The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-06-28

in cloud of dust. You might have thought that 1t was the road to Can
 terbury. and that Chaucer's pilgrims
 were on the way. You might have
 thought that It was John Gilpin seen Fhrough hundred multiplying glasses. galloping to Edmonton. You might have thought that it was a regiment of young Lochinvars racing and chasing OCT Cannobie lea"
 The afr was like amber; there was not a cloud in the sky. The breeze
 stirred just enough to be refreshing tossing the hair as 1t tossed the leaves in gaysome frolic. The steeds
 neighed. as if it were no fatigue to trot, no drudgery to gallop. There was nothing. absolutely nothing in sight to mar the prospective enjoyment | of the day. And yet there was a tinge of impending peril. a tang of disap- I pointment. as If something had been | left out, as if something were wrong | or sinister There was an indefinable expression that everybody felt. that | nobody could explain. If a crow had 1 flown over. believe, on my honor, the crowd would have winced.
 Arrived at the village. the men lost Tho time in hitching their <nags to | swinging limbs. and uncoupling the tired vehicles. A crowded church ! awaited them, and the newcomers were compelled to stand or find seats on door stills or window iedges as best they might.
 Hilliard made a graceful and telling speech. He spoke of the wilmot pro- viso. which he of course opposed. He discussed the war with Mexico. He alluded to the equalization at Monterey, where General Taylor in acknowledg- ment of the strength of the enemy's works, allowed 5000 Mexican troops to march out of the city unmolested. He explained that General Taylor granted these terms from motives of human- ity. He remarked that he. himself. was for Taylor for President, right or wrong. first last and all the time : This seemed quite acceptable to the Whigs. who flung up their caps and new found Marulius.
 To be more explicit. Mir. Hiiliard be- gan as follows:
 Fellow Citizens and Gentlemen: This Is a proud day In my humble calendar I am not here to give an account of my stewardship, I am not here to be asked whether I voted in Congress for this bill or that--whether carried out the wishes of my constit- uents or not. That Is foregone, that Is conceded. If I have made mistakes. they are to be kindly ignored. If I have pushed forward great measures. like the Oregon bill. to their final passage, I am to be spared .. formal acknowledgement. Today Is to be re-. mission from care, respite from duty. Today is to be set apart for good cheer, for congratulations over the state of our common country, and for proud "reminiscences. Today we have left the court, the camp for the grove.' As I raAa e FrssSx4 Aaa the druid oaks. the majestic denixens of the forests. I could murmur.
 Hath not old custom made this life more sweet
 Than that of painted pomps Are not More free from peril than the envious
 court?s
 And so our life. exempt from public haunts,
 Finds tongues in trees. books In the running brooks,
 Sermons in stones and good in every thing"
 During the present administration, by the hand of a benefcent Providence,
 great empire. extending from the Sa- bine to the Rio Grande. has been added to our possessions. Our arms have tri- umphed In Mexico as elsewhere. IL ia true the government has been diiatory. Our noble soldiers have been cut of from their base of supplies. Point Isa- bel. and no adequate force has been pushed to their rescue. In vain the
 blood of the gallant Yell In vain that
 of Clay, in vain that of Hardee and
 Mckee; If this tardiness Is to be con- tinued, President Polk seems to think that. without effort on our part, the stars will fight against Sisera, and that
 Tah toA rryG7I .ta n. spears of our enemies"
 Mir. Hilliard was In an excursiwe mood. In fancy he ranged over Greece and Rome. He described the Coliseum. He was tempted to say something about the Parthenon, and had even gotten us far as Par--when a wfliff from the fesh-pits without, nearly drove him wild with hunger. It Is said that the flies from an adjoining stable stinging the silk -stockinged legs of the patriots. hastened the signing of the Declaration of Independence So. the savory scent of 'Brunswick stew" diffusing its steam through an open window, assisted MT. Hilliard In reaching an early conclusion. With moistened lips he resumed.
 The barbecue given today. in honor of the County candidates and of my humble self, attests not half so much your courtesy as your lavish munihcence. Hospitality Is en- throned in every Southern heart. and like the blessed rain, that falls on the just and unjust dlspenses its ban- elections alike to the worthy and the unworthy. 'Tis a beautiful and signif- icant custom to break bread together. It binds us like an oath to bear each others burdens and to avenge each others wrongs If could"
 Another whiH saluted Mir. HlllIard's olfactories. when unable to stand if any longer. he abruptly sat down. Judge Blob was very brief on banks and banking. and in the greatest hiiar- ity the vast audience rose to their feet. the Whigs frantically waving huge bandanas. which they had drawn for a more practical purpose.
 So far everything had gone well. The soothsayer had lied there were no ides of March. Mir. Et tu Brute had not appeared and most likely would not. But
 Flush! hark! a deep sound strikes like a rising knell" Some idiot had cal1ed for Yancey: 1t fell stlll born. But another call. nearer. clearer, dead Her than before" A modest. retiring figure seated far back. arose in his place and moved aRabiy to the stand. When the deafening roar of applause subsided. he remarked that he was only a guest, that he was there by the courtesy of hls Whig brethren, that he had little to say. but If they Insisted and here the awful clatter of sticks attested that they dfd-that he would. with their kind permission. 'commune upon the past dwell with pleasure un- on the present and speculate mon thA