The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1891-01-15
Anecdotes of Major Blake.

The following well-told anecdotes,
from the columns of the News Mes
senger, will be found Of local interest,
as Maj. Blake is pretty well remam-
bered by our older citizens:
Major Blake was a state senator
when this district was connected with
Redwood AMI Blown counties. The
election was thceo corncred fight
H. secured tho regular republican
nomination, against the late John
Homer of Redwood, and a mighty
popular m III of Blown county was the
dem ocratic nominee, while Homer,
incen5ed at his own defeat, was run
ming independently in order to aid the
democratic a'pirant. In those days
tho Major was terror on horse flesh,
and would cover the ole hundred and
fifty miles in length of tho district in
a day and night. He always Travelled
with munitions of war equal in variety
and quantity, and ranging from mis-
sionary tracts to missionary whiskey.
One day he heard that one of his op-
ponelt5 had coyece1 small town in
Brown county the previous day, so
Letting votes and distributing bug
juice to the nat yes. He knew there
was to b. church raising in that
town the following afternoon, and with
sweat dripping team he arrived there
just as the timbors for very sluatty
steaple wore boing raised. Singing
ont tao Clergyman in chlrge h asked
Say, what in are you building
here?" Shocked at tho abrupt inquiry,
and with wooful reproof, the pastor re-
piled, This, sir, is to be church for
divine worship, a1d to teach men the
evil of profanity "Oh, | see" said
the Major, not the lea st aba5hed, But
why in thunder don't YOU run TINT
steeple up h;ghor?' "Well, sir" re-
piled the patient man of tho cloth, eve
are to- poor, and have not su!hci ent
money" "Now, see here, par5on," said
the Major, Il am going to repco;oat
this district in tho next state senate,
and I'll b, - # | want any bob tailed
churches in my district. Here's fifty
dollars, and l want you to run that
steeple up as much higher as the
m oney will goH' And dropping a wad
of bank notes in tho amazed pastors
hands, he gave his team a cut and
was soon in New Ulm, whore beer and
whiskey were far more potent elements
in a political campaign than raising
church steaple5. When the returns
came in the Major found his plurality
was about the same as the voting
strength of the little town where the
church stesple was run up higher.
Major Blake beloved his personal
accounts should be settled at least
once quarter, that is a quarter cen
tury, and upon Investigation it was
generally found there was contra
account. Just before his departure a
creditor importuned the Major for the
payment of $14 account with such,
persistency as to become annoying
which was an unusual state of mind
for him to possess. At the last solicit
ing of the creditor, the Major said,
eyes sir, you are just the man l have
been looking for all day; come right
in here and we'll SETTLE" The man
gleefully accompanied him into the
nearest store, where his glee was turned
to amazement upon finding himself in
debted to the Major the sum of S. in
excess of his own account, and cha
grinned at not having a dollar in his
pocket. "Well' said Blake, "I'm 60
ing away Jan. 1st, and if you fail to
pay that six dollars before that time
I'll put the account in a lawyers
hands for collection"
just before leaving town the Major
called on one of our prominent down
town merchants and presented an in
definite bill for some milk tickets
bought OF him years before, saying he
did not want any money, but would
take it out in groceries to carry away
with him, and reminding the merchant
that he was not fastidious as to the ex-
act amount, but would rely entirely
upon his conscience to do the square
thing by an old army comrade. "But
have not got any conscience" said
the merchant, in chatting manner.
ooh, yes you have" replied the Major,
"by - you have got the most virgin
conscience of any man in town; it has
never been used, and is perfectly
fresh, and now is just the time to get
acquainted with it." 1t is needless to
say generous bill of groceries was
promptly put up.