The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1915-11-12
THE POSTUM
PARTY
By NJ. QUAD
copyright. 1915, by the Mcclure
Newspaper S.yndicate.]

Last month the following colored
gentlemen and politicians mel ut Para
disc hall in response to a circular let
ter from Brother Gardner:
Judge Pcrsimmon Longbody of Ten
nessee. who held the office of constable
once for thirty days and knows how
good it is.
Colonel CabiH Rocky of Kentucky,
who sweeps out the p~ostofice in Louis
vile, but had far rather be postmas-
ter.
Brassbound johnson of Maryland.
who has led his cohorts against many
q melon patch and will again, by thun-
der!
Major Bloker of Ohio, who says that
taking a chicken of the roost without
q squawk is an art.
Several other delegates were to be
on hand, but the constable rallied in
force and drove them back.
Brother Gardner stated that the
meeting was for the purpose Of put
ting a presidential ticket in the field ut
an early date and the party would be
called the Postum party" The mat
ter was thoroughly discussed and set.
tied, and there was an adjournment to
q later date.
There was a mighty gathering at
Paradise hall Saturday evening. and,
acting, on the suggestion of Brother
Gardner, about fifty members had
brought their wives with them. 1t had
been announced on the bulletin board
that the Hon. Crabtree Jones of Ala
bama would deliver a political speech,
and the audience was ready to give
him an enthusiastic greeting. He ap-
peared promptly at the hour named
and al introduced by the president
amid vociferous applause.
Respectable fellow citizens" began
the orator as he got his feet planted on
the proper spot, 1.-TWO weeks ago dar
was a-bornin' in dis famous hall which
has made talk fur 100000 people.
1t was de bornin' Of q new political
party.
my fr'en's, l had bin waitin' thirty
vars fur de dawn of freedom. l hev
bin waitin' thirty Vars fur de birth Of
de POSSum party.
"'Freemen of free land, patriots who
ar takin' yo'r fust breath of liberty.
I'm lookin' ut dat stuff possum which
we have adopted as II sacred emblem
an ,arter which we hev taken II
name. LTyphoonic yells.] Oar has
de culll man an de possum. Dey
haven't had a show wild de big game.
Dey has had to keep still till folks look
ed upon EN- as dead. [Signs Of groans
and repressed agitation.] However.
it's gwine to astonish n hull continent
de way dat possum will let go an
drap down into de row an demand an
fight fur his sheer of de spiles. [Whirl-
winds of applause. during which the
stove fell over unheeded.]
"Yo' jest git out yo'r pencils an
igger q mint. Dere's ober 3.O0O,O 600
black men in dis kentry who I'M enti-
tied to walk to de polls Oh 'leckshun
day an cast a vote. If dey but hang to-
gether yo' can't count EN- out nor keep
'em back. Dem 100000 votes am
gwine to be cast for principle. but
doan' make no mistake bout principle.
We used to think dat it meant votin'
on sartin' lines an dat George Wash
ington. Abraham Lincoln. de constiti-
shun of de United States an seberal
odder things was mixed up wild 1t, an
We walked up an put in our votes as
If each mn cherry one vas gwine to
save de kentry. But we Earned it
from de white man. [Cries of 'Yo' bet
we hev!l We hev l'arned dat he sots
out OF a political campaign wild Il cart
load Of principles to glib away free
gratis an punctuate his speeches. but
when de ballots am counted up he lays
down his principles to pick up his Of
flee. 49,
I'VE am gwile to take a fyleaf from
de white mans book. Well stick to
principles. hut We'll look out fur de
spiles al well. "
My fr'en's. daylight has cum Mt last
fur is. We's got u bundles packed
an hev started on de road. We's got
headed right. an we's only to keep on
to find de bee tree an be IN hand
when de honey am divided up. [Yells
for honey.l Keep yO'r eye on de pos
sum an yo'r brains in yo'r heads an
yo1li win Il victory dat Bunker Hill
couldn't hold a candle to. General
h~oarseness. but prodigious applause
| want Il word mo- bcfo' ! close. Dis
am to be a plain. airnest campaign on
our part. We amt gwine to- say much.
but what We do say will hit de barn
doah like a load of buckshot. Doan'
git de idea dat big words am gYine to
help yo' win what belongs to yo'. Be
70 dis meetin' opened tonight l heard
Waydown Bebee obsarve dat de nhalig-
nant innuendo Of de torrid afiilashun
would enhance de generality of de POM
posity. He probably meant we'll. an
mebbe his observation has helped us
to git started. but ! hope he wont do
it ag'in. 'Doan' nobody do II. Dis am
no dictionary campaign. mo. no!] 1t
will lie plain puddin' an milk at home
an plain English when yo' am walkin'
up and down wild q possum bndge on
.,os~ l,.a.,ax n,so Noo NJ 1RlNork.. fn vO,,.