The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-11-08
.OPIE READ STUMPS.
Tho West FOR Mckinley, Although
Formerly q Democrat.
ADVOCATED IN A QUIET WAY.
Tho Re- Election Of the Present Pres
idensial Incumbent - The Popular
Novelist 1nterspersed His Speeches
With Homely storicg That Delight
ed His Audience.

From the Kansas City, (Mo.) Star:
opie. Read, novelist, humorist, story
teller has added politics to his accom-
pllshments and likes 1t, Kansas, of
course. was the scene of his new ven
ture. and In the one short week Of his
engagement he made such u hit that
he'has been invited to stay a week lon
ger. Mr.. Bead is q Democrat and
breaches the doctrine of that faith. but
tits not Bryan Democracy. and so his
engagement is under Republican au-
spices, He began at Osborne, more
than two hundred miles -wcst- Of the
Missouri river, Monday, Tuesday he
spoke at Concordia. Wednesday at
Washington. Thursday at Blue Rapids.
Friday at Seneca, and Saturday might
at Usage City. He had good meetings
everywhere, and they were OF a class OF
people rarely reached by the average
political speaker. They were q reading
class. and all had read his books. They
came not only, from the towns. but the
farmers came In from the country, and
the latter came early and were in pos
session Of the best seats when the town
people appeared. Many were turned
away. After the meetings his admirers
packed the stage to shake hands with
him. and all mentioned his books. They
knew all he has written. but "The Ken
lucky Colonel" and 1.-THE Jucklins'
were the favorites. This is also the
English judgment OF his work, but not
his own. He. thinks his best book has
not been published yet.
Mr.. Reads speech is series of stor-
les. humorous or pathetic. pointing n
political moral. and he does his work
WELL. Last week his speech was forty
five minutes long, but this week. If he
decides to stay, he will add about
twenty minutes to 1t. D.
ALLEN has taken more than his share
Of the time" he said Friday nigh,
driving across the prairie from Seneca
to.centralla, land am going to dig up
another. story" "
ALLEN" is Henry ]. Allen, Governor
stanley's private secretary. who makes
upeech Of ninety minutes and never
loses a nearer, except when q crying
baby compels a mother to give up her
aeat Allen is something Of story
teller. too. and they make good pair.
Mr.. Read has become very much at
tached to Mr.. Allen and wants to send
him to Congress. Iw was SO afraid the
committee would send one OF these
'stauch citizens to travel with me-" he
said to the correspondent OF The Star
who Joined him at Seneca Friday. :
a Man of Great Stature.
Mr.. Read Is q native OF Tennessee
and shows 1t In his slow movement ana
musical speech. He is forty-seven
years old, STANDS six feet three inches
in his stockings, and weighs 20 pounds.
He is clean shaver except for a mus
tache, and his hair Is black, Just be-
ginning to show traces OF gray. He
combs HIS hair. but 1t will not stay in
place. 1t spreads over the top Of his
head and hangs over the edges like a
mat Of buffalo grass. He is unaffected,
and the attentions heaped upon him
never turn his head. When he rises be-
fore an audience he stands modcstly,
smiling bit. perhaps, until the ap-
plause subsidies, and soon works away
from. politics to story, which he tells
without the trace OF laugh. but there
Is look out of his eye which speaks
his appreciation when his shot has
gone to the mark. While the audience
is convulsed with laughter he waits for
q chance to resume, and when 1t comes
he points his moral and then leads I'D
to another story. His speech Is full Of
melody and poetry of the old-fashioned
negro of the south. In negro dialect he
Probably. has no equal in the world. He
says he acquired the dialect of the ne
gfoes In their cabins when he was a
boy! Black children were the play
mates OF his youth, and In consequence
he is very fond Of the race, and gives
literally to what he calls good Mig
gers" 1T don't offend them to call
them 'nlsgers' K you don't do It sneer-
insly." he, said,
But they are not all good" he con-
tinued. "Wnenia black man loses mu.
p MM a Mm u. ' : t auv arc .r.