The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-03-24
! Colonel
TODHUNTER
of Missouri
BY RIPLEY D. SAUNDERS
Copyright. 1911. by the BObbs.Merr1l
COmoaNV
(Continued.)

(Continued.)
Against this man was Colonel Tod
hunter pitted on the day of the bar
becue, and the certainty of Witnessing
a great encounter attracted to the
scene OF their meeting the biggest
crowd ever assembled at a political
gathering in that county. Enthusiasm
was at fever heat The fact that 1t
was largely Yancey enthusiasm placed
the colonel at O. decided disadvantage,
but instead of depressing his daunt-
less soul this seemed rather to key
him up TO his best fighting mood.
During the forenoon, as was not I'M
common, there had been a generous
f1ow of good liquor. The orators of
the day were naturally expected to
give a satisfying account OF them
selves In disposing of this democratic
output. Both were seasoned veterans
at the task.
1t was a popularity OF Bedford
Giles, however, that when he reached
a certain stage Of exhtlaratton his
mental horizon so w1dened and his
Imagination took such wings to itself
that his spelIb1nding eloquence scared
more in the realm of fancy than of
fact. His figures OF speech became
overwhelming in bold poesy of concep-
ton and application, and, for the time
being, the sonorous rounding out of
bis excited thought into splendid SEN
fences was of far more importance in
his estimation than the structure of
truth upon which they were supposed
to be based. His Missouri hearers en-
joyed this phase OF his oratory keenly
By the time he was primed to such
gorgeous lights they, too, were SINH
larry primed to accompany him, SO
that the conclusion Of one of Bedford
Giles speeches never failed to witness
a scene OF magnificent emotional pro-
portions.
Upon this occasion, mellow as a
peach, Bedford Giles fairly out1id him.
self in his barbecue tribute to the vir-
tues OF the Hon. Stephen <. Yam
cey. Now, in reality, Yancey was not
a candidate of the magnetic" class.
He had many friends, he was known as
a steadfast party man, and it was con-
coded that he possessed a particularly
shFewd knaek Of always lining up"
with the stronger faction in party di-
visions. It requires more than these
things, however, to make Of a candi-
date one of those formidable political
figures for whom the party rank and
file delight to cheer for sheer ''love and
affections sake" as the old phrase
has it
But Bedford Giles, the cookies Of his
heart warmed by liberal rotations,
idealized the Hon. Stephen K. Yancey.
and the peroratdon OF his speech was
one of the finest and most typical ex-
amples OF Gileslan eloQuence.
lam not asking you, my fellow cit
lzens," he declared sonorously, ito NOM
mate Stephen K. Yancey to the proud
Office of chief executive of the imperial
commonwealth OF Missouri at the sacri-
fee of others equally deserving. No,
my friends, ff this were the case
should not feel the supreme confidence
that do now feel in, your entire will
Hngness thus to honor him, nor in the
wisdom OF your decision in his favor.
But, fellow Democrats, 1 speak no
more than the simple truth when SOL
EMMY declare, here and now, that the
gentlemen competing with Stephen z.
Yancey for your SURFACES are no more
to be compared with that peerless lead
er than the tHllow candle of our fore
fathers Is to be compared with the Al
mighty's own handiwork OF universal
illumination, the glorious orb OF day
That now shines SO benign1y down upon
this representative assemblage of the
81 have NO hesitancy, my friends,
I'm placing the Hon. Stephen K Yam
eey before you today as the unri-
vailed product Of a civilization, of a
nation and of q people that have In
their splendid conjunction produced
the most godlike development of the
race of man known in the worlds his
tory, my hearers Stephen K. Yancey,
my fellow Mtssourians, is more than
a mere Democrat, high though that
title may justly place him in the scale
OF human progress. He is the spotless
archangel OF American democracy. His
garments are as pure as the driven
snow, and his flaming sword Of battle
L. the weapon of righteousness His
mind is the abiding place of political
chastity, and his soul cherishes the
untainted thoughts of the sweet mind
ed child, or of those celestial cheru-
bins who are the heavenly parallels
OF earthly infancy. And 1 say to you
now. my fellow citizens, that when the
mighty Gabriel, with his awakening
trumpet, sounds that awful blast that
shall summon US all to the judgment
bar for a final accounting, supreme
among the elect who shall arise on that
great day and make answer to their
records on the open scrolls of the re-
cording angel. the man without one
mark to his discredit made by that
angelic pen, the man not one jot or
little afraid Of the unfolding of those
august registers. the man against
whom may be pointed neither the ac-
rusing fingers of men nor seraphim in
condemnation for the deeds of his do
In, viii be the Hon. Stephen K. Yam
cey of Jackson county, in whose be-
half 1 now ask your vote at the ap
preaching primaries. 1 thank you for
your kind attention"
It was titanic effort. Bedford Giles
had pulled and perspired freely in It's
deliverance. His arms had cut wide
swaths out of Missouri's atmosphere.
His hands had hlud gaonad emnhasis