The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-09-13

row money from some one else to com
piete the work begun
The old Register office was as brick
structure which extended from near Sails
bury street, east toward Fayetteville
street, and on the north side of that build
ing was very popular meeting place
where many a political campaign was
planned. and many good yarn was spun,
AS school boy | stopped there, many a
time, to listen to Suca men as Badger,
Rayner. Gales, Bat. Moore and others who
were wont TO congrega'e there. On enc
of these occasions a fellow and his girl
who bad walked come fifteen or twenty
miles to Raleigh to be married attracted
the attention OF Mr.. Gales. Those peo-
pie over there at the court house seem to
be in trouble" he remarked. Mr.. Badger
in jocular manner, said: Gales, step
over there and see what's the trouble, and
come back and let us know" He did so,
and found that after putting the contents
of their purses together, the wOuld-be
bride and groom lacked just fifteen cents
of being able to purchase their license.
In his stentorian voice Mr.. Badger said
to them: Come over here, we lovers and
We'll fix you up" They came smiling, the
fifteen cents was made up, the license
secured. a magistrate called over from the
old Lawrence Hotel, and the twain, who a
few moments before were looking so for
Torn, were duly married. The magistrate
remarked that TO kiss the bride was all
he ever charged for marrying people, but,
i'll that case he thought Mr.. Gales ought
to have the honor as we'll as the pleasure
of saluting the bride, az he was the man
who made the first move toward raising
the fifteen cents. The bridegroom said he
thought so, too, so he led her toward Mr.
Gales, who. after handing his hat to the
magistrate to hold, very solemnly per
formed that part of the ceremony, that
completed the marriage
Speaking of the Register we must not
overlook Stephen, the colored pressman,
for in his opinion, if not in the opinion
of the balance of mankind, the Register
could not move a wheel unless he were
about. stephen was a very consequential
negro took on the airs of Chesterfield,
when in the presence of white gentlemen,
but assumed the character of autocrat,
adviser, admonisher and dictator when
among his own color. He was the press
man of the Register office, and IN his
estimation, that fact placed him on the
roll of honor, and Governor 'Morehcad,
then the occupant of the Governors Man
sion, could not have felt the burden OF
party responsibility any more than he
did stephen heard all that was said in
the office by the editor, and the politicians
who went there to discuss the questions
of the day, but he told nothing. He con
sidered himself one of them, and, his idea
was, that everything he heard discussed
was a secret that should be kept from the
ears of Loco Focos.'
After the death Of Weston r. Gales,
Major Seaton Gales, his son, became the
editor, but later on John w. Symc, of
Petersburg Va, purchased the paper and
published it up to and during the war
l never knew much of the Star, except
that Rev. Thomas j. Lemay the editor
was a Conscientious Christian gentleman,
and not caring to be haTassed with poll
ties and politicians he sold his paper in
the carly fifties to VIM. G. Doub, Esq,