He knew that his turn was to come; that he must mount the stump and address the listening throng.

He perceived that he could not speak as these men were speaking; and perhaps for the first time in his life began to experience some sense of inferiority.

He writes: "The thought of having to make a speech made my knees feel mighty weak, and set my heart to fluttering almost as bad as my first love-scrape with the Quaker's niece.

But as good luck would have it, these big candidates spoke nearly all day, and when they quit the people were worn out with fatigue, which afforded me a good apology for not discussing the Government.

But I listened mighty close to them, and was learning pretty fast about political matters.