Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-04-13
A VENTURE INTO POLITICS

i TO my majority and reading law, said
| western millionaire mine owner. 81 lived in
| Indiana with my father. who was law
yer, and I was dead stuck on becoming q
great American politician. I read politics,
talked politics, thought politics and dreamed
politics, and for a starter / concluded to
| announce myself as republican candidate
| for county clerk. got the nomination on
| the strength of my fathers name and In
| fuence, he having an idea that there might
| be really something In his son and heir.
| though he had his doubts. had a clean
record. because 1 was too young to have
| mixed up in politics. and that was my main
personal strength. for I had been away at
college for five wears and had practically
| no acquaintance in the county. 1 had plen-
| ty OF: enthusiasm and confidence, however
| ana they are always worth a good deal in a
campaign. After my nomination, and a
| speech fifnade that fairly raised the roof
isof the palladium of our liberties and SO
forth. canvassed my home town with con-
siderable success and became very popular
| for the boys were out for the stun. and 1
mad It, When the committee thought l had
sufnciently worked the town it was sug-
Sesteo TO me to make canvass of the
county, which L did, extending my ac-
quaintance materially, though not at all
| times to the very best advantage. L got
ACQUAINTED, though. and that was what 1
presently.
| "One day, driving along alone to meet
the leaders In doubtful neighborhood,
met teamster with a team of mules
stalled IN q mudhole an Indiana mudhole
nelnS one OF the sticiiest things on earth
| after after few remarks and suggestions of a
m nnipng character. l got out of my buggy
mule team and yanked the load out of the
| MOLE Then, still with an eve to the main
cnahce, ana not forgetting that 1 was a
cahuiuate, L gave the teamSter a drink out
OF bottle of good liquor l had with me
TOT emergencies and handed him a handful
OF good cigars informing him at the same
| time who l was.
OF course I explained as 1 tried to
scrape ABOUT three inches of mud off my
SHOES and trousers and tied up a broken
Lace, I oon ask you to vote for me, be-
cause want every man TO exercise his
own Judgment and vote as he thinks right
put II your mind is not fully made up. /
doubt '''o
Il thought that was a fair enough prop,-
s1tion, and to further influence the doubt,
handed him the bottle again and after
ward scratched match for him to light
BY gravy, colonel he said, though 1
was rather youthful to be a colonel, and
shaking my hand. you air the kind of a
man I'd ruther vote fer than my own
gran daddy. You shore air.
hen l may expect you to vote for me-?
ventured, handing him the bottle and tell
ing him to put it in his pocket for future
| reference.
'Dogged If I amt mighty sorry, colonel
he responded. putting the bottle in a safe
place, but I can't do 1t. You see. 1 live
in Kentucky. and I'm just over fer week
| er two visitin' my father-n-law, and he's
| the derndest democrat that ever voted fer
Andy jackson. 1 reckon. though kin coax
| him to drink some of this here liquor
1t was Knockout blow. but made the
best OF 1t, and went on my way, resolved to
| be more careful in future about strangers.
| And was; but am anticipating
Two days later, In another part Of the
L / mir Tod 4
| man, walking into a small village about a
mile ahead of us. l got to talking to him
| as candidate always does when he's on
| the warpath and to show my friendly feel
| Ing asked him to ride with me- as he said
| he lived about two miles beyond the town.
where he was running a grist mill. His
horse had been taken sick on the road a
| short ways back and he had left him with
a friend and was walking to town, where
he would get lift home from some Of his
nelghbors who were in every day. This was
my chance to do a kindly act to one in need
and did 1t. We had got to the little town
by the time he had told his story and l
stopped there and gave him two or three
drinks. besides several friends Of his we
met 1 also spent dollar for cigars and
paid for my new acquaintance's dinner. L
had to eat, and, of course not to have in
vited him would have ruined my chances
forever, as far as he was concerned, any
how. l had told him previously not to
bother about getting home, for I could drive
him out just as easy not and would be
only too glad to do 1t. On the way to his
mill l sounded him on politics. having told
him before who was. but I was cautious
very cautious; devilish sly, as Joey Bag
stock would say.
Have you lived long here@ I asked. re-
membering that Kentucky teamster
About seven years. said he.
You were not born here, thought L
asked. having noticed he had slight En-
glish accent
No. I was born in England and came
here from Canada
How do you like it as compared with
the old country
oh, this is the only country In the
world for man to live in and be a man.
he said with all the enthusiasm OF native
born Yankee.
fright you are said I. and yet
went on. knowing every man kept a warm
place in his heart for his native land. Won
ought to be proud that you are an En-
glishman, for England Is. after all, the
leading nation of the world
He stuck out his hand and CRASHED mine
cordially.
~ like to hear you say that, sir he
said earnestly, and though l have given
up my own country love 1t still.
Il felt that was getting right into his
heart now.
And 1 think we do here in America,
too answered. for we are Of the English
kind, you know
I'VE kept this business up till we reached
his gettng-out place. and was sure had
him solid. Good man he was. too. employ
trolled.
I'm not asking you to vote for me-
said as he left me. because 1 want you to
vote according to your own judgment. but
1 hope we are good friends
If there is any man on this earth. sir.
that 1 would vote for quicker than an
other he said almost with tears in his
eyes, 1t is you, SIR and I believed him and
went on my way thinking how much more
sensibly 1 had acted than with the blamed
teamster.
II got home the next day and was telling
my father about the trip and what 1 had
accomplished, but 1 didn't mention the
teamster. 1 was only hoping the teamster
was keeping as mum on the subject as 1
was. I did tell him, though, about the mill
man, and with a good deal of pride.
I've got him sure said, and he's a
good one to have
Got him for what? and my father
smiled.
TO vote for me, Of course
-" I guess not, my son. and this time my
father gave me the unmistakable ha ha.
L have known him ever since he came from
Canada, and he hasn't been naturalized
yet. Neither have his three brothers who
are in the mill with him.