| “HUMOR IN HISTORY” By Bob Williamson |
| Casually reading thru the “History of Richardson County, Nebraska” a book of its people, industries, and institutions, I discovered a bit of interesting election year trivia. The book was written by Lewis C. Edwards, and published in 1917. Working the polls at Dawson as a card carrying Republican for years I found the following amusing. Quoting: “There is a settlement embracing a considerable number of families from the Emerald Isle established in this Grant Precinct, Richardson County. It was at this settlement that a son of Erin was accosted on the day following the presidential election in November, 1868, by a bearer of returns from another prescient with a “How did this precinct go?” Pat answered readily, “All right to be shure” “yes, but what do you call all right? “Dim-my-cratic, av coorse.” Well, what majority did you give? “Ten majority for Grant be jebbers” The interrogator, thinking that Patrick was getting political matters “slightly mixed” passed on with his returns and the incident of the election, which he thought would be worth repeating when he reached town. With the completion of the railroad and the increased facilities for transportation, this precinct like all others along the line of railway, received a new impetus in its development. The citizens looked forward with anxiety for the coming of the iron horse and in due time their desires were realized. Contrast this with the computer chip which is removed from the vote counting machine and returned to the County Clerk in Falls City with in a very short time of the closing of the polls at 8:00pm in Grant/Nemaha Precinct. By jebbers, Pat we have come a long way. And by the way, those polls still open with a ringing of the bell and a “Hear Ye, Hear Ye, the polls are now open” strictly at 8:00 am. See ya at the polls soon Pat. |