The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-08-13
How a Fiddle Served an Unpopular
Candidate.

Richard Yates, governor of Illinois al
the beginning of the civil war. who gave
to Ulysses S. Grant-then Capt. Grant
his commission as colonel of an Illinois
regiment, was not only a man of very
great executive ability. but he was
blessed with an abundant fund of humor.
Had Gov. Yates persisted in a purpose
he Is said to have formed of writing
some of his political "reminiscences. espe-
he would have made a most readable
book
For instance, If he had narrated in such
a book a story which he told a few
friends in Washington a year or two
after the close of the civil war. he would
have put in permanent form an anecdote
which, in addition to its humor. would
have illustrated some of the quaint
features of early political life in Illinois.
Gov. Yates said that when he was in
Congress, at the time when the Kansas
Nebraska bill was under consideration,
he voted against it. and his constituents
were not pleased with that action. The
boundaries of his district were therefore
changed, so that they Included part OF
Illinois which was colloquially known as
Egypt"
Il had to make a campaign for re-elec-
ton in this district" said Gov. Yates.
Very few people knew me there
except by name, and I was assured that
had no political friends there. Still. !
had to make a personal campaign. Ac-
cording to the custom at that time, my
competitor and I were to make a joint
campaign. speaking from the same plat
form at the same meeting.
"One of my appointments was in lit
tie country town in Egypt and when l
got there not a soul greeted me. I felt
a peculiar sense of loneliness. 1 went to
q little one-story hotel and, having moth
ing to do. looked up and down the street.
By and by I heard a great noise, and
then I saw a procession which I Judged
was one which was formed in honor of
my competitor and was about to escort
him to the hall. Nobody came to greet
me or offered to escort me to the hall.
and I made up my mind that I would
have to go there without single COM
panion. Just as / was about to start.
one Of the most comical-looking men /
ever saw came up to me. He was en-
ployed about the hotel, and he seemed
either to have taken a fancy to me or
pity on me. He had a fiddle under his
arm. and with great Difference he bowed
to me and then told me that he was GO
ing to march me to the hall That SEEM
ed rather crude and eccentric. but as he
u
told him to start on and 1 would follow.
So we started, he a little way in front.
and he began to fiddle with all his might
and main. He fiddled Yankee Doodle
for some distance. In that way he at
tracted attention. Gradually a curious
crowd began to follow. Still he kept on
fiddling, while marched behind him
conscious that q larger and larger pro-
cession was forming behind US. By and
by people from the sidewalk began to
wave handkerchiefs. showing that they
liked our pluck. At last. just before we
got to the hail. the little fiddler struck
up Hail Columbia and to those inspir-
ing strains I marched into the hall fol-
lowed by Considerable company. My
sense Of loneliness was gone and made
as good a speech as made at any other
time In that campaign"
(Cbpgfisht. lsS b. Z. J. EdvardA All righs re
ervedJ
Tomorrow DR.. Edwards will tell How
q Good Blacksmith Became . Great Law
yer" ~