The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-11-17
No. 50
ZEKE's BROTHER JOSH WRITES
TO HIM ABOUT GER
TAIN MATTERS.
LICKSKILLETT, n. {


LICKsKILLETT, n. c.
DEAR RRUTHER ZEEKE Il have BIN
wanting to rite to yer fur a long GiEne>
but L cudent borrow emmy paper untllg
this mOrnln. | am gitting terribly
MKT up and disturbed about 5hiugs,
viz. namely, The demOcratick party.
the Alliance and the Peoples party. +
was powerful Alliance man when /
first jined, and when t. EN- demands
were red ter our Sub Alliance thought,
tha was the very things ter be did tfr-
our relief and voted fur them with &
vim with the understandin that the
demOcratlck party was right in fur
emmy thing that would help the farmer
But sinse | have found out the good
ole Democratic party opposes them de-
mandS l must oppose them two. You
see our sun John Henry Is a cOurtin
Annie Marian, who is q town gal and
the dauter of a big merchant and was
gittin along migty we'll until Annie
Marian saw Zeek Bilkin's picter IN Tax
PROGRESSIVE FARMER with that Ole
rake on his shoulder. The last time he
went to see her she aXed him if he was
emmy akin to Zeeke Bilkins, and John
Henry wouldn't tell lie you know and
had ter tell her that he thought he was
a distant relative Of some of his folks,
and when he cum home he Just FaFeG
an pitched an cOvOrted terribly, and
sed he was gwine to pull out 1--WE the
Alliance at next meetin.
The other day | went to town aN
went into Annie Mariar's daddy's store
an he cum from behind the counter
ter where / was an just fOamed at tbe
mouth abusin Polk, an Macune, au
=, i. IL.
party. He said the demands warE.
fOOlishness an the Alliance was follow
ing a set of mean, low down broken
down politiceaners, and he said we
could never do anything only brake
down the democratic party an let the
niggers get the State an ruin it He
said all the rich folks in town were
nightly OppOsen to this movement be-
cause it would flood the country with
money an put interest down to cents
[ remembered that John Henry had
saved Is dollars to go to housekeeping
with and as he was not ready to keep
house he lent it ter an Alliance brother
at cents an told him [ was opposed
to that myself an | was a democrat an
J In Henry an me were gOin to CtlIn
out owe the Alliance ut the very next
meetin. Then he quit fOaming at the -
mouth and smiled few, an presently
he took me into the mOlaSSeS room and
said now Josh BiIkins always thought
you were very clever fellow Gan that
tickled me mighty nigh to death
Now If you will do as | tell YOU, YOU
shant loose nothing by it. NO3- wi e..
[ thCt Of that wiunin smile of his'l anG
John Henrys prospect with Annie,
Marian l just promised right away,
and we talked a long time together
until felt nearly as rich an smart as
he was After awhile he said "JO8hx
[ want you and John Henry to stay IN,
the Alliance and work against these
demands and help abuse Polk and
MCCune and the new party and
claim all the time that you are a simon
pure Allianceman." Well says I,
can abuse MaCune for [ don't kn0G
nOthin about him, but [ know Col
Polk to be a christian gentlem u. q ,
well l don't either so far as that Is con
cerned said he only he is the strongest
boss in that subtreasury scheme and if
we can cripple the lead horse the wagon
wont go, and you know the object III
view is SO worthy it Sanctifies any kind
of means to accomplish the object IN
view, and now the first thing for yols
to do is to write to your bro. Zeek and
questions for you know fool can ask
some questions which a smart man can
hardly answer"
Now my dear bro if you will turn
against Polk and the Alliance it Hay
be very possible that my John Henry.
can marry Annie Marian and be rich,
and raise the whole Bilkins family into
the society of the rich and you know
that would be worth more to us than
% subtreasuries. For the want OF
space l will soon close for this time.
and write again soon for I must con
vince you an Betsy of the error of your.
ways.
John Henry says tell uncle Zeek to.
leave that rake at home and put on.
your sunday close next time you cum
to Raleigh to have yer picture taken
AS your picture did not state what
your post Office is, [ will send this to
The PROGRESSIVE FARMER that it may
publish it for your benefit.
Your own brother
JOSH BILKINS-