Daily Yellowstone journal., 1891-04-19

AA02A NAN
citizens choose to honor me with thei-
suffraaes. they shall do 50 with no false
pretenses on my part"
ssBut. my dear squire
ssThe thing is true; why should l deny
ity' 1900.
There is no use Of a denial. Let 1t
alone. saw nothing, and there is not a
man in the county who viii believe it."
Mr.. johnson smiled somewhat sadly.
eMy friend" ne said, "a suppressio ven
will not help me IN this matter us
better TO tell the truth; better, because
it is right, and better policy as well IL
is easy to identify me with the deserter
in fact, l nave no doubt this has been
done already. But even were 1t not
were that paragraph the last Of 1t, now
the question has been raised could not
consent to be silent
But the ticket" broke in the unhap-
py chairman.
~ think it would De better that l re-
sign" -
mot for a MON mt. That would be
absolutely fatal. But squire, if you
must acknowledg it, why not tell your
reasons for leay lng the service: I'm
sure thS wert good ones. Then II
would be all rig L. But that note Is so
curt. il haunts our desertion in the face
of men as thou, n you were proud of 1t;
it fairly defes II public opinion
Il am proud of it. sir, and l thank my
God that he permitted me TO desert,
broke in the lawyer in his deepest tone,
through which there rang an accent OF
strong emotion. But neither 70 you
nor anv other man living Will tell why
deserted. 1t must suffice you that l
did. and have never regretted It. IN
derstand me, Mr.. Gardiner" n as ne
uoke the faint color once more showed
itself. II know as well as you the dis
race which attaches 70 the name OF a
man who deserts on the eve of q great
hattie. l know he is called a coward
and a poltroon. / am Of no sterner stun
than other men, and it has required al
the trust l have in One who is wiser thar
I 70 make it clear TO me that the burden
was laid on me for some good purpose.
81 have thought that perhaps some
other way might have been found and
have been spared, but 1t was not 70 De
do not regret the act, but l oVei
the necessity for it. My name as a MAJ
is as dear TO me as yours to you. max
DC vain boast, Mr.. Gardner, when 1 sal
10 YOU that if my life would benefit m.
country 1 would give it gladly. Yet
stand before men as n who fed al
supreme moment Of that countrys peril
This is not easy for me, for | am a prou0
man. sir, and l am not a coward; but
console myself as best l may by the col
aciousness that there is One who know
better than men, and that he in his WI;
dom has afflicted me. But, sir, Will
this is hard enough, it would be IA
worse were l 70 descend 10 falsehOod, Il
then | should be ashamed in mine ow
eyes"
Mr.. GARDENERS eyes were moist as
Crashed the lawyers hand and stan
mered out an apology for his mistake
though well NEAR advice. de onert
70 carry the note 70 the Office Of The X
pubhcan himself, and the squire, visib
gratiied by this. acquiesced gladly.
To say that Mr.. Jackson's answer
The Republican created a storm Of Ia
is TO put things in the mildest way. ~
orators opposed to the Democratic tick
made the most Of the weapon which b
been given into their hands. Able e
torials filed the Republican pape,
and the machinery of the Grand Ar
was used 10 increase the excitemel
while enemies tainted the desert
friends implored Mr.. jackson 10 spes
but to no purpose. Entreaaes ana ao'
seemed to pass him by with qua Ia
of effect. When he appeared at pub
meetings-for as soon as the county co
mittee had decided he should not WI
draw the squire showed he was !
afraid to face any music going-th
wa at first a disposition 70 mss
the mart Of some who were there. II
however, was speedily put down by
majority. It was impossible for tn
people. among whom he had lived {
and blameless for many years, 10
crate open d~isrespect when shown
aim. and once the nan got a hear
there was little danger OF his aud1e
thinking Of aught a W his spo
thoughts.
Mr. Gardiner, shrewd as usual,
since that talk with the squire resp
inc him as he never had before, was
6nst 70 see the tide had turned, and
ing reioiced greatly. It became al
rent As the DAYS went on, n the
sbo<k wore OF, that the impassioned
meals and able denunciations were T
fylosing their effect. Three days be
the election a speaker who began a
tribe against ''the coward" and '+trai
Wa fnfr4y Kissed into silence. Men
10 each other that while deserton "
mighty bad thing, no doubt the 80
lid it was right for him TO desert
Kkly as not he knew. Others tho
The man could never have deserted
eanse he was afraid or disloyd; 1t
not in him. Once the reaction set
grew a. rapidly a. the feeling at
and when the results Of the elec
were declared shere were many who
no surprise.
For it was Judge William True