Provided, always, that W. J. B. had stayed out of it.
Of course, when he butts in, nobody can say what may happen.
Well, the boys debated, the judges decided, and Parker won out.
The remainder of the story is related by the ingenuous youth who fought for me in that contest, and I am going to give you his letter just as he wrote it.
THE LETTER
Manassas, Ga., March 13, 1905.
Hon. T. E. Watson, Thomson, Ga.
My Dear Sir: On the fourth of January you were so kind as to send me a few very strong points for my speech. About the same time Hon. Jas. K. Hines also sent me some points.
Our debate was postponed until the tenth inst. For I was sure we would need ample time to prepare for such a fight as we would have to make.
In my letter to you I mentioned the opposition which I thought we would have to encounter, and the amount of interest that would be manifested in such a subject.