Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1891-03-13
Mossback's Luck.

Oh mytllolOgy must HdNe pSSh
looking with prophetic vision
down the centuries at American
politics, when he conceived the
trlbulation of Tantslus. | heard
one of my sous reading of him the
iiother night, and confess sort OF
personal resentment against the
powers that he took possession of
me. Tantslus and myself might
organize mutual sympathy COM
pany, with a large paid-in capital.
Having spoken of my sons read
ing to me, | may as well go on III
this connection and say that In Ike
manner | have acquired good
part of my knowledge. Mrs. Moss
back always leaned rather more to
books than did her worthy hus-
band, and she it WAS who taught
me to write. Owing to the illus
hious example of Andy johnson.
this acknowledgements is made
with certain degree of pride. My
sons, OF whom the census enumer-
ator found seven, all exhibit
tondness for books, except the eld-
est. -Four of them are voters. Thee
of them attended the Normal at
different times for different peri
DDS, and came home Republicans.
When the first one'was proselyted,
[ was inclined to consider it a
case of hypnotism. | knew some
of those kirksville Republicans to
be very crafty. with no political
scruples whatever, when it comes
to weaving young man from the
traditions and prejudices inculcat-
ed by his loving ancestors. Ar
gument availed nothing; my son
could distance me in political con-
trovcrsy. When next the one was
starting to attend the Normal,
with tears in my eyes [ said to
| him:
"Theophilus, you haye beheld
your brothers ruin. Let me ad-
monish you--beware of the Re-
publicans"
With promise on his lips he
left HE, only to return at last
more uncompromisingly Repub-
lican than his brother. This set
tied tit was education, not hyp.
notism. l did my utmost to keep
the other from attending, but his
brothers urged, and | protested in
vain. Finding him determined,
wrote the president, explaining G
the situation and requesting him
to give my boy private political
lectures occasionally, promising
: my support for anything in return.
But it seems political lectures
come higher than | supposed-at
any rate my son returned unlec-
tured and undone. In justice to
these three boys of mine, however,
| must say they earned their own
money for schooling purposes.
, But that makes the modification
! and disappointment hardly less
keen. 1t is a common bit of
irony "Yes, Mossback has always
been a great worker for his party.
Why, just look at his dutiful
sons"
Such remarks are wormwood to
: my sensitive spirit. Indeed, moth
J ing short Of pint of Nelson
county bourbon avalls to tide me
over the detection consequent up.
on hearing something SO heartless
and unjust. | agree with oul
} gifted Missouri Senator, whose
only weakness is an inability to
, keep Cleveland's secrets, that
whiskey is indispensable to Dem
ocrats, especially those miscom-
pretended and : unfortunate like
! myself. L have been scoffed at SO
much because my sons ignore the
faith of their forefathers, and
have suffered SO unjustly in part
because of this deplorable state of
events, that | determined to make
an explanation of my attitude in
the matter. [ commenced this
letter, intending to treat on other
things, but, coming to the Tanta-
| lus incident, was tempted into a
digression which the sympathetic
reader will readily pardon. l am
sore In SO many places [ hardly
know which particular plaster to
| pick up first.
| If any Republicans who helped
misiead my errlng boys read this,
let them reap what consolation
| they can from the fact that gray
haired fathers heart is almost
broken. | never wanted to see a
son of mine educated out of him
self. 1t is quite sufficient to be
able to read, write and cipher
and hold Office if you can get it.
Four sons-all voters would ma
terially aid me In the primary;
but it WAS not to be. Mrs. Moss
back is a model wife-only she
burns the bread sometimes and
will send the children to school.
Years ago when she was teaching
the older boys Twinkle, twinkle,
little STAR she little thought her
dear husbands political star was
going of the twinkling business
pretty fast. Once | lost a nomi-