The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1891-09-25
IN. DEMONSTRATION or COZ. nuox
rhs Expsrisaes q Batter County Farmer
In Topeka.

rhs Ezpsrisaes q Batter County Farmer
In Topeka.
When Colonel William Hucks of the
upper Slate creek in Center township,
better known as Uncle Billy Hucks OF
Center" was elected as q delegate to the
state republican league convention in
Topeka, he untangled his legs from the
low school house desk where he had
been sitting, and rising told the boys
that be supposed they knew what they
were doing, and that he didn't need to
tell them that he was an alliance man
last year, and had made a speech or two
on the Muddy for the alliance ticket.
Though" he added with one Of his
smiles out OF the corner Of his mouth,
after looking all over the room to as
sure the fellows that he was about to
make point, Il won't say this year
Enthusiastic stamping of feet. Not
If know myself" More pedal enthu-
siasm.l But nevertheless the old man
as he rode home that night, was little
exercised over the prospects of being
called traitor. and wondered, rather
nconscientiously, il he wouldn't look
rather kind of queer. But when he
thought of seeing all the old time fell
lows again at the Copeland, and OF shak-
ing hands with old Plumb, and hearing
the speeches and resolutions, he forgot
his doubts and hit Bolivar an extra
hard lick as he came down off the slant
from the Slate creek bridge, and there
by showed that his spirits were inn
proving, and thai the Rubicon had been
forded.
Mother, said the colonel next MORN
ing, 81 guess III go to Topeka next
week." rs that SOP" said Mrs. Hucks,
who had long since learned that the
best way to find out thing was not to
ask about it. YES" said the colonel,
There's going to be some kind of re-
publican doings there, and / guess I
better go."' And mother" whose faith
er ''fit with old Grant," and whose
brother died at Shiloh, but whose faith
in the party had known no wavering,
though her voice had been quiet for q
year or so, smiled and said: sim glad
you're going, William, for you do need
the rest" But the colonel knew what
she meant. When he went of whistling
'John Browns body" he stopped min
ute, and he could hear thin, quaver-
ing little voice dowp at the spring house
singing as he had heard it before, at
the bean dinners and the camp fires and
the rallies for a quarter OF a century
with his own: 'But his soul goes march
ing on" And he remembered how
proudly that little voice sang that song
at the ratification OF his election to the
legislatu: e in Center township school
house. way back in the seventies; and
how she had taught the children at
Sunday school to sing the song before
they could afford singing books; and
how, when little Link died, they buried
him in the cute blue soldier clothes she
made for him to play soldier in at the
school exhibition, and how the children
of the neighbors gathered round and
sang that song, the only song they, all
knew, over his coffin. ''But his soul
goes marching on"
Got pretty bad cold, amt you,
Bill? Don't paw to go to them republic
can meetin's: the Lord is on our side"
said an alliance neighbor who was rid
ing with him.
"You 60 to hell spell, will you?" re.
piled the old man as he snutfed and
reached for his handkerchief.
But the old doubt came to him again
in his calmer moments; once very strong
would make q good treasurer on the al
pass q resolution to that effect and elect
him to the county convention, 1t was all
he could do to get up and tell them he
going up to Topeka on some private and |
important business on the day of the
county convention. For ne was human,
nd 1at h4 81,
when the county lecturer asked him II
he was really going as q delegate to the
republican convention in Topeka, the
in Topeka anyhow, and he supposed he
noon, and see what kind OF q show they
could make when they tried.
But when he spread his name on the
Copeland register: civilian Hucks,
and as the clerk was ask
Hucks?" he saw the name OF Dick Blue
gether in the legislature-snd George
compton when he first came to Kansas,
when he had made q speech cleaning
|
the book just before his own, his heart
and performed the conventional Arab !,
act. He had always been to republican
in the past, and the conven-
ton OF 80 was the first state convention ,
be had ever missed. And thus 1t hap
peued when he turned and looked on ,
The throng Of new faces in the hotel ro-
IL, 1ot or a-,l
his hand, saying: "Why, hello there,
Bill Hucks, where have you been for
the past year or so?" And the old man.
'crewing up his face into his one-sided
smile, replied: ''Well, tell you, Bill, {
I've been he'pen Harrison Kelly and '
Polk pass the force bill" The BOYS I'M ,
the old mans Joke, and it was
The joke Of the day. This pleased him.
When he walked over to the convention
md climbed the capitol steps with his !
I'D time vigor. he stopped at the
jop to look back and see II any of D.,
he old fellows were coming. He went
INTO the governors room and found :
Lew Hanback, there and a lot OF the fell :
ows and then went up stairs. They
we're just getting down to business and
Burton was just making a speech. The I
cheering had just begun and he joined :
n and all the pent up enthusiasm of !
he Gay, all the two years of compro-
missed silence found vent in that first I
rell. He didn't know what the speaker
aid, he didn't care: he felt the Power;
he wanted to cheer and he cheered.
lie wasn't afraid of anybody. He saw :
IN alliance female lecturer over by the I
peaker's stand and the first time he J
,ould catch her eye he put his hat on
he crook of his cane and yelled like a Z