Barbour County Index

THE JOINT DEBATE.

Larned Eagle-Optic: The result of the joint debate at this place last Monday night between Col. J. R. Hallowell and Jerry Simpson was very much of a surprise to all who listened to it. Col. Hallowell's reputation as an orator, a public speaker, and a political debater had encouraged the people to expect something above the ordinary. With the prestige of the republican nomination for congress, he came into a strong republican community where the prejudices of the people were greatly in his favor. Knowing that he enjoyed the advantages of a college education, and the address, polish and self-possession that can only be acquired by long years of public speaking, it was thought that Mr. Simpson would fall an easy prey to his wit and wisdom, his sarcasm, and his mighty oratorical exhibition of undisputable facts and figures. Even Mr. Simpson's friends, calling to mind the wonderful boasts of the prince, trembled for the result, but with the courage of Abraham of old, determined to offer up the sacrifice, even as the lamb upon the altar. No one even dared to hope that the common farmer, reared without the opportunities for securing more than a limited common school education, inured to toil, compelled to earn his bread by the sweat of his brow, unused to public debate, unskilled in political warfare, branded as an ignoramus, could stand for a moment unscathed before the fiery, impetuous eloquence of the full-armoured, well-equipped prince. It was like David going out from the tents of the Israelites to meet Goliath, the giant of the Philistines, and the result proved just about as disastrous to the modern braggart.

Before the debate had proceeded very far it became plainly evident that Prince Hal had made another mistake: that he had greatly underestimated his opponent. The audience began to wake up to the realization that there was going to be a skinning of "the other fellow." They had come out to see Hal strip off the epidermis of the hay-seed clod-hopper, but they were prepared to see the hay-seed clod-hopper proceeded to scrape the hair off the spine of the gentlemanly prince. In fact, judging from the demonstrations in the audience, the unexpected turn of affairs seemed to meet their unbounded approval, and Jerry had plenty of encouragement to proceed with the carving until it was hard to distinguish his antagonist from the bloody shirt he attempted to wave. Well, it was a Waterloo, sure enough: and Prince Hal went down before the common, every-day, hay-seed farmer amid the flame and smoke of battle, the shouts of the victors, and the smothered imprecations of the vanquished, with all the bristles scraped off his back, and his false position on public questions, his political dogmas and heresies, punctured as full of holes as a fish net.

Some of the friends of Hal explain the disaster by saying that the prince wasn't in condition to do himself justice, that he was sick, and in confirmation of this statement cite the fact that he had to be braced up with "three fingers" before he could appear at the breakfast table the next morning. For our part we are willing to accept and publish this explanation, feeling confident that Hal won't give Jerry a chance to prove the contrary.