The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1894-02-01
SENATOR VANCE and TEE He
BREW.
HOW THE FORMER TESTED HIS
POPULARITY.
A Good Story Some Parts Of Which
Need an Affidavit to go Along
With Them.
Washington Post.

has seen dark DAYS III the ccdlFS VI iiS
eyentful life, and one of the darkest
periods was soon after the war, when
the firm Of Vance & Dowd hung out
their Single in Charlotte. inscribed
with the eloquent legend This Is
law office" But clients were scarce.
One who knew him in those days
tells an interesting anecdote of how
he extricated himself from the discOm-
orts of an unsatisfactory practice and
and put himself in possession OF the
means to enter upon the career OF a
successful lawyer and statesman.
In his leisure moments, when the
days we're long and his knowledge OF
Blackstone a drug on the market, he
wrote a lecture entitled "The Scattered
Nation" detailing the history of The
Jews from the point OF view OF one
who had made il deep study and was
animated by sincere sympathy In
their fate. An ancient Hebrew friend
of the future Senator, named Elias,
said to be an uncle of Kope Elias, adj
yised him to take to the road with his
lecture, and deliver it to the large
cities. What was still more to the
point, Mr. Elias volunteered to furnish
the sinews of war by which this admit
rable plan could be put into execution.
Arrangements were made for the lee
turer to make his first appearance in
Baltimore. Elias was a good business
manager, and when the author of the
lecture, with much treplGation and
doubt stepped into the glare of the
lights that Illuminated his platform,
he was greeted with packed house,
the larger portion of the audience con-
sisting of Hebrews, who had had their
interest aroused by Elias, not incon-
siderable number of old Confederate
friends making up the rest
Elias had not only proved himself a
good business manager, but he had put
q correct estimate on the fetching
qualities of the lecture 1t was receiv-
ed with vociferous applause, IS the
phrase goes, and made such a prOnOun-
ced hit that it had to be repeated the
next evening to an audience as large
and as enthusiastic as the one the
evening before.
1t did not take long for the lecturer
to accumulate enough to go back to
his law office and set up az a man who,
if practice did not come tc him could at
ford to wait it's pleasure. He waited Just
long enough to give practical proof
of his cbility in the courts, and then
fortune changed in his favor.
A short time after he became mem
Der of the Senate, he resolved to put to
the test the high esteem he had won
among members of the scattered nation
by reason of his lecture He and a
friend were walking down by-street
one day, when they came to clothing
store conducted by a Hebrew in moder-
ate circumstances. The Senator and
his friend entered, and Mr.. Vance in
spected suit of clothes which he
thought would answer his purpose. 1t
came to $50. The Senator said he
would like the clothes, but would have
to ask for little time to pay for them
The merchant shook his head He
couldn't see it not knowing who his
customer was.
II have a friend among your people,
said the Senator. 'WhO would let me
take that suit and give me hundred
years to pay for it. But he lives il
Charlotte, n. CT
whats his name?" asked the mer
chant.
ELIAS" said the Senator. "Ht
knows me welI'
What is your name?"
"My name is Vance, replied tn.
Senator
A sudden change came over the mer
chants face.
''YOu are not the Mr.. Vance who de
livered the lecture on the Scattered
NatiOn2'' -
The Senator acknowledged the corn
Here Moses :" shouted the merchan