The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-02-04

general director, managed TO keep tne
| line moving on while Governor Lubbock,
taking up his position at Mr.. Bryan
| side, talked alternately TO him and to
| those who came around to shake hands.
During the last half hour Of the reccp-
ton Governor Hogg came in, and after
| smiling chcerfully AT everyone, including
| Mr.. Bryan and Governors CulbersOn and
| Lubbock, sank leisurely into the arms
| of the big sofa on the loft Of the recep-
| ton room and began to talk to the ladies'
| that were standing around. Every once
| in while ms some man would pass
| through after greeting Mr.. Bryan, he
would spy the big ex-governor sitting
there and stop long enough to give him
| hearty handshakc. In the course Of time
the crowd began to thin out though ev-
cry few minutes a batch of ten or
| twelve would be introduced and shake
hands and then pass on.
During one Of the intervals, about II
| o'clock, Mrs. u. II. Fillmore handed Gov
| ernor CulbersOn an autograph album and
| asked him to get Mr.. Bryan to write his
name in It. This Mr.. Bryan very cheer
fully did and smiling returned it to Mrs.
Fillmore, but he had taken n step too
far, and in n very short time he was
flooded with visiting cards for the pur-
pose Of getting his autograph. He, smil-
ingly complied with every request made,
and the result was that he was kept
busy writing, only stopping every minute
or so to shake hands with some new ar
rival. AS soon as the men saw that he
was complying with he request of the
ladies, they rushed in with postal cards,
scraps of paper or anything they could
lay their hands on. Only once did Mr..
Bryan murmcr, and then it was when Il
man showed note book at him and
wanted about five autographs ut one
time. he said something about n bad
idea. but smilngly complied with the re-
quest, and all were sent away happy.
Among the ladies that he furnished cards
bearing his autographs were noted:
Mesdames. Carl Drake. Charles Evans,
Sam Harlan. W. G. Warmoth; Misses
Booth, Fisher and Calhoun. He also
favored Mrs. Oliver Brush with his
signature, and in order, as Mrs. Brush
put it, that she might have the names of
three distinguished men together she
secured the signatures of Ex-Governor
llogg and Governor Culberson, and then
smiling presented the card to Mr.. Bryan
saying that the card should be framed
in n silver frame inasmuch rs it contain
ed the names of three of the most dis
tinguishcd men that she knew.
1t is estimated that during the reception
Mr.. Bryan must have signed something
like scycnty-fiyc cards with his auto
graph for those who seemed to crave
them. He did it all while he was bcsct
on every side for Il hand shake, and yet
he did not for q single instance lose his
pleasing countcnancc and smingiy com
piled with every request.
There were several amusing incidents
attendant upon the reception in way in
which some of the people conducted them
selves. Every once in a while along down
the line could be seen some country fel-
low that had evidently come to town for
the one purpose of seeing Mr.. Bryan, and
yet when he got within hailing distance
of him his nerve failed him and he quit
He invariably dropped out of the line
and went back. He had seen Bryan, but
with the quatiing Of the pleasure came the
drcgs that he had not the courage to
walk up and shake hands with him-thc
crowd was too much for the BOY from the
country
He had to lay down half way. Again,
some ladies would get in the line and side
around Mr.. Bryan, looking at him as they
would some curiosity and forget entirely
TO shake hands with him. Quite fire.
oucntiy Mr., Bryan recalled their seat
tered senses by holding out his hand. and
then he would be repaid with a smile
Once two big buck negroes with grin
on their countenanccs from ear to ear
made their appearance ut the door.
"Whar is Mr.. Bryan said one. II
must sure see dat man. He is the big.
gcst man what Use ever done heard OF.
At this point the negroes were caught III
the line and carried on down toward Mr..
Bryan. He saw them coming. Inc
negroes were looking at him with eyes
as big as sauccrs, and as they noarcd him
were stepping kinder noisclessly. ike
they were walking around a chicken coop
and were preparing to make n final leap
for the door Just as Mr.. Bryan quietly
reached out his hand and caught one OF
the big, black paws and gave it hearty
handshakc. while the negro burst out IN Il
big guflaw. The crowd checrcd Mr.. Bry-
an for the act, and he smiled rather
broadly rs the negro, with the happieSt
expression imaginable on his face, disap-
pcarcd out the door, saying: Use done
seen him. sure
Again. near the close of the reception,
II stir was made AT the door, and Next
can with his wife and half dozen young
STEERS came plodding in and sided up IN
front of Mr.. Bryan. He shook hands
with all of them, including the little tots
running around on the floor. and they
went out, the happicst of beings. =,
Among the nrSt ones 10 Upploi'u Sii'
BRYAN when the line Of review. was
formed was Mr.. Roscoe Burt of this city.
As Mr.. Burt shook hands with Mr.. Bryah
he asked him what his views were on the
matter of Cuba, and did he favor IN an
ncxation of Cuba. Mr. Bryan did not 1T
once answer the question, but Governor
Lubbock spoke up and said that he was IN
favor of nnncxing it. Mr. Burt repeated
the question to Mr.. Bryan. who coioreu
slightly and replied: Young man. have
quite enough to attend to today without
thinking of any new matters. Muh inns
answer Mr.. Burt has to he satisfied ana
passed on down the line.
Along towards the close of the reCep-
ton. Governor Lubbock suggested that
Mr. BRYAN should make the LADIES'
snncch. and as the ladies very readily
entered into the campaign world by call
ing out for Bryan, he graciously respond
ed to the compliments, saying. however
that it looked very much rs though II
was a put up job.
In opening his brief remarks Mr.. Bryan
said that he had always had Il very hlgh
regard for women and her executive
ability, and he was very glad TO meet
those assembled. That he had learned
tho power of woman and her influence
from his mother first, ana later from ms
wife, and that he had come to the con
clusion that women came very near be-
ing the rulers. That while nominally the
husband was supposed TO be the head of
thn family that the wife was generally