The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-01-31
WHEN OLD MAN ISHAM LLOYD
RAN FOR MAYOR OF RALEIGH
S,n, "reminiscences of One of the Most Eccentric
Characters That Ever Lived in the
City of Oaks.

One of the oldest characters that lived
in our city during and for several years
after the war, was Isham Lloyd. In the
first place he never made any pretension
to good looks, but seemed to take pleas
ure in being homely. l don't think he
loved to work, though he some times had
1t to do, for he had wife who made him
move about, and turn his hands to many
things he would never have touched but
for her. Isham was about five feet high,
very chunky, stoop-shouldered, and his
head bent forward, making him appear as
if he were all the time looking for some
thing on the ground. Everybody knew
him, for he was the only one OF his KIND,
and he knew everybody and was pretty
we'll posted as to the dinner nour OF a
great many, which knowledge he made
good use of nearly every day. lie as
well as his wife, was member OF the
church, but he never did learn how to
conduct himself when he attended divine
services as an incident or two will verify.
On one occasion he arrived at church
soon after the preacher had announced
his text, and getting just inside the door
he stopped, turned his head this way ana
that way, cleared his throat as II to at
tract attention, and, when everybody III
the house, preacher and all. turned 10
look at him, he spoke out saying
"Howsse you all this mawnlng?? wait
inc for a moment for some one to answer
his salutation, but seeing no one dld' ne
repeated: "Howise you all this maWnlng?
Then turning to take a seat on the near
est bench he said: II got a mighty hurt
T oi,,'t fool
and the old 'oman's too sick to come to
meeting today.
Of course the congregation could not
help exhibiting little merrlment at his
expense; but Isham never looked more
solemn or pious, and didn't see anything
to smile at.
The reader must not think that he was
an idiot, or that he lacked mother wit.
He was simply rough specimen OF I'M
tutored humanity, raised when and where
polish was not considered necessary, per-
haps; or what is more probable, where ne
had not the advantages that would nave
better fitted him for the times into which
old age carried him. AS an evidence OF
his wit, on one occasion, when the good
people of the city were giving out wood
to the poor he called at headquarters to
put in his plea; he had some wood, and
was aware that some of his neighbors who
were also asking for wood knew that he
had little on hand, and thinking they
might tell the committee about 1T, he
forestalled anything of that sort, by rush
ing into the room and asking: do you
give wood to anybody that's got some"'
mo" answered the chairman OF the
COMMITTEE; mot until we supply those
who have none" "Then," replied old
Isham, "me and the old oman will freeze
to death, for the little wood I've got is
green 'swiggum' and it'll take all the
'litard' in the county to burn stick OF
it, The committee thought, that being
the case. they had better let him have a
small load, which they did. He did have
a stick or two of green sweetglm, or
'swiggum,'' as he called it, and some
more besides, but the committee, think
ing that "green swiggum'' was all ne
had, and but little of that, did not hest
tate to divide with him.
One Christmas day a family sent him
and his wife the very best dinner that
could be made up from their table, filling
a good-sized basket with such palatable
things as turkey, ham, potatoes, rice
beans, bread, biscuits, cakes, ETC., and
withal bowl of stewed oysters, expect
ing, of course, when the servant returned
he would bring the thanks of grateful
old couple for the nice Christmas dinner
sent. And so, as the servant came in the
lady asked: what did they say?" The
servant seemed to hesitate, but at length
answered: 'sMissus, I'm ashamed to tel
you, but 'spose must. Old Mrs. Lloyd
said it was right good dinner; but Mr..
Lloyd said he didn't thank nobody for
sending him dinner and not send a
wheelbarrow full of wood to ma. !
fire to eat it by" The lady
said to the servant: Get the
wheelbarrow and carry the old
people a load of wood" .No Missus,'
said the servant, ''dey's got more wood at
dey wood pile than you'se got at you'rn,
and, if you please, nam, I don't want to
carry 'em any, And he did not.
On one occasion at church meeting
the question of purchasing an organ was
being discussed and Isham thinking he
had as much right to make a speech as
any one else, said: "Dar amt no use O.
gittin' origin for dey'll never play on it.
Dey got a shan'leer here last year and
dey's never played a chune on hit yit, as
ever hearn tell on"
Some OF the boys prevailed upon lShan
to allow his name to be run for Mayor
assuring him in the morning when thu
polls were opened that it was only /;
matter of few hours before he would
be sitting in the Mayors office with hi
feet on the desk, smoking cigars, dealing
out wise and righteous decisions, an
drawing his hundred dollars month. Al
the forenoon he was going from ward tt
ward seeing how the matter was pro
crossing, and at each he was informed
that Lloyd was the coming man. Dozen
of young fellows, who wished to be pc
licemen, imoortuned him to help them {,
secure positions. and in the goodness o
his heart he promised to do all he coul
for each one At II o'clock he went HON
to dinner and told his wife that tomol
row she'd be Mrs. Mayor and wouldn'
have to take in washing any more, an
they'd move up town and go to the bl
church, etc. The old lady heard hir
through and then chopped him off by sa,
ing "Isham Lloyd, you are an old fool
you'd better be cutting wood for some
body, which will pay you a sight bette