Mexico weekly ledger., 1886-11-11
COL. JOHN f. PHILLIPS RACE.
He Makes u Better Run i'm Days Ol
Y0re-IIis Sad Experience With
n Pony Club.

Hon. 1. ". Boulware, of Fulton,
one of the most prominent attorneys
in this part of the state, and withal
genial gentleman, spent Sunday
at the Windsor while en- route to
Hermann to attend circuit court. In
conversation that night with repre-
sentative of this paper he casually
alluded TO the recent bitter contest in
the Second District between Charley
Mansur and John Bolter Hale, refer
ring, politically, in no favorable terms
to the latter, although Mr.. Boulware
was of the opinion that there was
really better congressional! timber in
Mr.. Hale than in Mr.. Mansur. "But
that fact said he, "has nothing to
do with it; Mansur was the nominee
of the party and as such was entitled
to every Democratic vote in the Dis
trict. 1 am one who has no sympathy
with the boilers, and / never scratch
a ticket" and simultaneous with this
last remark the great American J.
z. O." gave his cane vigorous jerk
against the floor. which left the i'm
preston upon the writer's mind that
| what Mr.. Boulware said he meant.
'.No, sir; just such wrangles as this,
and others l could name, is what is
the matter with our party now.''
"By-the way" said Mr.. Boulware,
continuing, do you know Col. John
E. Phillips, the defeated candidate
in the Fifth District? No? Well,
know John and have known him for
long time. While was in business
at New Bloomfield, over in the King
DOM John was over there clerking
in store 1t was the fashion in
those days for gentlemen to wear
long cloaks instead of coats, and
John came there with one on-in fact,
he was considered what would now
be termed dude. The plain coun-
try boys out there didn't like his
style much, so We all concluded to
put up job on him and have little
fun at his expense, as much to learn
the carrying capacity of his legs as
anything else. We had organized a
sort of country 'pony club and
John was the first victim. He was
clerking for his brother-in-law, who
was son of old man Murray, one
of the stingiest farmers l reckon in
Missouri at that time. The scheme
was to go out and steal cherries from
Murray's orchard and John entered
into it heartily. The knowing ones
all provided themselves with pistols
and start was made good bit after
dark for the orchard, old man Muir
rays parsimonious propensities being
made out to John all along the route
much worse than they really were.
or course John was the first to climb
the tree. Cherries were not yet half
ripe, and he so whispered back to the
boys, but he vas urged to climb up
in the top of the tree where he was
assured ripe fruit could be had. Then
the fun commenced. The first crack
out of the gun john Phillips dropped
out of that tree a-running and his
long cloak a-fying, and all the boys
a-shouting and a-shooting. Such
a-climbing over hedge fences and
through fields never occurred in that
neck O. woods before. Dogs yelped,
COWS beloved and pigs squealed and
the farmers thought the day of judg-
ment had come. 1t was the talk of
the neighborhood for weeks, and as
John did not return L lost sight of
him for a long time. He is an able,
whole-souled, genial fellow, has made
us most excellent Judge, and
hated to hear of his defeat. The
Kansas City Times made q bitter
warfare upon him, which likely had
something to do with it.
Il once told the story on him in his
presence at Jefferson City, and he
promptly pronounced it a id lie,
but he asked the crowd mp all the
same
As it was nearing the hour for
church service Mr.. Bouiware donned
his hat and remarked that he mus be
off to hear Rev. Reason preach, as he
had laid over here especially for that
purpose, and he left the hotel hum
ming s.Jesus, Lover Of My Soul"
Mr.. Boulware went to Hermann ria
st. Louis.