St. Landry democrat., 1886-06-05
Election Times i'm Louisiana.
Paul Hayne in June BivOllac.

grefs, refusing to be controlled by party
organization, which he denounced as
utterly corrupt, and to submit his name
to an avowedIy packed" convention.
An episode of the canvass is related
by him with inimitable humor:
Il travelled" says he, down in my
carriage from New Orleans, on both
mouth as | could go in land vehicle.
On starting from the city, the first par
ish had to traverse was the parish of
st. Bernard, on the left bank. 1t was
an overwhelmingly Wing parish. Ip
those days there wer. men OF the old
rejime, still sufficiently on the top of the
ladder to control whole communities,
not by money, but by sheer personal in
t1uence. They were the neads of clans.
st. Bernard was entirely under the
thumb of Mr.. Reand, an opulent
sugar planter, and relic of the past.
Ae was a man of passionate temper, of
unconquerable prejudices, and so mimi
cal to the Democratic party that the
mere mention Of it threw him into fits
of wrath.
" had no personal acquaintance with
this old gentleman, knowing him mere
ly by sight and from reputation. When
| entered the parish in which he resided,
dAu NloH 81 u
hand, telt considerably embarrassed.
SHOULD | call on him? In that case,
a very cold and unpleasant reception
was sure to be given me. On the other
hand, it | did not stop at his place as
went along, it might be regarded as
deliberate slight. He was aged, COM
paratively young.
" had called on every body worth
noticing, Wing and Democrat. Ii l
passed him with apparent Indifference,
what construction would be put upcn
itg
Hence, at last, | resolved to beard
the Douglas in his CASTLE Driving in,
| said to a black servant, who present
ed himself, Is your master at home ?
50 Yes, sir: please walk in
II was ushered, without being asked
my name, into a large saloon, where |
found the white-haired chieftain alone,
and seated in a capacious Mexican
leather armchair, from which he did
not rise at my entrance. | walked up
had bowed, since he did not even point
to chair. | said, Mr.. Reand, am
canvassing this district as all indepen-
dent Democratic candidate for Cong
ress; but have not called on you in
that capacity, for | know your irwin
chile hostility to the political principles
which / represent. The sole object of
my visit is to show the respect | enter
tain for one who is entitled to it from
his age and his high social position
He listened with an extremely
stern, uncompromising face, and freez-
iGgly replied:
"' Pray, sir, who are you?
gave my name.
'"Eh = he exclaimed eagerly, bending
suddenly forward and carrying a hand
to his ear to assist in better catching
the sound. What name, eh nhot
name did you say?'
Il repeated it, and saw at once
marked change in the unfriendly ex-
preston Of his harsh features. even
noticed that his whole body trembled
with emotion: Are you,' he said, the
son of that Charles Gayarre who was,
under the Spanish Government, an Of
fetal in the Royal Contadora"
:" am, SIR
"At these words he made one bound,
then threw himself upon me, folding
me in his arms, embracing me, and ex-
claiming tenderly all the while, MY
dear child my dear child the son OF
my best friend; welcome! welcome!
What care whether you are Wing or
Democrat? hate a Democrat, it is
true, little more than / hate the
devil. But you you-the sou of my
bosom friend; oh oh that makes a
difference. You shall have the whole
parish: and woe to him who votes
against you A Democrat, forsootI:
has the son OF nv best friend to do
with that-eh! Ell! Has he not the
right to be what he pleases, as long as
lie is man of honor7 and you can not
be any thing else. The son of my best
friend Diable, diable, mon entdnt, It
makes difference. We shall see who
dares to oppose you; no, ho!
"'Sit down. Let me tell you some
thing. One night | had certain words
with you father at the theater. We
were rather touchy in those days, and
we wore swords. That was the neces-
sary appendage of gentleman. So
we went out, and under the tanal de la
cometiie, as was the custom on such 0c
casions, we immediately exchanged a
few rapid thrusts. q hope yOu fence
well, mon eVant! it is noble art
Well, am, or rather [ was an expert
in it during those by-gone days. But
your father, notwithstanding my skill,
soon administered to me few inches
Of his cold steel en- pleine poitrine.
VYaiment le coup etait superbe, ct dams
boutes les regles "Trnly the thrust
was superb, and in accordance with the
best principles of the art" Then, how
gracionsly he behaved! He hardly
left my bed side as long as was in any
danger; and we continued to be the
best of friends as long as he lived.
not no yD help supporting my YOU, politics or no
politics. Au diable la politiQue! The