The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1894-08-30
BOR TAYLOR'S FIDDLE.
Some Rich Stories Of TenntssCe's
Great Campaigner.

oVhO hiNh N'uilOa VI iOhhtsSVt
Great Campaigner,
l. is announced in tie papers that
Bob Taylor has settled down at John
son City for The bala, ce Of the sum
mer aud is engaged III the prep ration
OF anuther one ol thuSa 1, rgeous
pha'ta-ms OF the brain with which
he hs dei ht' the pubic FIR two
or three years past, says the Dayton
Times This will be welcome news to
all who have heard The distinguished
gentleman in tho e deltCtahle gems
known as the Fiddle and the Bow"
and the "Parati.e Of Fools, and when
Bob g,ts on th,. road with his new lee
ture, which viii be entitled across
Purposes in Llie," We hope he vii rot
fail tot Ike DAY ton IN his circnit, for
without knn~iou any thing in advance
Ms to the character Of his lat, 81 fort,
we are justified II the prediction that
II will do nre to r,vive dropping
spirits and drive away dull care than
the late d, mocratlc victory or the pas
sage OF the tariff bill.
A corresI oudent recalls period in
Bob raylor's lie when hr was not 80
famous as he is now. That was nearly
twenty years ago. He WAS then sim
ply plain Bob Tsyior, \ rough, unpol
ished diamond, uhknnwn beyond the
limits OF his native county in the wild
and romantic mou tains OF East Ten.
nessee, wher, the song of the uncae ed
bird, the babbe o. the brook that goes
on forever, th~ sweet perfume Of many
tinted flowers growing in rank luxu-
rance throughout natures vast CON
servatory, were the inspiration of his
waking hours, while the scream OF the
wildcat and the hoot of the owl made
up the lullaby song Of Lis slumbers by
night
The first time he came into some
thing like general notice was when he
male his memol able race for Congress
against A. II P'ttibone in 1873.
Pettibone was a distinguished lawyer
and Republican politician, man OF
wealth, and considered the best all
around Republican campaigner in the
State. TIVE years before that time he
had BEEN an elector for the State at
Large on the Hayes ticket, and made
great rel utation for his prowess on
the stump His nomination for Con-
gress by the Republicans was consid.
cred by everybody az equivalent tc
his election and the Democrats sim
ply put out Bob Taylor as a practical
joke, relish' d ty none more keenly
than Pettibone himself
But Bob did not look upon it as 4
joke. On the contrary, he thanked
the Democrats for their distinguished
consideration and told them he was
going to be elected. That was consid
cred the best part of the joke. Th'
idea of Bob Taylor going to Congress
1t was so funny that people had I,
hold their sides while they laughed.
Bob's accomplishments were though
to consist solely OF a very happy fac
ulty for telling yarns, and extraordi
nary facility with the fiddle and tn
, bow and most captivating grace II
Swinging corners" with the noun
) tain girls on puncheon floor hoe
down. And those were the very aux
iliaries upon which Bob confidentl
relied to encompass his election. H
knew the mountain character tho
+ oughly. His native intuition ha
taught him that with the averag
r mountaineer the fiddle would go
great deal further than the best speec
on the tariff Pettibone could mak'
But how was he to make a canvas
and meet the people? That was th
perplexing problem. Pettibone wa
able to 90 over the district like lori
: but if steamboats, had been selling fo
a dollar apiece, Bob couldn't hay
s bought a gang plank. Aad while 3
9 had the ALMOST confidence in his hoi
esty and integrity, nobody was willin
10 advance him money to elbow in
on such q ioolhardy, wildgoose chaf
s AS that Bob was not dismayed in tn
$ least Walking is good" he sai
u land | don't believe in style, nohow
. Acting ON that impulse, he took h
+. fiddle III der his arm aud started ou
When he wru'd meet ere Of Il
rugged mOuutairtCrs un the road |
would hail him In MI "essl gn Incl
sort OF way, swap warm with hlt
play him tune, inquire about h
wife and baby rake up some kiush