The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1894-05-24
HOW VANCE WON VOTES.
HIS MEMORABLE CAMPAIGN
WITH JUDGE SETTLE.
Vance Didn't Belong to Any Church
but he Got There just the Same"
kissing His Girls.

kissing His Girls.
F. R. S. in Kate Fields WashingtonI
Vance used to say that his liveliest
campaign for the Goyernorship Of
North Carolina was that in which
Judge Settle ran against him. They
Stumped the State in joint debate
All the white Democrats turned out
to hear Vance, and all the colored Re
publicanS to hear Settle. On Que oc-
caSion, at the conclusion of the sneak
Ing, Vance was Informed that there
were some charming young ladies who
desired to testify their devotion to
the Democratic candidate for Gov
ernOr.
Nothing loath, Vance descended
from the platform and kissed a dozen
or so of the young beauties, and then
paused long enough to turn around
toward his competitor and shout:
Settle, I'm kissing my girls, now you
kiss yours :"
One of the best stories told about
him, Vance told himself. He was
making personal canvass for votes
in backwoods settlement where he
was not acquainted. Finding about
sixty men Of voting age at cross
roads grocery, he diSmounted. hitched
his horse, and fell to cracking jokes
with them. He seemed to be getting
on very well with most of the party,
but ne noticed one old man with Shag-
gy eyebrows and braSS-bowed specta-
| cles sitting on a box and marking in
| the sand with stick. as if paying no
! attention. After white Vance con-
cluded that the old man must be the
| bcll-wether of the flock, and accord
| ingly made preparations to capture
| him. As he sided up, the old man
| rose and shook himself, leaned for
ward on his stick and said solemnly:
This is Mr.. Vance, | believe?"
"Ie es, SIR said Vance.
| "And you have come over here to
see my boys about their votes, | be-
| lievc?"
''Yes, sir. that is my business
"Wcll. sir. afore you proceed with
! that business | would like to AK you Il
few questions"
| 'Certainly, sir, certainly"
| "What church mout you belong to-"
| That was poser. Vance didn't be-
| long to any church. He knew that re-
| ligion and meetings" were big things
in the backwCods and controlled
| politics there, but he didn't know
what the religion Of this region was,
| for North Carolina was much split up
between sects. But he squared him
self and said slowly: "Well, my
| lflend, Will tell you all about tnat,
for it is fair question. You see, my
| grandfather came from Scotland, and
you know that everybody in Scotland
is Presbyterian" Here he paused To
note the effect, but detected no sign
| of sympathy.
But my grandmother came from
| England, and over there everybody
belongs to the Episcopal church,"
He paused again, but the old man
merely marked another line in the
sand and shifted his quid from the
| right to the left check.
But my father was born in this
country in a Methodist settlement,
and so he grew up a Methodist" Still
no sign Of approval from the old man.
Vance began to feel chilly, but he
made one last effort:
"But my good old mother was a
Baptist, and it's my opinion that d
man has got to go under water to go
to heaven"
The old man walked up, and taking
him by the hand, said: ''Well, you
are all right, Mr.. Vance," Then
turning to the crowd, he added:
"Boys, he'll do, and you may vote for
him; | thought he looked like a Bap-
tist :" And he drew a flask from his
coat-tail pocket and handed it to
Vance to seal his faith after the GUS
tom of the country.