The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1904-05-13
How "0UR Bob" PARDONED THE
Hoes.

The following story is told on
Gov. Taylor:
During his anvas for Govern
or for the second term his Republic
can opponent was the Hon. Sam
Hawkins, of Carroll County, proba-
bly, the ablest and without doubt
the most popular representative of
his party in the state. They had
an appointment to speak at a remote
town 10 the mountains, and in a
county where the Republicans had a
safe majority. The town being
some distance from the railroad and
the livery facilities limited, it be-
| came necessary for them to make
the trip in the same buggy. On
account of bad roads and a sudden
cold snap, darkness overlook them,
and they were obliged to accept
the hospitalities of a farmer who
lived in about three miles OF their
destination.
"The two distinguished guests
made themselves known to their
HOSG, WHO5 ny IHC way was INC lOoO-
ing Republican of the county, and
they were especially honored by
being assigned to the front room,
which was comfortably and neatly
furnished, but in which there was
only one bed. Being worn out from
a long and tedious journey over the
rough mountain road, it was not
long after supper when the candi-
dates said goodnight, and in a few
minutes atterward Democracy and
Republicanism were sound asleep
and literally verifying the old say
ing that politics make strange bed
fellows
"Next morning about 4 O'Clock
there was a sudden rap on the door,
followed by a voice saying, Cit up,
men; git up, men; breakfast bout
ready, and the women folks air in
er powerful hurry to git things
cleaned up fore they goes to jerk
ing fat. We'uns gwine ter kill
hogs ter-daY-git up, men,
s'This is a devil of a come-of,"
growled Taylor. What shall we do,
Sam?'
''I'm going to stay in this old fat
bed till 8 O'clock replied Hawkins.
"But you will offend the old man,
and he and his sons and all his sons
in law will vote against you"
"Blamed if I'd get up to carry
the state. Say, Bob, suppose you
pardon those poor innocent hogs"
"That's a good idea, Sam, but
you'll tell it on me-"
"Swear l won't mention it."
"Well, here goes. "Sir" shouted
Taylor, in a loud voice, "'by the
power vested in the Governor by
the Constitution of Tennessee, and
as Chief Executive of this great
commonwealth, l this day commute
the death sentence of those hogs to
imprisonment for life"
"Bob, you are a daisy" remark
ed Hawkins, as he laughed himself
to sleep-a sleep in which he dream
ed of the ides of November and
big Republican majorities and his
election to the highest office within
the gift of his people.
"Not so with Taylor. Instead
of sleeping, he was wide awake,
and, unlike his opponent from tue
bogs of West Tennessee, he knew
the mountaineer, his habits and pre-
JUDGES, and he was not long in de-
a plan to get ahead of his
bed-fellow. So he quietly arose,
hurriedly dressed himself and with
the stealth of a cat slipped from the
room.
''It was 8 O'Clock when Hawkins
from his slumber. He miss
ed Taylor before his eyes were
open, and at once instituted
a search for him. Walking out on
the porch he observed a big log
heap fire down by the spring.
Around the fire sat a group of men,
in the center of which was the
Governor Of Tennessee. Blood
was on his shirt, hog hair on his
trousers, and he was without hat or
coat. In his mouth was a cane
pIpestem, with one end inserted in
a hog bladder. He would blow
awhile, and then, withdrawing the
stem from his mouth and squeezing
The neck of the bladder between his
fingers, resume an unfinished anec-
"The Democrats carried the
for the first time in its histo-
Y, and their candidate for Govern
lr led the ticket