New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-07-07
CAMPAIGN STORIES.
WHICH ARE CREDITED TO MR.. DEPEw.

Chauncey NJ Depew tells the following story of an
other of the many interesting characters he encountered
last fall while addressing his fcllow-cltizens on the
vital issues of the campaign. 1t doesn't sound so
much like true story some that are extant, but
It is getting pretty late in the day to doubt his
word
One night after the meeting over and while
the han was clearing weatherbeaten man button
holed me, and took me to one side and said:
Pm postmaster out here at shinge Corners.
Blaze away and elect your man II you want to-"
"You don't care anything for the office, then ?" l
said.
mo. that amt it.n he replied 1T don't pay
but ga a year or mebby good years when L boom
'er little Sl5, but It's powerful handy TO have in
the house No, my idee is that We can keep 1t In
the family, anyhow"
How's that"
"The old woman, you sec, sne's rfpsnortn'
Republican, powerful so, rcgler uncompromsin.
II Cleveland gets it stay; II Harrison slides In tho
old comes to the front for her reward. No
body else wants it, so there we be-"
"Well, you're al right them
"You bet we arc If git tired OF It or too
old for IT, or anything, ever, there's my boy, rcd
hot Republican, and my Oldest gal, Democrat from
way back Oh, we're hustlers I'm our family when
IL comes to politics.
But suppose the Mugwumps should develop
mower some day and carry things ?" i asked.
too. The baby is Mugwump-I know it cause he
bowls all the time. II you anybody lookin' for
pints on keepln a good thing in the family, Jess send
em out to Single Corners
a had spoken the night before in the opera house
at q LITTLE New-York state town." says Mr.. Depew,
I'm relating another story of man he met while
speaking in the last campaign and was standing
on the station platform the next morning with the
local committee, waiting for the train, when lean
backwoodsman with the lower portion OF his trousers
lost in the depths of his boot legs came up to me
and said
az liked that that air speech o. yourn last night
"sPm LAD lou did, replied.
".That was straight talk, he went 'and 1t takes
an all. fired smart man TO roll it out that way
81 blushed bccomnGly of course at this and
thanked him.
al wished I could talk like tnat' continued tho
man. I'D give my back twenty to be able to make
such speech that.
".You never did anything at public speaking, thenP
said.
@sMeq not q thing-couldnt sa- boo" in public
don't s'pose There are things i do, though.
Give me an axe, a drawshave and log o. wood and
| can make as pretty ox-yoke as there is In four
counties Yes, sir, that's all want-axe draw-shave
and log and bout two days time and there's your
ox-yokc. That's what I can do. Now s'pose give
you them things and you couldn't do nothin' with
make a speech to the and drawshave bout tho
tariff on iron I'll be snaked If don't belitve Pm
pretty well satisfied with my lot after ALL
Mr. Depew was on the train one day last fall after
having spoken the night before TO large meeting at
Albany, when stranger approached him and said
Mr.. Depew, did you mean all you said in your
speech last nght!'
Yes, sir, every word Of IT," replied the oratoi-
Then we're going TO beat 'em, are we!'
mo doubt Of II at ALL
sob | know thcre amt when you're talkn' in
public, but in private, arc we, nowl DO you know
we're gon' tor
eyes sir do feel as certain OF our success
as of anything in the world that hasn't actually aken
place I have inside information that makes me feel
sure The Democrats are good beaten now7
Mr. Depew paused a moment, and then, noticing
that the man was looking ruefuly at the floor CON
tinued jocularly;
Gwen. why don't you get enthusiastic l-snt that
good news?"
"Y.a-e-s' he answered sarcastlcally, great news.
Tho fact is I said we to draw you out-Tve voted
the Democratic ticket for thirty years Oh, yes
that's good news for me-reglar thanksgivin' news
and me postmaster at Shclbark Centre and got 81
and a at-terrier pup on Cleveland Why don't
enthuse. hey 1if you was in my place do you think
Won would whoop much with two-dollar bill, post
office and the best ratterrer pup in the state Of New
York slowly a-spplng out o. your giipl Would you
prob'ly boiler great deal with all that makes life
worth llvin' a-fadng graieraly away! Would you
celebrate whom you thought of that postofce1 Would
you crack your heels together when you remembered
them two dollars? Would You prob'ly sing when you
CONTEMPLATED that pup7 Not much you wouldn't.
You might stand the loss of the Office and the BILL but
when II come to pup that would yank rats out Of
hole inside o. three months you wouldn't keep up
no better N and you know it.'