The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-11-06

"a power in financial circles" There was
progressive enthusiasm and pride in our
! own section.
Very few of US now noticed the tall
gaunt figure. who did not rejoice at our
4 feast. For a few days after he realized
| that his case was hopeless, Gov Culber-
] son remained at his home, partly because
/ he was physically Frustrated by the blow
/ and partly because he thought the eyes Of
/ every one would be on him in the streets
! in pity and scorn. As a matter of fact,
! people did not think of him at all, further
/ than to understand in a general way that
he was sick. When he did drive out again
they noticed how much changed he was by
his illness. Indeed, il was almost start
/ ling; his face had lost its color. there
was a little quaver in his voice, and an
| uncertainty in his step. which had never
! been there before. His clothes were rot
50 carefully tended to, and there began to
/ be a suspicion of dinginess on his inmac-
/ late shirt front.
People began to see that he was an old
/ man. You must take care of yourself,
| governor" his friends said.
| In the meantime, the boom for Miles Hoi-
comb still hurried along. The caucuses
went solidly for him all over the state;
| a young lawyer from the North was to
/ be made lieutenant governor. All records
/ for harmony were surpassed. The question
! now arose as to who would present the
!
convention. Holcomb, who had warmed up
| to the game by this time, was very much
! interested in this. He made up his mind
| ne must have Gov" Culberson, and with
characteristic directness he went to him
| and asked him for his services.
MY dear SIR" replied the old gentleman
with dignity, while 1 appreciate the dis
tinguished honor you offer me. fear
shall be obliged to decline. l could not 40
you justice SIR
ION, thunder said Holcomb "if I had
only half your gift of CAB, I'd be hap
| by man AS il is, 1 lie awake nights
thinking of how many different kinds of
fool I'm going to be when I'm Govern
or"
Culberson pleaded hard. "Mr. Hol-
comb" he said, 4 am not what 1 have
been. l am an old man. sir. will tell
| you confidentially, sir, that my sleep Is
very broken, and my appetite has been
leaving me lately. I am not very strong
l fear, SIR
But Holcomb insisted, and finally the
old man yielded to him.
Il could not refuse with honor" he said
to his friends.
1.-The choice of ex-Lieut. Gov. Culber-
son to present the name of our candi-
date at the state convention" said the
! Herald sis a happy one. There is now
no other figure In our section of the state
or, indeed, in the commonwealth, that
commands greater respect than our hon
ored and esteemed fellow citizen"
At last the day before the convention
came and We sent up a special train
| with our candidate. In the prospective
Governors car, back toward the rear,
sat old Gov Culberson, a strange, erect,
impassive figure, amid the clouds of to-
! bacco smoke That evening he went for
a short time with the rest, through the
corridors of the hotel, where the commit
tee headquarters WERE and watched, as
! he had many times before the spirit of
Americanism worshipped with the incense
| of cigars and mixed drinks. He did not
| know many people there now, however,
and he went to bed early for his enort
! of the morrow.
| The convention of that year was quiet
| and harmonious one, without any marked
features and it is perhaps for that reason
that /, with many others, had indelibly
fixed in my mind the fine old figure of
ex-Gov. Culberson, as he fade his little
speech of nomination. There were some
| little things to regret about the affair
! those little things in great occurrences
which are so palnful-and the old man
WINGED when the chairman referred to his
| former distinguished service as Governor
of the state. But he had himself we'll
in hand for the occasion, and was more
a Governor in appearance than any man
on the platform. His broadcloth was per-
feet, his linen immaculate, and his car
riage dignifed and proud. He went up
to the crisis of his life like a Culberson
and a man.
There was some surprise at the start
on the part of the Northern delegates, but
it changed into admiration as. the old poll
tician made his simple speech. He con-
fined himself TO a plain, sincere eulogy Of
the party, and the ability Of the candidate
| to serve 1t.
81 am an old man, Mr.. Chairman" he
said. 81 have a feeling, in deed l may
say an assurance, sir, that 1 shall not
be present at another gubernatorial con-
vention. AS an individual, sir, L have not
been eminent in our party, but stand,
sir, to-day as the representative Of a gen.
GRAFTON of men, now nearly passed away,
whose service has been honorable and dis
| tinguished, and in behalf of them l wish
to hand over the welfare of our great
party to your hands. 1t is a party with
a great past; I need not rehearse to you
| how great. May its future be as notable
and as strong.
at is perhaps, fitting for me, as man
who is about to leave the stage forever,
| TO introduce to you the man who is about
TO occupy its center. I am about to bring
before you, gentlemen, a man of great
vigor and ability and conscience-the man
| who is the unanimous choice OF our sec
ton of the state-as your candidate. I
| need not say more. He Is / venture to
predict your favorite, as we'll as ours, and
he does not need my introduction. The
time has now come, Mr.. Chairman and
| gentlemen of the convention, for me to
bring to a close my little speech-the last
shall make at a political gathering 1t
is said that il Is the great fault of old
men that they do not know how to get
| through; but old men learn their lessons,
as well as young. And in closing 1 wish
to propose to you, gentlemen, an old-fash-
| toned sentiment from the bottom of my
heart: The dear old party, God bless it,
| and Miles Holcomb who will be its can
dldate, and the next Governor of the
state"
The fine old figure stood erect for a
few seconds while the cheering arose and
died away. then sank back into a chair.
That" said gray-haired delegate next
to me, lis the stuff we used to make Gov
ernors Of
The exercises were pushed forward at a
speed, which is only obtained when every
thing is cut and dried. 1t was but short
| time before the nominating was over and