The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1912-06-27
WHEN BOB TAYLOR
TIED THE KNOT

Senator Pryor w. Garter, of Macon,
stood six feet six inches in his stock.
ings, and was as straight as an Iudian.
His head inclined bit forward, owing
to his habit of looking down upon the
people with whom he conversed. He
was of distinguished pioneer family,
and had seen honorable service in the
confederate army. There were two
events in the life of Senator Carter in
which he took special pride: kissing
Stonewall Jackson's daughter, and be-
ing married by Gov. Bob Taylor,
When Gov. Marks appointed him
com missioner from Tennessee to the
Yorktown celebration in 1883, he ar
ranged himself in Prince Albert suit
of the finest broadcloth, encased his
feet in pair of $40 calf boots, and
added six inches to his stature by top
ping his head with a shiney silk stove.
pipe hat. Add to this apparel coun-
tenance and air of great gravity and
wisdom and one will not be surprised
that wherever he we're, and in what
ever society he appeared, he was the
observed of all observers. The crown
ing glory of his mis- ission, however, as |
have said, was the privilege and honor
which he assumed of kissing, in the
name and on behalf of his state, Julia,
the daughter of his beloved command
er, Stonewall Jackson.
He won so much eclat from his mis-
SION to Yorktown that few years
later, in 1888, he was nominated by the
democratic party of his district and
elected member of the state senate.
The writer was at the same time
member of the house, and serving on
the ways and means committee, of
which the distinguished Col John II.
Savage, was chairman.
During the course of the legislative
session of 1889 Senator Carter intro
duced bill authorizing the governor
to solemnize the rite of matrimony.
He was not public speaker, but pri-
vately he advocated the passage Of the
bill, which he declared TO be the most |
important measure ever presented to
The Legislature, with great earnestness |
and zeal, but urged its necessity on the
most astonishing ground. He had a
way of speaking in short, broken SEN
,ences, separated by a knowing nod
md an inarticulate exclamation
hrown in by way of emphasis. "The
he said, sis the chief mag
strate-huh! All the inferior magis-
rates marry people-huh! Can a
tream rise higher than its source
luh! If the chief magistrate is with
nut the power, how can he communi-
ate it to the inferior magistrates-huh!
Until this bill is passed every mar
iage performed by justice of the
,eace is null and void-huh!-and its
ssue illegitimate-huhp'
The members of the legislature did
lot, am sure, endorse his reasoning,
'ut as they saw no harm in his bill,
hey passed it and it became a law.
One morning soon after the passage
f his bill, Senator Carter stepped into
he room of the ways and means COM
1ittee of the house, and plucl<ing Col.
avage to one side, carried him to the
mbrasure of the window. Now Col.
avage was plain, blunt old bachelor l
ne turn of seventy, and Senator Car ,
er was well-preserved widower of
bout sixty five; neither of them had I
YER been able to speak in whisper,
nd the increasing dullness of hearing g
oming on with age, accentuated ma S
.rially the pitch of their voices. l
ssSee here, old hoss," Senator Car /
IT began, dropping his head a little l
} one side, and looking sentimental, f
Pm going to get married-huhv 0
''The blank you are!" i
I'm the the senate chamber-huh! C
Bob Taylors going to do the job I
uh! I want you for my best man" a
The colonel reluctantly consented; t
II, though he had been a recognized h
lthority in affairs of honor under the e
,de duello, aud had boldly stormed b
le enemy's works at Molina del Rey, =
here he received an honorable wound,
hich landed him in congress at the &
ose of the Mexican war, it was evil B
mt this new draft upon his courage e
as supported only by reinforcing his h
by the sacred claims of E
iendship.
OF course every one in the committee :
om was bound to hear their CONVEX (
tion, and was equally bound to keep
leir secret; but they could not help i
oserving that the cunning old senator E
nd an uiterior object in authorizing &
ov. Bob Taylor to solemnize the rite
matrimony, which he had not dis +
osed in his advocacy of the bill. s
In due time it was publicly announc-
that Senator Pryor w. Garter was
be married in the senate chamber,
I'd that Gov. Bob Taylor was to tie S
e knot. When the day arrived a
eat crowd assembled in the senate
amber. Benjamin j. Lea, after
ards chief justice, occupied the speak.
IS chair. The sergeant-at arms clear.
the way for the bridal party and Sen