Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1886-08-27


/ told him il would be best for him
TO take a wife. SO he found a good
middle aged woman, and before he
knew it hewas in love like young
boy oftwenty. They were engaged,
and last Thursday was the day
fixed. 1t seems that some of them
Woodstock lawyers found out about
the license, and Jim got letter
from the boss of the Democratical
party that he must not marry that
woman because her father had vot-
ed for Henry Haun for the legisla-
ture, and jim, they said, had swOre
on the Book never to 90 back on
the Democratical party in anyway.
The letter said the way to make
Democrats Of girls fathers was not
to marry the girls. They wanted
jim to tell the old man that he
could not marry Katy Ann unless
he would jine one of the "Tens" and
swear to vote the DemOcratical
ticket
"Jim done it of course"
ayes, Joseph, he did,
"What did the old man say y
ole said, James, / didn't know
you was a Democrat such as we
have nowadays. | am glad you
told me. | will call Katy Ann and
he did. When Katy Ann come in
he says: katy Ann, James is a
Democrat. DO you want to be his
wife, Jim says Katy Ann busted
into tears and almost screamed out,
NO, father, no, never never Faith
er, look, just look at these Demo
cratic husbands around here. They
spend half their time running to
town talking politics to lawyers
while their wives work the fields,
feed the stock and perform all the
labor of a farm hand. When their
husbands come home at night they
talk about nothing but lawyers and
doctors and the rich folks of the
town. And father, right around us
are five or six farms advertised for
sale by these same lawyers who
made idlers of their owners, and
the poor broken down wives must
now see their old homes sold and
spend their last days in rented
cabin. No, father, | would like to
marry James, but l prefer a hus-
band to a Democrat"
81 know that reused Jim's ire. -
He got mad as a hornet, didn't he
John ~
"Not much, Joseph. Jim says he
was overcome. He says that Katy
Ann has more sense than all the
Dcmocratical lawyers in the coun-
ty. lie says he will never be salts
fed till he can see to go to town
and scratch his name off them
blasted DemocTatical books and
take another oath never to vote
that ticket again. He says he was
a fool to give away his liberty any
how. Joseph, his heart will never
heal till he does what he says and
gets Katy Ann"
"Does jim expect to quit the
party and get the half dollars too"
"Joseph we both done all we was
to do for the crop. We want to
reap some before we sew votes
again"
"Well, John, | must bid You good
evening. | didn't expect to stop a
minute. will have to ride very
fast to get through with my bust
ness down the road. | will see Jim
later"
"But Joseph, before you 90, |
want to say that | would like to
know what the Democratical legis-
lature done so that Dulaney that
bought Mems place car pay his
taxes in coupons and we smaller
farmers have to pay in money. The
HERALD says they passed a license
law that done it,
"John don't you know You sacred
~ promised not to read such pa
pers, and never to hear anybody
speak but Democrats p
eyes, Joseph, but when them
half dollars didn't come according
to promise | thought all promises
we're off,
"Well, John, you will be at the
"S. G. S. S. UnionD at Fishers Hill.
Some of our best lawyers will be
there and we can talk politics all
day. They will make it all as clear
as day light to you. will come by
and ride over with you. Good
day.
"Good day."
AS Joseph rode away he was
heard to mutter. "The devil take
that HERALD. 1t will ruin this
country if something is not done TO
put an end to it,"
John arose and looked toward
the sun. "a plague to these Demo
cratical Chiefs said he. "Here is
a half day nearly gone and | am no
wiser than when the Colonel left
me. expect Joseph is the very
fellow he sent here to see me. 1t
is lust like Joseph to try to cover
up his tracks. These fellows never
come to see us without we lose |
something. Well, they'll not get
our wagon and horses at another
election, that's certain. Me and
Jim are settled on that
Aa Iobn oforfad oor00Q tho field |