Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-11-24
UNCLE EPHS INTERVIEW
He Had Talk With a Real, Live, Bon
Eide President.
And the Result is That He Is Going to
Vote for Mr.. Mckinley
Next Time.

| One Of the incidents during the recent
visit of President Mckinley and members
| of his cabinet to Richmond which did not
| get into print proved TO be exceedingly en-
| tertainng to those who witnessed it, while
| the President could not restrain his indi
/ viduaI interest and amusement.
| During the ride from the Jefferson Hotel
| to the ship yards where Mr.. Mckinley was
| to address the vast audience assembled to
| witness the launching of the torpedo boat
| Shubrick several well-known Richmond
citizens who rode in the procession near
| the Presidents carriage noticed familiar
| figure scrambling along as near as possible
| and keeping keen eye on the President.
| Despite the crush in the streets this old
man kept up close to the Presidents car
| rage and manifested the liveiest interest
| in the presence of the distinguished visitor.
| The patched pantaloons. calico shirt, with
| a sUspender extending diagonally across his
back ard attached with a wooden peg. had
been discarded. and old Uncle Ephraim
johnson was rugged out in broadcloth
f-oCk coat. smooth with age and rather too
loose; new broSan shoes, a silk hat dis
carded a few seasons back, and a gaudy
necktie The old man, who knows person.
ally nearly everybody in Richmond, and
who for many Years, before his age de-
barred him. as hack driver, piloted thou
sands of tourists to the places of historic
interest in and around Richmond. attracted
general attention he trCdged along with
a smile of mingled satisfaction and curios-
ity spreading over his lips and showing
two rows of perfectly white teeth. The
knky gray hair. the wrinkled face, the
stopping figure, at times leaning for sup
| port on a heavy crooked stick. which had
served Crutch, dog protector ana fire
poker combined for twenty years, and
grown sleek from constant use-all LEFT no
doubt that Uncle Ephraim was one Of the
aHte-belium. Old-SchOol Virginia darkleS
once the President looked at The pictur-
esque type of the southern negro, and. the
latter. realizing that he was noticed by
the nations chief executive, bowed low
and lifted his hat. The President recog-
nized the courtesy by gentle wave of his
hand toward Uncle Ephrain. whose smile
of satisfaction was as genuine as his inter-
est in the presidential party.
Got Close to the stand.
When the Presidents carriage turned into
4 side street to get to the grand stand
Uncle Ephraim was lost sight Of: but after
the President was settled in the stand of
honor erected at the foot of the grand
stand for himself. the mayor andsa few
distinguished guests. the familiar stopping
figure of Uncle Ephraim was seen working
its way through the great crowd In an
effort to get next TO the stand. No one be-
came offended at the oiG man, who finally
reached a point on the street only few
feet from where the President sat. The
tIlHI exc CttlNe recognized Eclt fpnIdln
as the same old darby. who had been so
faithfully following his carriage. The negro
proudly acknowledged this fact. and inch
ing up close 10 The stand he stretched his
neck over within easy speaking distance Of
Mr.. Mckinley and asked:
rs you, sab. de real Pres dint. de sho'
'nough Pres'dint of dis here country"
Mr. NJ Kinley smiled perceptibly and said
to the old negro: Yes l am the Presi-
dent"
Uncle Ephraim looked absorbed with in
terest for moment, and then somewhat
puzzled expression spread over his face.
Il mean de real live Pres dnt, case, you
know, We black folks bin fooled mOre'n once
by Gem whar claims ter be de Pres dlnt,
when dey wusn't de real ginuwine Presdiut
like Mister Dick Taylor was de mayor Of
de town. So I jes want ter ak you eff you
DE- Pres'dint flu sho?'
Mr.. Mckinley smiled gain and said loud
enough 70 be heard several yards around:
We'll, yes. y0u may say I am the Presi-
dent fur sho'." and then his attention was
attracted elsewhere.
VIII Vote for Mr. Mckinley.
Uncle Ephraim stood spcllbound for fully
a minute. and. gazing in admiration upon
the chief executiV g, said: We'll, eff faint
&c regular fida bone Pres dint 'dout no fool
ishness. an I sho' is glad 70 see him in our
town"
And then turning to another old negro
who had been watching he proceedings
with great interest. he said: Did you see
de Pres dirt carry out regular CONVERSE
ttonal wild me, an he never put on no
shines, nothin' I all, neither. Wouldn't
some o dem newspaper reporters. dem
wants been q fol'owin round de Presdint
all day, been tiCkled to death to Gi' a in
teTview like'n de one de Pres int give me.
/ tell you right here Widout Giscussin' d,
subjcc' no noren what you dun seen, /
casted my vote nd influence for Cleveland
nd Bryan, cause lie white folks OATS my
friends. day voted dat way. But femme tell
you. Uncle Ephraim gwine 20 vote fur
Pres dint Mckinley dis time. When folks
treat right dey count on me to
'cipricate-dats jes de. kind darky is
A MEETING WITH JOUBERT
Crushed the Zuius and Would
"Tra-a-i'' to Crush the ENGLISH