The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-04-23

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mans vote, he put out for the spring
about a hundred yards off. About
half way to the spring he heard
voices. He had no idea that sou
had left the house before him; but
what was his amaZement, when he
got near the cowpen to see General
Leach sitting on salt trough, holding
off a calf by it's ears while the old lady
was doing the milking. And what dis
was hearing the old lady say, as she
drew the milk into the pail: I'm
most sure the old man will vote for
you; I'll make him do it anyhow
Col. Ike Young was shrewd cam
paigner and had the faculty of break
ing the force of a competitors strong
est points, in a good humored way. He
WAS a good debatcr and the man who
met him had to keep his wits we'll in
hand, if he made anything out of him.
The Colonel was a Republican and
knew as we'll as any politician how to
work upon the negro's fears and pre-
JUDGES and startle him with miracul-
Gus statements.
Some Democrat, with whom the
Colonel was debating, made the asser-
ton that the Republican Legislature
had squandered, or stolen, seven mil
lions of dollars.
w men the COLONEL SOI up 10 reply,
he said Fellow citizens, my oppon-
ent makes great ado over a little
matter of seven millions of dollars.
What is seven millions of dollars :?
Why, fellow citizens (most of them
were negroes) / have the record be-
fore me, and, therefore, it can't be
contradicted, that the Democrats,
when they were in power, spent in
one year, of the peoples money, six
hundred and sixty-six thousand six
hundred and siXty-siX dollars, sixty-six
and two-thirds cents
Oats de way to tell it!' yelled a
negro.
dat shos who spends de pepuls'
money" said another.
did you ever hear de like?" said
4 third
The Democrat, in disgust, said: go,
that's nonsense, Colonel
Nonsense, indeed" replied the
Colonel. ''These gentlemen, standing
before me: these intelligent gentle
men; can decide who utters the nom
sense; you or me. You say we stole
seven millions. Well admit it; but you
Democrats spent. in one year, of the
peoples money the enormous sum of
six hundred and sixty thousand, six
hundred and sixty-SiX dollars sixty-six
ind two thirds cents, and here's the
figures to prove what l say" The way
ne spun it out made the negroes think
I was at least ten times seven mill
ions.
The negroes shouted: "Now you's
got de trufe. De white folks spen's de
money"
The Colonel and his competitor had
laugh over the matter The Demo-
crat said: You ought to be ashamed
IF fooling the negroes as you did
making the impression that six hun
lred thousand is more than seven mil
ions.''
oh said the Colonel, II had to
say something to break the force OF
your argument, and make Cuffy hap
~. and l thought that was the most
innocent way to do it,
AS / am writing of Colonel Young,
will tell another story in which he
iguTed prominently. A lady, at the
dedication of Person Street Methodist
,hurch, when Bishop Marvin was TAX
ing collection to pay off the
church's Indebtedness, pledged a hun
dred dollars. She didn't have the
money, nor anything that she could
ell to realize it; so, she hit upon the
idea of having pound party" and
spelling bee" combined. The spell
ing bee was the attraction, and the ad-
mission was a pound of whatever any
one might choose to bring-sugar, salt,
peas. -four. a brick-bat, saw-dust or
anything else. Metropolitan Hall was
,rowded, and the pound packages
brought in would have filled a wagon
body. The contestants in the spelling
bee had to pay twenty-five or fifty
cents for the privilege of spelling. AZ
-er that contest was over, the pound
packages had to be sold, at auction.
the starting bid on every package be-
ing 25 cents; and, as l remember, none
were knocked down for less than half
a dollar, many going as high as one OF
two dollars.
Colonel Young came in and enquir-
cd what it all meant, and, when it was
explained to him that a lady was try
ng to raise money to pay pledge she
made to relieve Person street church
IF it's debt, he set to work to bull up
the sales His first bid, on a package,
was five dollars, which he raised to
ten, then to fifteen; finally to twenty
dollars; and when knocked down to
him he found it to be a pound OF
sand.
The crowd began to laugh; but the
colonel very gracefully said to the lady.
who was running the show: II de-
ter!nined, when informed few
ago, you had pledged a hun
dred dollars, that 1 would pay fifth
of it, The lady smiled and thanked
him, and with his beaver in his hand
the Colonel retired amid the applallst
of the audience
That twenty dollars saved her. With
out it She would not have been able
to have met her payment in full.
Captain William A. Smith was
unique character and figured some
what in politics, being, at one time tho
Representative in Congress from the
district AS q political cam
paigner he had but few equals. HI
did or said something every day that
pleased and attracted the people tC
him. While he did not undertake tC
discuss, logically the questions at is
sue, he more than made up for it, b.
his great good humor and witty sallie!
and repartees. When he reached the
place OF speaking, on one occasion ht
bought up all the cakes and water,
melons and when it came his time t.
speak he arose and began to praise his
opponent; telling the people they
would be ably represented, whether hi
opponent or he were chosen; he sup
posed what his opponent had said wa,
true; if it were not, he (Smith) wa
too much of gentleman to contradic
him. And, in conclusion, he wished t
announce that he had bought two load
OF WatermelOnS and two chests G.