The herald., 1895-01-01
NE CAMPAIGN IN ST. MARYS.

the farmer who drove bis rafting,
clacking ox cart along the white oysssr
shell road, or to Col. Miles, who passed
in his carriage and owned half the
county. II engaged in taihng he would
bring his hand up by his aide, up 50 his
cor and then out and down in a wide
salu.o.
But just now Uncle Vincent was
bothered. This was the situation. st.
Mary's county was nearly evenly di.
vided between the Republicans and
Democrats. The Republicans were> the
negroes and enough whites to hold
odics. The Democrats were the rest Of
the whites and d few negroes, who were
petted by the whites and looked upon
with suspicion by the rest OF the no.
groes. BY far the most prominent Of
the colored Democrats were Abraham
Mack and his con, Sldell Mack. Old
Abraham had lived with his master
alter the war. Together they invariably
rode to the polls and voted the straight
Democratic ticket. 1t was his pride
that by liberal use Of ths rod, chick
ory," to be exact. he had brought up
Slidell just like "a nigger befo' the war,
a cullud gemmen OF der ole school" 4"
5lidell was lately married, intelligent,
prosperous and generally liked.
In the years when the election of the
governor was held. experts from Balti-
more with wsll-filled pockets carried St.
Mary's for the Democrats, but at other
times the election fund was small, the
whites careless about voting, and the
negroes anxious to make use Of their
privileges; therefore the Republicans
often won. This was the situation
which bothered Uncle Vincent. espe-
cially as state senator, two delegates.
a sheriff. a surveyor and three county
commissioners were to be elected. He
remarked to his friend, John Snyder:
You sec, John. something must be
done. There amt the money for carry
ing on an active campaign. There's
not enough to affect the well-to-do me-
groes, and as the idle ones are support
ed by their wives and mothere, they
are harder to be Influenced than ths
others. tell you. am almost con-
vert to this woman's suffrage. If old
Aunt Silvy Thomas, who does washing
at so cents day and supports that
gcod-ior nothing Israel Thomas, could
make 30 cents by going to the polls and
putting in vote, 1 don't guess she
would hesitate much, but Israel don't
care for anything. AS long as his
mother lives he is sure OF living. I've
a great mind to run ON the ticket my
self" OF course he didn't mean it.
He would never have given up his seat
on the saloon porch and his place as
director of the entire Democratic party
in the county to become a simple office
holder. but in times of trouble it was
hin threat.
MHe went homo and thought and
thought OF the situation. He lay awake
rolling his fat little body from one eide
of the bed to the other. A gigantic plan
WAS revolving in his mind keeping away
sleep, but about midnight he sat up
straight in bed and uttered aloud and
decisively, ''I'll do it," He then fell
asleep. Perhaps in his dreams he NUT
tered, "I'll do it,"
1t was late the next morning bofore
Uncle Vincent took his accustomed seat
at the saloon: but before sunrise, while
the smoke from early chimneys settled
around the clusters Of oaks bordering
the village and mat the mist arising
from the marches of the run, he walke&