The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1883-07-26
an eleckshon officers appointed thar
I'll manage that precinck an she kin be
safely counted on for jest 589 majority
for thar Major"
styNhoro ;c noo6 Mon,s Ponob9,S 7

I'll manage that precinck an she kin be
safely counted on for jest 583 majority
for thar Major"
"Where is Dead Mans Ranch?"
asked.
"Down hyer in ther Cheeses," an
swered Jones, and then continuing:
"Never been thar? Well, go long with
us. Well hev lots NV fun an theirs 8
ded loads NV pretty Mexican gals thar"
This latter inducement decided me
and an hour later L was riding across
the plain in company with my friend
Jones, two other ranchmen and three
Mexicans, bound for Dead Mans Ranch
and a rousing majority for ''The Maj
Or"
In conversation with one of the ranch
men incidentally mentioned that Dead
Mans Ranch must be town of consid-
cradle Importance.
''Jones located hit" was the reply
II don't reckin' ez how hits much big
ger than San Antonio. l know the riv-
er kentry tolerbul well, an I'll be darn
ed eff ever hearn tell Nv Dead Mans
Ranch till Jones jumped hit up"
"But, sir, demonstrated, '.Mr Jones
told me that the Ranch would give near
ly six hundred majority for his candi-
date" )
"Wall?" drawled the ranchman.
'Unless it has large population it
certainly can't return such a number of
votes, unless
"Wall?' again drawled the ranch
man, at the same time cycling me quiz
zically.
l hesitated moment and then, notic-
ing that my companion looked peacea-
bic, continued:
"Unless you falsify the returns or stuff
! the ballot-box.n
Look a hyar," said the ranchman,
leaning over in his saddle in a confiden-
tial way. YOU'RE from the States,
amt ye.'
l nodded assent.
"Wall, up whar ye kun from this
hyar false returns and stuffin' may do
very well. Down hyar on the frontier
! hit won't work. We're an ignor-
ant people an tolerable rough in our
manners, but we're honest, thank
God?'
He delivered the information with con-
siderable emphasis, and fastened to
assure him that my belief in the honesty
of the frontier people had never been
and could never be shaken. My conf
dence in their integrity was blind, i'm
plcit This frank admission seemed to
mollify the ranchman.
We reached Dead Mans Ranch safe
ly and were Hospitality received by the
owner, Don Patricio o. Hallan, formerly
of New York City, who inquired after
the Major.
Hes tolerbul," said Jones. 'Sent
his best regards an he pine blank de-
pends on ther ranch for his lnejority."
Sure, he'll git it an its ther trooth
I'm tellin' yees. I bought up that ould
devil Nv Justice Juan Jose this bless
ed day for fifteen dollars an jug Nv mes
cal. All we hev ter do now is ter reg
lister ther votes, an ther divil fly away
wild us ef we amt shmart enough fur
that"
The election took place three days Of
terward, and the night before the all
important day Jones assured me conf
dentially that The Majors" election
was settled fact. The votes were de-
casa. The could divil Nv Justice" !"
Juan Jose, was judge of the election;
the two ranchmen were inspectors, my
friend Jones was clerk and he pressed
me into service as his assistant.
Voting began early. The first thirty
votes cast for Sheriff were equally diyid-
ed fifteen for the ''present Incumbent"
and fifteen for "kunnul Smith"
.'Thet thar's tew make ther thing look
solid" explained my friend Jones in a
whisper. "We'll begin to roll 'em in
now for ether Major.''
They did roll in at such rapid rate
that for two hours my pen flew across
the registration book, writing down
long and almost unpronounceable Cas-
tilian names. At the end of that time
we rested, drank bottle of aqua diente
and smoked a fragrant puro.
l took stroll outside. About thirty
Mexicans were ranged in front of the
casa, each with ballot in his hand
The Don was bustling about giving or
ders in his native tongue. noticed
then that several of the faces of the
waiting voters looked familiar, but it
was not until we adjourned for dinner
that learned that these thirty retain
ers of proud Don had cast all the votes,
which then footed up $50. BY four o.
clock that evening 600 votes had been
cast.
byes?' queried the Don, thrusting his
head into the room.
LET me see," said Jones consulting
the book. ''Thcr Major hez $40. l
promised pine blank to bring in 5S5 me-
jority. We want essackly thirteen votes
more"
'.Be Jasus We'll give ther wimin an
childer er whack ct it," cried the Don,
and he disappeared.
In few moments he reappeared with
a crowd of blushing senoritas and sever
al big-eyed children.
"Hooray for the frontier, be gobsr'
shouted the Don, as the Senorita Isabel
la de Casa Some-thing-or-O Other blush
ingly deposited her ballot and was reg
istered as Juan Manuel de Casa. "Hoo-
ray for the frontier, where we have uni
versal suffrage an the fullest liberty for
man, woman an child!'
| The last to vote were two little chill.
dren, and the Major still needed one
vote to make up the promised majority.
Just then burro grazing in front of the
casa lifted up his voice and for few
minutes drowned even the chatter of the
women and the shrill cries of the chill
dren.
| ''Howld on, 5yes," cried the Don
when the vocal salute was finished,
''here's wan more voter, be gobs," and
amid the shouts of the amused poems
and the laughter Of the "oficers of elec-
tion'' he led the solemn jackass up to
the window and his vote was receiv.
ed and registered as Jesus Jose Murril-
10!
f. This ended the election at the Rancho
j Muerte de Hombre
| The Major was elected by 267 major
ty.-Philadelphia Times.
! - poan