New-York tribune., 1920-01-11
Loyal Bryanite
Sees Last Chance
To Shave Beard
Whiskers Will Continue to
Grow Unless ''Peerless
Ones' Wins After 23
Years of Vain Endeavor

s.l. WATERLOO, N. Y, Jan. 10.-If Will
sIiam j. Bryan runs for President
FAgain this year he will get at least two
votes in this place, those of William
Hilkert, a farmer, and William H.
Dempsey, the latter proprietor of re.
tail liquor store. Dempsey says he
realizes Bryan is dry" but that makes
no difference to him; he's going to vote
for the "Commoner" so his friend.
Hilkert, may harvest his twenty-three-
year-old crop of whiskers.
Hilkert, when Bryan made his first
Presidential dash in '96 grew so en-
thusiastic over his prospects that he
vowed he would never shave until the
Nebraskan landed in the Presidential
chair.
Dempsey, just as warm a Bryan fol-
lower as Hilkert, but little more eau
tious, made no rash statements, but
contented himself with egging Hilkert
on and spreading the news OF the lat
ter's determination. Although the CAM
paign had only started he prevailed
diately, and the latter boastfully con-
sented.
Two cronies arranged for public
ceremony for the Hilkert shaving. A
platform was to be erected on the
Four Corners and Dempsey was to WELD
the razor under the glare of the arc
lights while the whole town looked on
Dempsey bought huge oil painting
of Bryan and hung it in the front WIN
dow of his cafe. Hilkert brought down
from his farm pair of sheep shears
70 no,,o a,
was to- use in slicing off the whiskers
Election time rolled around, and, to
the utter chagrn of both, Bryan was
defeated.
Still Retains His Hopes
Hilkert by this time had threeinch
stubble on his face and wanted to back
out of his vow and have it cut off, but
Dempsey demonstrated and urged him
to let it grow. He did
For four years it grew.
Then Bryan was nominated again
Hilkert hustled to town as soon as ne
heard the news and made sure the
Bryan picture, the sheep shears and
the razor were still in place.
Again election day rolled around
Hilkert, true to his word, brought the
OK to town. Dempsey, in the mean
time, had supervised the building OF
the platform on the Four Corners. The
stage was set.
But Bryan lost
Hilkert's beard continued to grow
He lost heart in the next four years
and came to town time after time de-
tcrmined to have his hirsutc append
age removed Once he gained the
doorway of barber shop when Dcmp-
sey, apprised Of what was going on
| dashed across the road and dragged hin,
from the shop.
BY the time the 1904 convention
came Hilkert was mad He was re-
signed to his fate and showed only a
passing interest when the Peerless One
was supplanted by Judge Parker as
the Democratic candidate.
But his beard continued to grow
Denied Being Trimmer"
About this time Hilkert and Dcmp-
scy became engaged in violent quar-
rel. Dempsey. accused Hilkert of trim
ming his beard. Hilkert hotly denied
it and said it "wore off" Dempsey
said Hilkert was trimming it himself
and the latter admitted perhaps he had
"snipped ofs,na few stray hairs, be-
cause it interfcred with his work on
the farm. The feud lasted several
months, but on the night of a village
election when the Democrats made a
clean sweep, the hatchet was buried
and the old time friendship renewed.
Then Bryan was nominated in 1908
Dempsey pored over his favorite ed