South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-06-10
STATESMEN
REAL AND NEAR
by FRED C KELLY.

W ASHlNGION.-lL was the SOOQ
old custom. in Shelby, y. c.. back in
the good old SOS. for the promising
young men of the community to
make dates with the more charming
Of the girls Whereabouts to take them
TO church on Sunday evenings. After
the services the young folks would
stroll slowly homeward, admiring the
moon, or the stars or the clouds, and
after that they would sit on the We
ranGas. engaging in low. earnest con-
versatiOn until about $3.50. a few
of the more reckless and daring
young men remained until the clock
in the front hall struck 10, but il was
considered proper to start away by
9:30-Or by 9:45 at the latest
Now, this fine old custom was the
thing that gave the real start in life
to Representative Edward Yates
Webb of North Carolina, who has just
been made chairman of the import
ant judiciary committee of the house
One Of committees in charge of Mr..
Wilson's antitrust legislation. You
see, telephones were luXuries rarely
to be found in the Shelby, y. c.,
homes in those early SOS. and the
absence of telephones necessitated the
village bellies toward the end Of the
week.
The more beautiful of the girls
would often have a field of eight or
nine different escorts to pick from if
they wished to attend the evening
church services. To send a note il was
necessary to have a reliable messen-
ger boy That was where young Ed
win Yates came in.
He was not the kind of q boy who
would take a note around back of the
barn and read it, and then tear il up.
IF a young man entrusted him with a
note to a girl he went at once in a
quiet, inoffensive manner to the girls
home. and with hat in hand waited
for her 10 pen purpleinked reply.
He did not grin knowingly or offer
any remarks or jibes to either party
of the transaction. Edwin was a nice.
polite boy Yet he was no mollycod-
die. He was a better ball player than
almost any boy in town. At any rate
he had practically a monopoly on the
! billy duX business of Shelby. and he
never received less than > cents for
carrying a nOte-Often 10 cents, and
| occasionally when the reply was ia
vorable and pleasantly worded, some
dashing young cavilier would hand
him quarter OF a dollar
In that way Webb saved up a good
deal OF money and as his bank ac-
/ count grew ne began TO throw out his
] chest. He began TO think how fine il
would be 10 make even more money
l and amount 20 something when he
grew up That led 10 an ambition TO
| 90 10 college His resources derived
from his note-toting industry were
not sufficient TO provide his educa-
ton. however. and he came out Of law
school at the age of twenty-One some
\ $500 in debt.
/ Seeing that he was in debt and with
\ out clients, Webb at once went about
/ getting himself engaged TO be mar
\ ried There was a pretty girl the
daughter OF professor 1T the little
college he had attended. who had
been willing u listen attentively when
Webb talked about himself and his
ambitions. and so. % course, there
was nothing 10 it, The girls
mother asked webb how he proposed
10 support wife inasmuch as he
was a clientless attorney.
"Oh, says he. bravely humping
his chest III go out and hoe corn if
4 necessary"
That seemed 10 cheer up the mother
a great deal and she consented TO the
/ engagement The young folks were
/ to be married that fall. and during
the summer Webb got a first rate
start as lawyer HIS first case net
ted him "a fee OF a 50 sold piece and
he gave IL 20 his mother She kept
II number OF years and then gave il
back 10 Webb. and he has il yet.
\ few days before they were 20 be
married Webbs fiancee attended a
golden wedding celebration and the
ice cream gave her serious case OF
ptomaine poisoning. Webb married
her on what. 10 was then feared. was
her death bed. She recovered. but
T her narrow escape IS probably
+ one reason why Webb has always
taken a great interest IN pure food
legislation since he entered congress.