The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1891-09-18

was going to Topeka on some private
and important business the day of the
county convention. For he was hui
man. And being human he was weak.
So when the county lecturer asked
him if he was really going as a dele
gate to the Republican convention in
Topeka, the Colonel told him that he
expected to be in Topeka anyhow and
he supposed he would kinder drop in
during the afternoon and see what
kind of show they could make when
they tried.
But when he spread his name on
the Copeland register: "Wm. Hucks,
Hucksv;lle" and as the clerk was ask
ing hin. will you have a room Col.
Huchs." he saw the names of Dick
Blue of Linn county-he and Dick
were together in the legislature-and
Geo. w. Martin whom he knew down
in Lecompton when he first came to
Kansas, and Joe Ady, who had stayed
with him when he made a speech
cleaning out the Union Labor fellows
in 'SS, on the book just before his own,
his heart swelled and the Doubt told
ed its tent and performed the conven-
tional Arab act. He had always been
TO Republican conventions in the past
and the convention of 80 was the first
State convention he had ever missed.
And thus it happened when he turn
ed and looked OH the throng of new
faces in the hotel rotunda that Hig-
gins stepped up and took his hand
saying, "why hello there Bill Hucks,
where have you been for the past year
or so?" And the old man screwing
up his face into his one-sided smile re-
piled: "Well I'll tell you, Bill. I've
been he'pun Harrison Kelley and Polk
pass the force bill" And the boys
understood the old mans joke and 1t
was the joke of the day. This pleased
him. When he walked over to the
convention and climbed the capitol
steps with his old time vigor he stop
ped at the top to look back and see if
any of the old fellows were coming.
He went into the Governors room and
found Lew Hanback, there and lot
of the fellows and then went up stairs.
They were just getting down to bust
ness and Burton was making a speech.
the cheering had just begun and he
joined in and all the pent up enthus-
iasm of the day, all the two years of
compromised silence found vent in
that first yell. He didn't know what
the speaker said, he didn't care; he felt
the Power; he wanted to cheer and he
cheered. He wasn't afraid of any
body. He saw an Alliance female lee
turer over by the speakers stand and
the first time he could catch her eye
he put up his hat on the crook of his
cane and yelled like a Feejee when
the speaker alluded to Blaine. The
others i'm the convention were not so
enthusiastic as he; they were very
tame; and being younger than he,
more careful about the proprieties, but
he was welded to his idols and didn't
care if school kept or not. He found
he was put on the resolution commit
tee and made gallant fight to have
Blaine's name mentioned in the reso-
buttons; but a young fellow with a
set, out voted him; so
when the clause about reciprocity
came along he led the convention off
with an old fashioned rouser. He at
tracted so much attention that the
young fellows who were at the head of
things, put his name up for some Office
Dr. other, but as he saw he couldn't
make it he withdrew. While OH his
ieet he was tempted to make school
house speech but he lacked courage
md sat down.
The Colonels soul was at peace and
ne was happy.
But when the Capital reporter came
o him after adjournment for an inter-
7iew his cup ran over. Before this
here were always so many big fellows
It State conventions that the Colonel
lad never had a chance to get inter-
'iewnd. He had once achieved the
proud distinction of having his name
in the personal column, in
with being guest of the
Copeland and reporting crops in fine
in Slate valley, but he WIS
lever interviewed by real city re-
'orter. He wondered what the boys
would say when they read it. He
7ould have stayed with the reporter
ii day if he had not heard a man be-
ind him say "Plumb's come"
come; Plumb's come; passed
round the lobby like a talismanic,,
ignal. And the Colonel joined the
recession which was headed toward
he senator. He was little heavier
nd a little paler than the day when
ol. Hucks voted for him in the legis-
lture, but otherwise he was unchang-
/. He leaned forward and took the
ID man by the hand and put his hand
4 his shoulder. II hear you've been
elpiDg Polk pass the force bill, Col
lel," said the Great Man, smiling.
Your pension comes all right now,
on't it? Did you get that horse book u
,u sent for? Ispoke to Rusk about a