Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-05-18

our man ourselves That's the way they
| talked; just as If it was chicken fight.
Il was to speak first as usual, and the
democrats began to figure on how to get a
| running start over the third party folks.
Talking ii over beforehand the democrats
sort of allowed it would be mighty good
thing If they could make the third party
orator mad before he began.
:" If we can only poster him and wound
his pride or something they said, and
| get him angry, the judge can go in and
simply leave him on both sides of the
road. When he quits, that third party
talker will be too dead to skim
Was it this yere Singing Lizard?' !"
asked Representative Gresham.
No" replied the judge, the Singing
Lizard belor ged way over in the Sun Flow
| er Bottoms So as l was saying the DEM
| ocrats sort O. put 1t up to make the third
party man angry from the jump, and the
democrat, who was to introduce me, was
| told to stir him up and fret him all he
could while making his speech about me.
STIRRING Up the Other Side.
when the time came we all went over
to the platform and climbed up and got
seats, while the crowd stood round ready
to hear what we'd got to say. There were
two chairmen one for me and one for the
populist, and these men were to open a
way for with the audience. When ev
erybody was ready my chairman, who was
| judge, I'm going to make a little speech.
paving the way for you and your talk. In
cidenta ally I'll stir up this third party man
and get him ugly and ratified. Then all
you'll have to do is to wade in and kill
| him at your leisure Then Bob turned to
the audience.
Ladies and fellow-citizens.' he began.
this Is to be joint debate on the political
questions of the day, especially on tariff
and silver. The democratic side of the ar
gument will be upheld by the judge here,
gentleman whose name is household
word in every home In Texas. As a lesis-
lator he has passed more laws than any
body; as q lawyer he stands without
peer There isn't a man in this crowd but
what the Judge has personally defended
and CT cared him or some of his relatives in
a court of law. The judge will present the
democratic side and give you all the pure,
limpid Jeffersonian doctrine straight from
the jug. The other side will be handled by
what's your mans manner suddenly asked
Bob of the populist chairman.
Never you mind says the populist
chairman, beginning to bristle little. You
That's all you've got to do. Don't fret
none about us. Well attend to naming
our man when the time comes
"'Oh. WE'LL says Bob in supercilious
way, If you're ashamed to name your man
all right. OF course 1t amt none Of my
business. Still. like to see a man come
right out with his name, and not go skulk-
ing about with no sign up, as If he owed
three or four years hard labor at Hunts
vile and a reward was offered for his cap
ture. However, that's your lookout; 1t
shorely amt no business of mine, and
Hotter and Hotter.
WELL don't make it none of your bust
ness says the third party chairman, get
ting up. I give you due warnin'. Bob
Sedgewick, I've bent gun over a mans
head for sayin' a heap less than you have.
And If this yere wasn't a public occasion,
with ladies yere to listen to the talk, you
wouldn't have said as much as you have
No replies Bob, mighty. asgravasing,
I don't reckon If this wasn't public oc-
casion, and there wasn't any people here,
I'd said anything at all. However, as you
say, I'll introduce my man, and you'll in
again. Bob resumed, winking at me 10
notice how well he was stirring up the
third party folks. and getting them hot.
AS 1 was observing when this person in
terrupted me- here Bob pointed at the
third party chairman, who was getting
uglier every minute, the Judge will take up
the cudgels for the democrat s,de, and. On
the other hand, you will be talked to by a
man whom I don't know. and whose name
his friends, for reasons good and sufficient,
10 doubt, IL we only knew them, are obliged
to conceal. don't know this man; don't
much reckon many respectable people do.
l don't even know that lie lives in Texas.
Maybe he's some refugee from the Arkan-
saw swamps, who, inadvertently, of course,
killed some Otner man laWgS, don't
know Here the third party chairman's
eyes were shining like cats. AS I say
went on Bob, cheerfully, I don't know any
thing about these matters. / hope tie
mans all right. I don't know what sort of
speech he'll make, but shorely trust his
language will be fit for wimmen and chill
dren to listen to. In fact said Bob warn
ingly, turning to the third party Chairman.
who was glaring at him like a mountain
lion by then, If his language isn't such as
our wives, and sisters. and sweethearts can
listen to without a blush, I'll not be an
swerable for the consequences. As to the
politics of this man who will follow the
judge, l know nothing beyond the signifi-
cant fact that he amt a democrat. II
seems hard to say it, but s'pose as he
amt democrat he's a republican If,
But when Bob called the third party
man republican he'd spread it a little too
thick. He never got 4 foot further. The
third party chairman hit Bob back of the
year and sent him out into the crowd with
yell. Then the turmoil became general
and got off the stand and went back over
TO the tavern. / reckon there was 500 men
In the fight before all was over No. did
not make my speech, neither did the third
party man. Bob Sedgewicks speech ives
all there was. 1 had to leave town at <
o'clock to keep another appointment that
night. The mass meeting was still fighting
with itself when l left and 1 heard AFTER
ward That both sides lost few voters be-
fore all was ended and done"