The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-10-20

er for governor Patterson saw the
handwriting on the wall and refused
even TO consider a second nomina-
ton
Running Against "Fiddling Bob"
The straightout Democrats have
nominated Robert L. Taylor-"Fid-
ding Bob" Orpheus, with his flute,
moved rocks and trees Taylor with
his fiddle won votes. He has been
governor twice. defeating his brother.
Alfred A. Taylor, at one election, and
lac is United States senator now.
II Ben Hooper is elected he will
have the honor OF being the first Re-
publican governor Tennessee has had
for 30 years. and he will have the
further distinction of having won his
high place largely by Democratic
votes in a southern state that should
be safely in the Democratic column.
A striking feature OF the "lndepen-
dent" Democratic convention. by
which his candidacy was Endorsed.
was a procession of more than i've
hundred Confederate soldiers clad in
their faded suits of Confederate gray.
SO Hooper Is a political curio, but
much more important, he is an I'M
usual man.
Knoxville about 40 years ago, a help
less and deserted orphan. and was
committed TO a Baptist orphan asy-
lum.
Where he came from no one knew
and no one seemed to care. He was
not attractive in appearance. being
small and delicate looking, but there
was something in the bright gray
eyes and in the way he had OF look
ing at things that enlisted the inter
est of a prominent citizen OF East
Tennessee who had the boy thorough
ly educated AT the age OF twenty
one he graduated with honors in law
and IL was about this time that the
romance OF his life began to develop.
Woos Tennessee Belle.
He fell In love with the bell OF
East Tennessee and she returned his
affection. She was beautiful. accom-
plished and a representative of one OF
tn Oldest and most aristocratic famil-
les OF the south.
Her family was not wealthy. but
she lived in a section In which
proud ancestry and blue blood count
ed for more than money.
The wedding day was fixed and
then gossips began TO whisper and
ask: Who Is Ben Hooper, any way.
and where did he come from?" AMI
no one could answer.
The girls family felt the irrepres-
sible pride OF the old south, and hear
ing the question they too strained
their ears for the answer. There
was none.
The wedding day was postponed and
there must have come tragic mo-
ment In the boys life when he was
called in and solemnly questioned
concerning his parentage. He told
them that his earliest remembrance
was OF the long rows OF children eat
ing their simple meals in the orphan
asylum. Even his name had been
given to him by his benefactor. who
had proved his faith in him all his
life. Hooper told them that back of
the orphan asylum he knew nothing
and from that moment he walked a
new way.
Spurned. cast of by the girl he
loved so devotedly, the blow seemed
10 the sensitive young man TO have
crushed him and destroyed his am
billions. Then, recovering his manli-
ness. he. who knew not his fathers
name. determined to make a shining
name for himself
Begins Life Anew In Texas.
With few thousand dollars which
his benefactor lent him to start on he
went TO Texas Among strangers, nm
known and uncared for. he was as
much alone as when he had been LETT,
forsaken and forlorn, on the streets
of his home city. But he set about
his task with grim determination to
prove TO his friends back home that
mans success does not depend on
the accident OF his birth
He invested his small capital in the
then rapidly developing oil wells OF
Texas. and in six months he had
made $4,000
Back 10 the rugged hills and sing.
ing brooks OF East Tennessee he
went. buoyant and hopeful. The past
he had pat behind him: the future
he would carve out for himself
/ ~