The Pascagoula democrat-star., 1901-10-11
GOV. "BOB' TAYLOR,
FOR QUITE A SPELL HE HAD WANTED
TO MARRY AND COULD WAIT
NO LONGER.

About my marriage? Well, my
boy" said genial Bob Taylor, former
Governor of Tennessee as he grasped
the reporters hand, "you don't know
it now, ! reckon. but most probably
you'll know it some day, that IA man
just married is like the farmers lad
the calf run over-he's got nothing To
say.
"You see, it was this way: Id been
a scrapin' my wings about that good
lOokin' widow down in Montgomery
for quite spell, but l didn't seem to
be doing any good for myself. Then
| heard that she and her father and
her mother were going to California
for a long trip. Well sir, l just pick
ed up my things and landed them
smack in Tuscaloosa without stop.
You know a fellow can do a whole lot
when he just has to.
"The Governors face took on n
most serious expression.
81 just had to. These accidents Of
travel, YOU know, including the chief
accident of some California fellow
spiking my trail when | wasn't there
were too strong for Bob Taylor. l
read over that old lecture OF mine
where | told the story bout the farm.
er who married unhappily You see
be had a quarrel with his wife and
went down in the barn determined to
hang himself. He got a blind bride
and fastened himself up safely to IA
rafter When he was about dead
Uncle Ephriam happened along and
cut him down. BY and by the farmer
came back to life and turned tiercely
on the old darkey.
"'Don't you know. Ephriam, that
in another minute | should have been
walking the golden streets Of para
disc and graspng the diamond door
knob OF the house where all my old
friends live?'
"'Humph. shifted Ephriam, and a
nice fix you'd be in, looking for dia'
mOnd doorknObs wearin a blind bri-
die wouldn't you?'
"Well. sir" said the Governor. Il
read that over and thought it over all
the way down to the train, hut !
reckoncd I'd a whole lot better take a
chance on having to hunt for the
diamond d0orknubS while wearing a
blind bride in paradise than accept
the certainty of running about down
here uu earth like Il string battered
old mule with part NJ me in Tenn
see and the most ~ me ont in Cali
fornia. amt big enough to cover
suh u stretch of grnund, honest
II did the only thing possible !
explained Ia hem thai WIS oppns, d
to having myself split up that way
and AT last they gave il. Now were
here-thlr'> all there is il.
"Oh! am doing nothing in. nar-
ticular except working un my new
lecture. Il is tp b" called Life ON
the OIl Pantarinn.' 1t compares
raral lie IT, life in the cities aud tells
the advantages nf rural life and ut
course tell IA few stories to illustrate
the points, 1t viii ne ready pretty
soon and then I'll Startout to ~ il.
I'll be in Louisville some time during
the winter.
"Speaking Of reporters. now" sand
the Governor, "and not to be persn
nal when get newspaperman'S
card | always think OF that story
about the Tennessee preacher.
One Tuesday morning his wife pre-
sented him with fine, lusty heir.
Wednesday in celebration OF the event
the congregation gave the worthy
man purse containing 800. 1t was
an open question in the congregation
which was the more acceptable, the
boy or the money. One wag started
1t with S. bet that the parson was
more joyful over the money than the
boy BY Thursday there wasn't a
person in town who had not risked
something on one side or the other.
Excitement ran high.
Then some level-headed fellow put
a damper on it by asking how are
you to decides? An ingenious man
proposed that whichever gift the par.
son mentioned first on the following
sunday should he taken as the most
precious. II he thanked the Lord for
.he noy and then for the money, the
packers OF tilial love won, but II the
money came nrst In the prayer o,l
chanks, then the worldly.wise got the
coin.
sunday came and the church was
crowded. On the right Of the center
aisle sat the hackers OF fllial love: nm
tne left were the believers OF monev
love. The old parson thanked tho
master for the many blessings enioy.
= ior the prosperity Of the church
:" 'ns recovery Of The sick, and SO.
aoustn and 1naily, oh Lord. l thanh