The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1873-07-31

called it-you see he has to put ur
at temperance house now, just fol
the looks of it, and needs something
to comfort him." They both laugh
ed as though it was capital joke,
but couldn't help feeling uneasy,
though can't believe it, after ALL"
81 do"
John Mason gave the reins a jerk
that made his mare start aside with
vicious toss of the head, while he
tried in the gathering darkness to
read his wife's face.
"Why, what do you mean ?" he
asked in tone of blank amazement-
a question whose answer comprised
the whole story of the unlucky poll.
ticlan's duplicity accompanied by
such energetic expressions of femi-
nine disgust and scorn, that the
young farmer laughed till the tears
ran down his cheeks.
"That's too good to keep r'' was
his laughing comment, and that
there were others of the same opiu-
ion, was proved by the fact that be-
fore week, every man, woman and
child for miles around, had heard
and laughed over Colonel Absalom's
bean story.
The dispatches were coming in
in thick and fast. "Good news, you
are still alive, colonel % was the re.
port that brought proud triumph
ant smile to the colonel's handsome
face, and volley of congratulatory
cheers from the group of excited
friends who were excepting watch"
with him on the evening of the event.
ful election day.
"Allin but B., and"
"Oh, I'm sure of majority there"
interrupted the colonel, running his
fingers with an air of graceful self.
consciousness the abundant locks
that sixty winters had as yet scarce
ly frosted.
81 took Roberts ADVICE" with a
polite nod and smile for that gentle
man, "and made friends with the
feminines on my tour through that
region, and l may say without vani-
ty, that l made decidedly favora-
BILE impression"
"Ah, Willis" as the young man
entered the room with expected dis
patches.
"From B.? All right but what
and the smiling face grew fairly pal
lid with rage, disappointment and
sharp, bitter sense of defeat.
"They hsvn't failed you ?" ven-
tured friend, and the firm lips actu.
ally quivered beneath the smile for.
ced upon them, as their owner repli-
ed, in cold, hard tone
"The whole town has given me
just three votes, hen even a decent
majority would have saved me. I've
lost my election-so good night gen.
tleman," and with an effort at the
old dignity, he walked quietly away,
crushing in his hand the fatal dis
patch that had proved the death
blow to all his high political hopes.
''Its hard on the colonel" remark
ed John Mason as he laid down the
newspaper from which he had just
been reading the election returns.
"If we had only given him any kind
of vote here in B, he would have
been elected by small majority, to
be sure, but really elected. But the
truth is, that affair Of the beans ruin
ed his prospects here and made
everybody suspicious of him. Even
men who don't care for lack ofprinci-
pie won't vote for man who has
made laughing stock of himself for
the whole community"
"Poor man !" echoed his wife
alphabetically, but there was
touch of sarcasm in her tones, as she
added with significant smile "He
ought to be firmer believer than
ever in the power and influence of
"calico" in the political world, con-
sidering it was that calico bag that
lost him his election"
Both laughed at the idea, and Ma
son turned again to his paper, while
his wife, as she threaded her needle
with scarlet yarn that was to fill
big hole in little Jem's sock, sighe d
softly to herself, with the unspoken
thought "He said so many pleasant
things,-why couldn't he have
meant them ?"
Sure enough-why couldn't he p
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