The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1901-10-18

he did his audience of thousands, and
nothing could have been more consci-
entiOuS than the manner in which he
met every engagement, even though
it's bearing upon his prospects could be
but slight. Mckinley was "major">to
the masses and "Billy" to the political
rustlers. While he did not adopt the
traditional methods of the popular
campaigner, he was one of the most
effective in this line of activity that /
ever encountered. He did not toss
the babies in the air and kiss them on
the rebound. He did not tell stories
to the voters on run the risk of "jolly-
ing' them beyond their actual worth.
But there was an insinuating person
ality that it is difficult to describe. He
could find seat on the top of a stake
and-rider fence as though he had al
ways been accustomed to it. A blade
of grass or straw always found its way
to his mouth, and the act made the
farmer feel the presence of congenial
over beautiful set of teeth, was worth
an election in close district, and
there was always suggestion of re-
serve force that was more impressive
than any amount of talk could have
been. When the old soldiers saw the
PREDETERMINED SLOUGH hat turned back
from an expansive forehead and a
magnetic pair of eyes that beamed the
strongest ties of comradeship, they
were up in arms for Mckinley, and no
second choice.
While quiet and self-contained,
President Mckinley had "sand." Mr.
Carey relates an incident of his first
political campaign, when an under
ground suspicion arose as to the majors
nerve and he was "tried out'' in an
informal way: "Having something of
a reputation as a reckless hOrseman at
that time l had secured a wild-devil
of mare that 1 was driving because
of a foolish pride in the fact that no
one else would do so. Between Salem
and Lisbon there are two big hills
spanned by a level stretch of road a
mile in length. When this was reach
ed in the course of our first expedition
l touched the mare with the whip,
knowing full well that nothing was
more necessary to start the fireworks
Our immediate vision was promptly
filled with hOOfS and hind legs and
there was streak for nearly the entire
mile, the mares belly close to the
ground, her ears along her neck and
her snorts of anger suggesting what
she would like to do with u.s. When
she had pumped herself out of wind
and temper looked at the major and
he was just as cool as though he had
been mapping in rOcking-chair. Fine
horse if you have no stops to make, he
remarked, and went to talking about
something else, leaving me under the
benefit
The humorous side of President Nc
kinley'S life was not prominent. 1t is
related that reporter who was detail
ed to write up an article on Mckinley
as humorist spent many days in vain
search after funny anecdotes. Mr.
Carey tells this story: "While he was
speaking in a school-house in one of
the few democratic districts of the
county some one hid his hat, and it
required Is minutes after the meeting
to find it in the wood under some
beech chunks. During the Minneapo-
lis convention, which l reported for
the Free Press, Mckinley presided at
one stage Of the proceedings, during
which an attempt was made by For
aker and Amber of the Ohio delega-
ton, to start movement for his NOM
lnation to the presidency. His protest
was prompt and earnest, but would
not have availed had his own state
been able to swing the convention. In
the excitement of the event he forgot
at adjournment where he had left his
hat, and as | approached him from the
reporters table, he quickly remarked:
Remember when l lost my hat down
in Wayne township, squire? and then
laughed, as staid men will over their
earlier recollections.