
and stump speaking" here; and com
parison shows clearly to the impartial
mind that America is at least 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' er up lively;
yet it is very seldom indeed that
ancient eggs and over-ripe vegetables
are thrown at 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 oil!'' cheese it!'' pull
down your vest!" 'wipe Off your
chinw or later popular expressions of
dissent, but he usually succeeds in lin
ishing his speech, unless it is 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
spect during the past thirty years.
The writer remembers wildly going
to hear the renowned Stephen A.
| Douglas speak from the old North
Market Hall, CHICAGO, about thirty
years ago, to multitude of people.
Even the eloguence of the Little
Giant" did not carry him safely
through, for soon yells and cat-cails
began to be heard, and eventually an
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
yet, even then, there was no particular
danger of personal V olonce to him,
although the fact that he was well
backed by number of resOlute men
may have held the ringleaders in
check.
1t may be that the scarcity OF aged
eggs in this country is the reason that
they are not more in fashion ut 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 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 yeomen still cling to the rotten
egg as IL means of discOuraging public
speakers, while the American citizen
depends almost entirely upon the voice.
MAY il not aptly illustrate the two
types of character: the Englishman -
conservative. slow to adopt any change
preserving as well rs may be tho
customs of his fOrcfatherS, and tho
American-progresslv always ready
for change and possible Improvement.
AS an appropriate finish to the odOrOus
subject, little anecdotc Is given illus
trating the thrift of some American
small farmers: A queer Old Wisconsin
codger known as "WatermelOn Smith, "
because he appeared regularly every
season in the village with q stone boat
3 drawn by yoke of oxen, on which
Ohe stone boat, not the oXen) he car
ried a few watermelons for sale or
7 "dicker," afforded lots of fun for tho
3 villagers by his well-known penurious-
ness and peculiarities. He had II habit
r 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 il
all in good part, and kept them laugh
ing by his odd remarks. Finally, one
! of hyu N