American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1872-12-21
VOL. XXII.

uIop, iuii as tlch. w nat does
mean:'
Mr.. Decker looked disconsoIate. Pei
: haps ii may be worth a moments time t
explain that he could not well look other
: wise. Broken in fortune and broken il
t health. he was failure and knew it. Hi
large forehead showed power. and he wa
} i'll fact n lawyer of some ability; and still
r he could not support his family, cou d no
keep mold of mortgages from creepins
all over his hOuse-lot. and had so man,
creditors that he could not walk tn.
streets comfortably. The trouble lay il
hard drinking, with its resultant waste o
time, intidelity to trust, and in;patienc,
at application. Thin, haggard, duskily
pallid. deeply wrinkled at forty. his blaci
eyes watery and set in baggy circles of :
dull brown. his lean dark hands shaky
and dirty, his linen wrinkled and button
I,ss. his clothing frayed and unbrushed
he was an representation OF failure. He
had gone into The Legislature with des-
perate hope of somehow finding money
in it. and as vet he had discovered moth
ing more than his beggarly three dollars
Il day, and be felt himself more than ever
a failure. No wonder that he wore an air
of profound depression, approaching to
absolute Indebtedness and threatening
suicide.
trast with the successful MIR. Pullwool.
gaudily alight with satin and jewelry,
and shining with conceit. Pullwool. by
| the way, although dandy, was far from
being thing of beauty. He was so OBJ
nOXiously gross and shapeless that it
seemed as if he did it on purpose and to
be irritating. His fat head was biz
enough to make dwarf OF. hunchback
and all. His notified cheeks were vast
and peHdulous to that degree that they in
spired the imaginative beholder with ter
ror, rs reminding him of avalanches and
land-slides which might slip their hold at
the slightest shock. and plunge down
ward in path of destruction. One puffy
eyelid dropped in 4 sinister way !; obvi-
Ously that was the eye that the Devil had
selected for his own; he kept it well cur
tanned for purposes of cOneealment. Look
ing out OF this peep-hOle, the Satanic
badger could see short, thick nose, and
by leaning forward little. he could get a
glimpse of a broad chin OF several stories.
Another unpleasing feature was full
set of false teeth, which grinned in a
ravenous fashion that was truly dis
quoting, as if they were capable of de-
vouring the whole internal revenue.
Finally, this continent of physiOgnOmy
was diversified by gigantic hairy
temple nearest the game eye, as though
Lucifer had accidentally poked one of his
horns through
What's the meaning of it all 2" per-
sisted the Washington wire-puller, sur
veying the Fastburg wire -puller with
bland superiority. much as the city mouse
may have surveyed the country mouse.
1.-Two capitals responded Decker.
Mr.. PullwOOl, having the old Harry in
him, and being consequently full of all
malice and subtlety, perceiv. d at once
the full scope and force of the explana- |
ton.
Il see," he said, dropping gently back
hair with bn 1afh
movement of pillow
1--we got it, he broke out at last. |
. Dicker, l want you to bring in a bill to |
make Fastburg the only capital.'
"Whatis the use?' asked the legislator.
looking more discon>Olate, more hopeless
than ever. ''SlOwburg will oppose it and
beat it,
Never you mind" persisted Mr.. Pull
wool. - You bring in your little bill |
and stand up for it like man. There's
money in it. You don't see it? Well, 1
do: Pm used TO seeing money in things
whisky is whisky there's money in it,
Mr.. Pullwool's usually dull, and so to
speak, extinct countenance was fairly
alight and afiame with exultation.
''Well, III bring in the bill, agreed
Mr.. Dicker. catching the enthusiasm of
mis- counsellor and shaking off his lethar
gy. He perceived a dim promise of fees.
and at the sight his load of dependency
dropped away from him, as Christians
burden loOsened in presence of the
cross.
''Snacks!'' said Mr.. Pullwool.
At this braZen word Mr.. Dickens coun-
tenance fell again; he was ashamed TO
talk so frankly about plundering his fell
"a little grain of conscience
turned him sour"
Il will take pay for whatever 1 can do
as a lawyer he stammered.
.'Get outv' laughed the Satanic one.
. Y on just take all there is a going. You
need it bad enough. 1 know when
mans hard up. l know the Signs. we
ways for five dollars; had to play second
fiddle and say 'thanky.' But what offer
you amt second fiddle. It's as good a
chance as my own. Even divides. One
half to you, and One-half to me. You
know the people and | know the ropes.
It's fair bargain. What do you say?''
Mr.. Dicker thought of his decayed
practice and his unpaid bills; and Tipping
overheard his little grain of conscience,
he said, "Snacks."
.sAll right grinned Pullwool, his
teeth cleaning alarmingly. ''WOrd of
gentleman" he added, extending his pulpy
hand, loaded with ostentatious rings,
and grasping Dickens recoiiing fingers.
Harness up your little bill as quick as
you can and drive it like Jehu. Fastburg
70 be the only capital. Slowburg no
claims at all. historical, geographical. or
The old arrangement hum
bug; incOnvenient as fifth wheel of a
coach costs the State thousands of
every year. Figure it all up
and dab it over with your
;hiniest rhetoric and make big thing of
t every way. That's what you've got to
10, that's your little biz. I'll tend to the
rest.''
''Idon't quite see where the money is to
come FROM" observed Mr.. Dicker.
Leave that to me-" said the veteran OF
he lODbies; ''my name is PullwOOl and
know how to pull the wool over mems
eyes, AID then know how to get at their
Dreeches pockets. You bring in your bill
and make your speech. Will you do it?''
Yes" answered DECKER, boiling all
scruples in another half-tumbler of
brandy.
He kept his word. AS promptly as par
liamentary forms and mysteries would
allow, here was bill under the aston
shed noses of honorable lawyers remov-
ing the seat of legislation from Slowburg
and eentering it in Fastburg. This bill
Mr.. Thomas Dicker supported with that
Iluency and fiery enthusiasm of oratorv
which had for IA time enabled him to show
As the foremost man OF his State. Great
was the excitement, great the rejoicing
and anger. The press of Fastburg sent
forth shrieks of exultation, and the press
Of Slowburg respOn- ed with growlings of
disgust. In short. both in the legislature
and out of it, nothing was thought of but
the question of the removal of the cap
tai.
Among the loudest of the agitators was
Mr.. PullwOOl not that he cared one