The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-04-01
Editor Tbe Advertiser:

q s
 The other daywhat do you reckon9 We'll. got q letter Getting a letter is not unusual with me. but thls letter took me by surprise, For quite. q never yet pondered over the address to ascertain the writer. Sometimes car ry letter unopened indefinitely when m month nfsrS reaaest @ in this ' respect @ % am not unique. l like to be unique. when it suits me. Though, sometimes I'm sorry for a man when he's unique. It is unique to be a candidate for .pall- bearer" which is the way candidacy for alternate Senator has been dubbed.
 Oh, you may urge me all you wish; setting out my duty to the people Gin. such) and the State; setting out my brilliant achievements in war and peace (especially my aid towards securing political freedom for the people oi Ala banla, etc.): setting out the honorable sacrifice of my unrequited service as Secretary of State two terms under kolb--Blast himD; setting out aiL my private. and public virtues as. as nnnm,sr Ss1o clamor--stili. you had just as well pc singing psalms to a dead horse, for ! cherish my self-respect above tne van M pomn and glory Of the ar% %1r'n faiibfu, tp to his appointments. eff he missed one, he said. Brethren, take 1t out or my salary. Dock me.") On one occasion,
  that eyer d little bit of common sense suggested the propriety of toasting his feet by his home fire, he came One oi the brethren. meeting him , in the, the roae ore ses0sseH yoa seins s'" oysr @'h herey i'm going to preach at Hickory Grove Church to. day" Good goddlemity! You must want to preach mighty bad , .,a. with the candidate for pail bearer. But. I'm getting away from the letter. I don't know why 1t is, but suppose it manifold m virtues. but there seems to be a pretty general impression taway from home) that I'm powerful in prayer; at least. tl.ere are lots. of folks who .chain'' to pull down blessings, too nu-. merous and tedious to mention. Yes, they want me to pray" for this, that and the other thing and write to ten down" to it for the same thing. till my whole time is engaged from early morn till dewy eve" tor sought to be). and this wearisome requested supplication and writQg to those ten other good men. Oh.N can't think Job was ever tried with one of these endless chain" letters, soliciting his prayers for the heather and things. Even the devil is progressive in his machinations against the we'll regulated pious.
 Now, have the usual professed ham, kering for the improvement of the heather tand I believe I would get a move on me- and be in. earnest if l could get per cent of the collectionsD and praying for 1t is the lightsst joo give up so much valuable time to him in prayer. And. there's terrible waste of postage in the matter, besides think it must be bringing my gray hairs in sorrow to the grave" to be for ever and continually in prayer for some wild black or yellow fellow away. on wonder who. for all I know. enjoys bet ter health than do. and doesn't have to hang his clothes on a hickory limb" to Ego in a washing" and, like as not, would eat me if he had chance.
 I reckon my folks were heathen ono. but I can't think we escaped from that wild, free, happy. don't care" condition through the efficacy of the waste of postage. I would hate to zeal without knowledge and. perhaps. it embraces the endless chain" letter of prayer for the heathen-
 Sometimes I think the Spirit of Be- nevoience breaks the bit. kicks up it's heels and runs disgusttngly wild and lays for the unwary at every corner, on the highways, in the hedges, with d demand. in the name Of the church- your money or your life!'
 When have no money I. feign sick ness and lie in for I want to save my
 The church people ought to give us a rest!
 And now the Anti-Saloon fellows (they areegood fellows who'll pass St Peter with the potent plea of ignor- ance) are wanting me to pray for them (the Lord knows. the need itl and Bro. Blanks success in his race for Lieutenant Governor!
 Poor Ben Huffman had imbibed too freely at the Blind Tiger" and fell hy the wayside" near my neighbor, Hanson Colvin. Hanson found him. st. .yI Asnya of a like condition, he was in great sympathy with Ben Che thought Ken had some in his pockeD and Insisted that Ben should go with him to the house where he could be cared for. etc. etc
 Ben listened attentively and then said, Hanson. you want to hear some good sound doctrineT tBen was good Hardshell, drunk or sober). Yes. "welI. I'll be d--d if I do tt | must break the chain for the Blank pray CT, and, I'm going to give direction that not the least moiety Of my sunday school contributions be diverted to aid his campaign.
 Why. I'm a candidate for Lieuten- ant Governor, myself, and It will be living in the face of Providence to be sending up petitions for fellow who hasn't learned (like Nontgom- cry county candidate) to merit cieri- cal opposition.
 No, under the circumstances, feel like 1t is in' the line of public duty to decline the inclination to pray Tor Bro-' Blanks success and write and re-
 That chain is broken right on my