New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-04-13
The Tick-hnOb Debate.

| rival cdDuluaJtS 1OF COU1t6SS Ill Il 4cuu
| sy lvania district. The district was close
and the contest hot and personal. After !.
raItliDg fire at long range for more than a
month without result, il was resolved TO try
the effect of bringing the contestants 10
close quarters; in other words, 1t was ar
ranged that they should meet and discuss
the issues of the hour" at Tick-kn0b, a
central and accessible point. or the day be-
fore The election.
Both parties in DOMINIC their armor,
boasted as only be should boast who
takefh it off.
Dox and his friends were sure Jones
would skulk, and Jones and his were quite
| as certain that DOX would never come to
the scratch. But if neither backed out.
not grease spot" of either would be left
| il. the other was to be believed.
An ambuscade of secret atfidavits to the
effect that Dox's wife's sister-in laws broth
er-inIaw, who kept a grocery az Sorghum
| dale. sold sand i'll his sugar. constituted q
| principal feature in the Jones tactics. DOx,
! on the other hand, was supplied with an
| equally convincing array OF proofs that
Jones stepfather's uncle's aunt's cousin by
| marriage, had q hait-sister no better than
she should be. These masked batteries held
| carefully in reserve on either side, when
opened at the last moment, were conf.
| IDENTITY expected by those IN the secret
| would put final settler on the tissues of the
| hour
For the time being Tick-Knob became
| the centre of interest Every body was max
| ing ready to 60. III the remOtest corner OF
| the district the din OF preparation sounded.
carryalls, buggies, wagons, sulkIess horses,
| mules, saddles, side-saddles and pinOns
were all IN demand. To see "a couple of
| politicians IVORY each other" was treat
| too rare to be fOrgOne.
The dawn of the eventful day was bright
| as the hopes it heralded As Jones walked
| on the platform, 'scenting the morning air"
| and waiting for the train that vas to carry
KIM to Tick-knOb and to victory, his reve-
ries were disturbed by a touch Oh his shout
der.
Turning around he saw an elderly gentle
| man-no, we can hardly say he saw the ell.
derby gentleman, for on the latter's arm
hung a creature OF more surprising beauty
than it had ever before entered the heart
Of Jones to conceive
Going on the tralDo elrt the elderly
gentleman asked.
Jones bowed without removing his eyes
from the object that riyeted them.
Might ask you to take charge of lady
as far as the next station !" the gentleman
continued.
Might hel The question transported
Jones to the heaven OF hours. He STAN
mered something about being only too
! W &
plete ass Of himself by the arrival Of the
train.
Recovering himself. be handed the lady
Oh board. where another piece of good for
tune awaited him; the crowded state of the
car compelled him 10 sit by his charges
side, and the road was narrow gauge.
When it was building Jones had gone
with the broad gauge party; he saw his
error now.
For the next half hour Dox and the is
sues of the hour slipped from Jones' mem
DRY. lie had rever struggled for popular
applause as he now laid himself out to win
favor i'll the sight of a pair of lustrous eyes,
far ''loytlier il their strength than any
Byron ever wrote Of. Nor he tattered him.
self. were bis efforts wholly unavailing. His
flashes OF wit and gushes of sentiment were
rewarded with more than one Intoxicating
sm:ie and tender look that made him fee! as
thcugh his entire cutIcle was rising into
goose Itsh.'
AT the end of thirty minutes The conduc
tor sang out 'SOrghumdale.' j0Hes would
have sworn the minutes had been seconds.
Anxious 10 prolong the delicious moments,
he escorted the charmer to the platform,
which they barely reached. when a sudden
fai1tuess seemed to overcome the lady.
Hex step tiIitered, her limbs tOtteTed, and
she must inevitably have fallen had not
Jones caught her.
His first impulsc was 20 shout. Fire"
his second, "Watcl!" Before be could ,lo
either, the bel! rang, the whistle shlieked.
the locomotive snorted and the train began
to moves What was to lie done: II he
failed to reach Tick Knob in season, after
all his yaunting, he would be set down as
an arrant poltcOon, and his political cake
hencetOrth would be dough. He had no
alternative but to drop his burden and run,
or stand at his pos: till help came. leaving
1.-The issues Of the hour: to take their own
chances.
Jones was too much Of man 20 hesitate
It was still early. and there might be an.
other train; il was possible to drive to
Tick Knob in q couple of hours. But come
what might he would never desert such an
angel in distress.
When the train was fairly of. the lady
till then IN a dead taint-Opened her eyes
and looked up contdingly:
Where am II" she murmured.
''Sdft. in these arms was the assuring
answer.
A modest blush mantied her cheek as she
made an effort to disengagc herself.
Don't IL pray don't exert yOurself!'
Jones pleaded. "Permi: me 30 carry YOU
ii you only knew the pleasure teel--in--'
"fUU have my sincere thanks. SIR she |
answered sweeti,y; but l am really quite |
over it. A mere attaci. Of nervousness |
,,,,,,r ,r,' i;ttIa ~ r. IaIstiTe.. slaii
yo"t -, ~ ~ Ii,,,
mo- o va a,.,IoI 70 ~,
oror+ VII 81. nor,,,isoinn sb "s'' sbonI I |
i Jnnos .,ool, Ii. baod Sho rniOtnd
r. od tI, hi, IL nl,l'o3 t
to lean upon it. and .Iey walked on.
At the rei3tiye's. after being warmly |
thanked by :he family and most charm |
u ',i0 .,' .,E "i'' ,ii
G;c,,na,. ia ,rYs NJ Jonns canG;dat. |
fa,. Tnnnross os,,s, -. Sr,E 5e,"aro",'c