The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-07-23
PEOPLE FOR MILES AROUND
TURNED OUT TO GREET
BRYAN-HIS SPEECH
WAS DEVOID OF PARTY QUESTIONS.
He Spoke of the Virtues of the People
and the Beauties of the Govern
ment-Rain Interfered Some
what With the Program.

|
attend the Bryan celebration were as
sembling in the court house yard today
a big black cloud rolled up in the north
west. 1t approached with frightful ra-
pidity. There were terrific peals of thun-
der and there was scattering of people
in every direction to get out of the fast
approaching rain. Many of the people
became panc-stricken as they still had
an unpleasant recollection of the awful
cyclone which passed through this re-
| gion few weeks ago when St Louis was
almost wrecked. Many of the teams
brought to town by the farmers became
| frightened and tried to break loose from
the hitching racks about the square. so
that for Il time it looked as though Il gen
eral stampede would result At length
the rain broke and it came down in tor
rents. All the while there was contin-
uous flashing of lightning followed by
an uproarous booming of thunder. In
space of ten minutes the buntings. flags
and drapings of the buildings which had
looked SO attractive in the morning were
storm continued the darkness increased
until II was almost impossible to see
across the streets, and in the houses
lights became necessary. When it had
rained for almost fifteen minutes the
storm seemed to change its course. 1t
swept around to the north of the town.
but the rain continued to fall In less
than half an hour the storm seemed to
nave spent its fury. and it settled down
for Il steady rain. 1t was an ordinary
thunder storm. but of unusual violence,
and owing to the darkness it caused
great deal of alarm. At II o'clock it
looked as if it would rain all the after
noon. County Central Committeeman
Sam j. Smith, who has charge of the
arrangements of the celebration. said
that if the rain did not stop the speeches
would be made in the court house.
1t was well on toward the middle of
the forenoon when Mr.. and Mrs. Bryan
breakfasted. Both were tired out.
They drove from Ogden 10 salem in
carriage on their return from Centraia.
and it was midnight when they reached
the home of Mr.. Bryan's sister, Mrs.
Baird. As soon as they had finished
breakfast they began to receive calls
from friends AMI relatives who had come
i'll to attend the demonstration. 1t was
entirely informal. Any one so desiring
could walk into the house and grasp the
nominee and his wife b. the hand. Just
before dinncr-everybody takes dinner ut
noon in this place-Mr Bryan excused
himself and went down to the little bar
Der shop and was shaved. He then re-
turned to his sisters house to dress for
the demonstration. Mr.. Bryan's arm is
almost paralyzed today. The unaccus-
toned strain of handshaking in which he
has been vigorously engaged is beginning
to he felt bv him. His right arm and
hand were badly swollen. The strain has
been worse since coming to Salem. The
great brawnv farmers in this region have
y fashion If shaking hands with n yiror
that causes less muscular people TO vince.
Mr. Rrvnn homes to he able 70 rest from
the handshaking business after leaving
here tomorrow until he reaches Lincoln.
He expects to leave here at $50 in the
morning and 20 to ST, Louis. thence 70
Kansas C'itv and Lincoln
If wos nftnr ~ NJ hoforo tho rain
co,sod Thnn tho crowd come out from
the stores t,vnrns and other nIocns of
shallow and o~oin henon IN yathor he
nnotb +b ,, tron S'i in tbo cm,,rt house vord
Numerous conntrv hands that had come
f,"mn noi%h horinr towns with tho Rrvon
ai,Ii ho%an 70 rI,v such ;nsnirno times
ito IN y dos o
;nc. rhnorob Gonr,,;o y ,nd ..Divin =
I,ha hmStia and nwo;tamar+ thot mo-
;,J 81 "nu ,i,,,.,,i,n,. ,,'ns ro-
na,le,i III Inv e"iiS mlori hinL m"s fost-
neMSu' "a uuiinC. uboii nio,.ot;, n",,,-
G ;, poi ,id u unt +ho nIotf"rn, Rn-
NEE WIS pay" tb "n Cne .! Ir,l Rrin"s
S Snt II M"S ,me il'"''o' u! an i'A'i7'
Si WI any success S,rrh+ f,r,,.orJ +bo
liIli - WI =; ~ @ i'i mthns;o st;c
croMu lDuuiSeu in suiiie thn, ,,n"tod
I I ~ p;S n"nii Il" ..1ur RiIr
peuIlhS ms tnseii;i ir;onI ,oab r,dnr !,
maue nns a Hrs' poi SSn tpSg ainr, ",'e' It
cuinl:aisn ltS III iooo IL nt G h,,,,t 90 an
is o p ~; nio th ,ro " o T nap-
piause, Pi .lis eiille ,ite ,r vi bad
PIE pachIu III 'ne oout pnHH ,,oo,'In nnro
i h I'n AZ io"s' Ill v,a'.o Sc,t-
tners' liaIl y IoEt,i uunu o,,oo "o o,,d oon,
tfreu aoou'' atl pi"s itS az NJ III, nrn-
PA! iis ui,ei iI;,, '"' ;,'+nrvo T,' tbnro
uucGI M"s ni , H. +bn onthmsinstic
WoI.iu ps l,'il q niiu .neli ,G o%onrS
sd, pu'a 1t, f "a SI~or and namocrotic
49,, ii "'i t1+honoh Co,.ernor Alt~nl1 had
heen advertised 70 sneak he did lot come.
This afternoon word was received that
thn governors health was such that NE
could not come. He was greatly en-
hausted over the Chicago convention.
When this fact became known to the
throng of Democrats there was general