Rensselaer Journal, Volume 11, Number 48, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 May 1902 — He Took the Persimmon. [ARTICLE]

He Took the Persimmon.

When Senator Simmons was a candidate for senator down in North Carolina his principal opponent was a millionaire, who flooded the state with handsome buttons bearing his picture. The appearance of the buttons everywhere rather annoyed Mr. Simmons, who felt that he must do something to counteract this evidence of popularity. He had no money to throw away on buttons and for awhile he was in a quandary. Then an inspiration came to him. He decided that he would take a persimmon for his emblem. Persimmons are as numerous in North Carolina as sands upon the seashore. In the 'fall of the year, - when the election was held, they were round and hard, and fastened quite securely to their short stems. It did not take long for the followers of Mr. Simmons to learn that they could not please him better than by wearing a persimmon, and so the button was soon cast into the shade. “We are all ‘simmons men,’ ” said the wearers of the fruit, and the phrase, combining a pun on the persimmon with loyalty to the popular candidate, was so effective that it materially helped Mr. Simmons to win in his race for the senate.