Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1900-11-11
FREAK ELECTION NAGERS.
THE PENALTY OF CONFIDENCE

THE PENALTY OF CONFIDENCE
In the vote-Winning Quality of
Democratic Candidates is Being
Paid-Many Unusual Sights, which
Might Indicate LOSS of Reason, But
Merely Betray Loss of Judgment
and Foresight.
The quadrennial crop of freak" elec-
ton wagers is larger this year than
ever before. II appears that those who
were unwilling, either upon moral or
economical grounds, to back their con-
fidence with the cold cash or its equi-
valent, have exhausted their ingenuity
in making novel agreements dependent
upon the result of Tuesdays battle of
the ballots In years agone, the favor
lite agreement had hirsute tinge. and
the unfortunate man who placed his
confidence not wisely but too well, was
distinguished in after years by fuxur-
ious growth of beard or unkempt locks.
Then there were others with lady-kill-
ing mustaches, or distingue COATES,
who were required to be smoothly
shaven for certain period. The hair
agreement is slightly out of date. but
the surgical operation performed upon
the coal black mustaehe of an habitue
OF Blackston Row, and an erstwhile
candidate for public prosecutor, sug-
gests the idea that this form of election
agreement still has It's deyotees.
1t is. not the purpose Of this article
to describe the evolution OF the freak
wager, but it appears that the next
stage was the wheelbarrow bet, which
still retains its popularity. In these
days of automobiles and bicycles, the
wheelbarrow and go-cart seldom figure
in the problem of transportation. There
have been some Democrats who have
figured in the undigniied attitude OF
pushers of wheelbarrows, however.
Alexander Jones was pushee, and Re-
publican who had too much confidence
in DR.. Taylor was the pushor. Back
Timmons wheeled John Rose down the
dusty pike for several miles. James
F'eeney, an LAST Ender, who thought
Bryan would win, agreed TO wheel
John Putnam, Of Sixteenth street, to
Parkers burg, departing on the long
journey at one O'Clock this morning.
They are to live enroute on the unso-
liciteu aims of the public. Another
wheelbarrow journey has Pittsburg as
its objective point, and Democrat on
the push end. The start was made
from the Register office at 1870 O'Clock
Saturday afternoon. In Bridgeport,
James Duke is to wheel lady of that
city from the City Hall TO Aetnaville
and return, accompanied by drum
corps.
The principal objection to the wheel
barrow wager lies in the lack of COM
fort or glory to the winner. The
wielder OF lie handles does not ordin-
arily have much sympathy for the oc-
cupnat o. the barrow, and if there are
any obstacles or ruts in the prescribed
route, it s long shot that the winner
of the wager is as sorry he made it as
the loser, after it is all over.
AS the freak" bet is the upshot of
ante-election banterlng, 1t is poetic
justice that the loser should be placed
in a position to invite the ridicule of
the winner and his friends. The pea
nut wager was therefore hit upon as
happy idea, and there have been a
number of such agreements fulfilled
during the past few days. An Island
man, Jack Oberfelt, rolled a
peanut from the Republican
club house to the back river.
John Simcoe, the wrestler, rolled pea
nut down Market street yesterday, from
Twelfth to Sixteenth. James Flana-
gan, the Eighth ward barber, rolled
doughnut around block, because of
his confidence that the American voters
would elect Bryan Another Eighth
ward Democrat rolled peanut around
a block, using a toothpick to propel the
nut.
1t will be remembered that a Fulton
citizen four years ago drove dozen
chickens over the hill and down Mar
ket street, but his misplaced confidence
did not put him IN such a sorry plight
as that of q Benwood Democrat, as he
had his poultry harnessed, while the
Benwood man had to rely upon moral
:uasion and the dociltty of the trio OF
BOOSTERS he is chasing from his home to
Fulton. The Benwood man started on
his journey Thursday morning, and on
Friday night had reached Thirty-sec/
ond street. He was game to the core,
but in condition OF mind verging on
insanity when his Republican friend
relieved him of his Obligation. The
cocks manifesto an inclination to run
back to their coop, and the hapless
Democrat had his own troubles in keep
ing their Growing apparatus facing the
Aurora Borealis.
A number of young ladies of the
South Side were cut in a big wagon the
other night, all armed with fox horns,
serenading the Republican ladies in
the social set to which they belonged
A favorite agreement is to march,
burn red fire, and yell for the successful
candidate, in the jollifcation of the
party with which the loser of the wager
did not affiliate. There will be a
number of more or less prominent
Democrats attired in Rough Rider uni
forms. in the Republican demonstration
Monday night, and they viii be yelling
for Mckinley. By the request of at
least two rock-ribbed Democrats who
will be found in strange company on
that occasion, the Register informs the
public that they are still loyal to Bryan
and the principles for which he stands.