The Van Buren press., 1873-07-01

GEAR name tusu anu taoi', aiiN sho "N"'
ON hastily 1T was made of piece OF
one of grandmother Mason's gowns. |
.hosld know it in Guinea -
Mrs Blunkett gave grim smile 81 ac-
acknowledgement
The rascal won't make muoh 10y this
saper, | tell you A man that II lie abeut
a pint o beans, ii lie about bigger mat
tsrs, and know of two men in this very
mouse that won't vote for liarno how "
Mrs Mason nodded her approval.
II the man had had grain Of COM
mon sense, he would haves bestowed his
wonderful beans on somebody further
off, lie might have known he would get
found out here wouldn't give any
more for his wit than | would for his
honesty, after this.
That evening as they rode nome TO
gether, in the COOL purple twilight, John
Mason remarked TO his wife, with a touch
Of regret in his tones
81 heard Watson say something about
Colonel Absalom to night that | didn't
like. The bar room was pretty full OF
men talking about the election, and Blum
kett said that the Colonel was sound on
the temperance question, beyond a doubt
Just then I saw Watson wink At man
he was pouring out glass OF whisksy
for, while he said in Il tone he didn't
mean for the rest to bear guess the
Coloael won't be rery hard on the peo
pie he patrsnizcs 50 well himself | sold
him bottle Of my best old Bourbon not
three hours ago, for travelling compaE.
ion, as he called it--you see he has to
put up at a temperance house just now,
for tie leoks of it, and needs something
to comfort him They both laughed as
if it was a capital joke, bat | eouldnt
help feeling uneasy, though | can't be
lieve it, after all.
Il do
| John Mason gave the reiHs n Jerk that
made his mare start aside with vicious
toss Of the head, whla he tried In the
gathering darkness to read his wtfcs
| face
"Why, what do you mean p he asked
in tone of blank amazement--a question
whose answer comprised tho whole story
Of the ualucky politicians dupicity &C.
companied by such energetic expressions
of feminine disgust and scorn, that the
young farmer laughed till the tears run
down his cheeks.
That's too good to keep was his
laughing comment, and that there were
others who hold to the same opinion, was
proved by the fac: that before a week
had gone by, every man woman and child
for miles around had heard and laughed
over Colonel AbsaIcM's bean story.
The dispatches were coming in thick
and fast Coed news, you're still
ahead, oolouslw was the report that
brought proud, triunphant smile to
the colonci's handsome face. and q vol
ley Of congratulatory cheers from the
groups Of excited friends who were
f" keeping watch - with him on the even
ing Of the eveRtful election day.
"All 10 bnt B., and"
"Oh. I'm sure of majority, there"
interrupted the colonel, running his fin
gors with mn air of graceful SEX con
seionsnes through tho abundant locks
that sixty winters had as yet scarcely
| frosted
al took Roberts advice, with a po-
lite nod and sMile for that gentleman
"and made friends with the feminines on
my toar through that region, and / may
say without vanity, that ! made deeid-
edly favorable impression V
"Ah, Willis, as the young man en-
torsa with the expected dispatch.
Prom B.? All right. But, what"
and the smiling face grew fairly pallid
with rage, disappointment and sharp,
bitter sense Of defeat
"They haven't faloa your ysntured
friend, and the firm lips actually quiv.
ored beneath the smile forced upon them
as their owner replied, in 4 cold, hard
tone.
THE whole town has given me just
Mres votes, when even decent majority
would have saved me Eve lost my eloc.
tion--so good night, gentlemen, and
with an effort at the old dignity, he walk
ed quietly away, crushing in his hand the
fatal dispatch that had proved the death
blow to all his high political hopes.
"Its hard on the Colonel, remarked
John Mason, as he laid down tho news.
paper from which he had just been read
ing the election returns "I' we'd only
given him any kind ofsve:.e here In B.,
he'd have been elected by a small major
ity, to bs sure, but roally elected. But
the truth 10, y aad he laughed at the re-
manb.saet, nthat affair Of the beans ru
::;isd his prospects hors and made every
bsdy suspicious OF him Even mon who
don. care for lack Of principle in eau
didate, won't vote for man who has
made hiasclfs laughing stock for the
whole community.
Poor naa" echoed bis wife symps-
thetieally, but there was touch Of sar'
casa in her tones, as she added With o
significant smile: He ought to be Q
nrner believer than ever in the power
and Influence Of calico In the political
world, considering that it was that calico
bag that lost him bis election.
Both laughed st the idea. and Mason
turned again to his paper, while bis wife,
as she threaded her needle with scarlet
yarn that was TO Ill u big hsle in little
Jcns sock, sighed sof,ly to herself, with
tho unspoken thought: "Hs said so
many plaa.ant shings why couldn't he
have meant them p
Sure enough why couldn't hc.-Pyt-
iand Traascr'ph