Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1894-12-06
PRAYING FOR DEMOCRATS.
Lord, Have Mercy on Democrats
John Morris Finds Himself and
Party the Subject of Prayer.

Notwithstanding our defeat it
is a comfortable sense to know
that old line Democrats. since
the volcanic disturbance, NoYem-
Der g., are praying for II an
other.
Entering a railroad carriage, a
few days ago, | was surprised at
the pious aspect of my old friend,
Mr.. William L. Hardin, the vet
eran drummer and ancient Dem
ocrat of Morganton.
Uncle Hardin's pose and pan
tomime, While occupying a seat
in the carriage, was strictly de-
votional; his hands clasped; his
eyes closed.
The blonde lashes of the sin
gular politico-commercial eyes of
Uncle Hardin interlaced, keep
ing out the painful glare Of the
immediate political situation,
thereby shutting the suppliant,
Uncle Hardin himself. from the
Extensively sordid elements inter
mixed with that sudden revela-
ton of destiny on whose bouy-
ancy Marion Butler rides trium-
phantly, and in and out Of whose
cavorting onset the lilliputian of
the new and unexpected dispen-
sati0n, Master Richmond Pear
son, friskS at hide and seek as
merrily as a heretofore half
starved kitten when fed, as now,
for the first time, from a gener-
Gus hand, with crumbs and clab-
Der.
Uncle Hardin was engaged IN
silent, earnest but humble prayer
for the Democrats. who, afflicted
by defeat, are now down where
Parson A. j. Finlayson, once of
Wayne county, bu now of heav-
en- and blessed memory,Was wont
to designate as the loW-grounds
Of sorrow"
The bustle Of my ingress; the
racket from shutting the door
with a slam; the thuds from de
positing my two gripsacks; the
thwack Of the ferrule Of my UNI
brella against the floor, and the
slash in adjusting the physiol-
ogy Of my own oleagenous mat
ter in a seat Immediately in front
of Uncle Hardin. We're, when ia
ken separately or collectively,
the normal incidents of my
proper arrival as well as the
methodical distribution of my
self AMI chattles. Withal, how
ever unavoidable, the noise
which Imade invaded the atnaos-
phere Of prayer in transit, and
had the profane effect Of start
l ng Uncle Hardin from the realm
of devotional reflection. Quickly
recognizing me, Uncle Hardin,
PREACHING across tie back of my
seat, grasped and squeezed my
hand.
"How are you my boy"
[ called his attention to my
pantaloons; 523 inches in circum-
ference at the top; % inches in
length Of leg,
The testimony which I intro
duced was so Overwhelmingly
convincing that the debate con
corning my health was at once
closed for the session.
Uncle Hardin squeezed my
hand some more.
The effect Of his grip, while
warm, pleasant, friendly and
even solicitous in pressure, was,
nevertheless. abnormal, in that
the remote but contemporaneous
result was to fetch tears in Uncle
Hardin's own eyes.
With a lugubrious twist of the
lips. he said:
My boy, since these awful
political Affections fell upon US
I've thought of you a thousand
times. l knew you were dis
tressed beyond measure, almost
wholly undone. I've been pray
ing for you. It's HI, my boy,
but I've been praying for you
In the veins of this Democrat
is blood rich and pure, from the
loins Of princely planters, who,
in the days of Kings, and later,
in the times Of colonial victors,
lived in the great castles over
looking the tides of the Cape
Fear. He is in blood line from
some of the most fearless cap,
tains against English DONNA
ton.
But to him as he is, and not tc
his Ideal past: [ think that he
has spent half his life in praying
for Democrats; the other half il
cussin' Radicals. To what de.
gree the efficacy of prayer fol
Democrats has been impaired OF
enhanced by the fervency of his
explosives against Radicals [ an
not able to state.
Just before reaching the sta.
ton where | was to get off, [ in
cidently referred to the big Re
publican majority in New Yorl
and the loss of North Carolina tc
the Democracy.
A wave OF anger swept ath
Wart Uncle Hardin's face to be
followed by a forlorn expression
Of every facial lineament.
He groaned.
His eyes closed.
His hands clasped.
His lips moved.
"Oh Lord have mercy OIL Us
Democrats
That was all.
And why should not men pra,