The Savannah morning news., 1903-03-08
BY HENRY ALLsTON.
Copyright 1908, by Henry Allston.

proceeded to double the speed The
locomotive jumped along at a mile-a-
minute gait until a short turn in the
track was reached. when the new en-
gineer was thrown to the fireman's
side of the cab, and the regular en-
gineer resumed charge. Then, as the
colonel regained his seat behind his
laughing companion, he conhded
Your COMPOUNDED old horse doesn't
stand the spur worth a cent"
That was the Wisconsin Senator's
first and last experience as a railroad
engineer.
Early in the first Grant campaign an
ambitious Republican county chair
man in the northwestern part of Wis
consin sent to the state chairman for
a first-class speaker, naming the best
he had. The noted speaker was to ar
rive at o'clock in the afternoon by
stage from Sparta. A fife and drum
corps had drawn a large company to
the village hotel to welcome the SPELL
binder, but the stage brought only one
passenger boy Great was the glee
among the Democrats, and deep the
gloom in the Republican ranks-the
meeting would have to be given up.
The one passenger finally made him
self known as the speaker that Chair
man Rublee had sent to the Falls to
address the meeting. When the Demo-
Gratis heard that, they were hilarious.
The idea of that boy making a speech!
But they would go to see him fail,
and to laugh at their opponents dis
comfture.
But in the mail was a letter from
Chairman Rublee, afterwards minister
to Switzerland, explaining why Judge
Blank could not go to the Falls, and
iFar In f1,ok al
John G. Spooner was fine speaker,
and would surely please the audience.
On the strength of that letter the Re-
publicans went to work to get up a
large meeting, and they succeeded.
The speech was a rouser. When
the colonel had spoken an hour and
a half the crowd demanded that he
go on. He went on for another hour,
and when he sat down. cheer after
cheer was given the young speaker
cheers that were as loud and as en-
thusiastic as those given the presiden-
tial candidate. s
A great many Democrats kept their
promise to go to the meeting, but a
good share of them Joined in cheering
Gen. Grant and Col. Spooner, and
ceased, from that time, to be Demo-
Gratis.
From that day to this, that boy pas
senger of 1868 has been one OF the
greatest men in Wisconsin in the eyes
of the people of Black River Falls.
Copyright, 1908, by Henry Allston.)
In physical courage Senator Spoon
er has never had any superior among
Wisconsin's public men. There has not
been a session of Congress during his
terms in the Senate when he has not
demonstrated his intellectual strength,
and his moral courage is unquestioned
by those who know him best.
In a city where Col. Spooner went
to attend court, there lived bully who
when in his cups, and he was sure to
be drunk on all unusual occasions, such
as a term of the Circuit Court. While
on their way to the Court House one
day, Spooner and two or three other
lawyers were advised by native Of
the town 10 take another street. "Bruis-
er Bill" would soon meet them, and, as
he was blind drunk, there would likely
be trouble.
Thank you" said Col. Spooner, but
we will stick to this street"
"Bruiser Bin" was talking TO wom-
an when the lawyers came along. AS
they passed the bully. they heard him
make an insulting remark 20 her.
spooner instantly wheeled around,
threw off his coat. and faced the In
suffer.
His companions hastily endeavored 70
pull him away.
Come on. colonel" they pleaded:
that fellow viii chew you up IN a min
ute"
Il can thrash any eowardly dog that