Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1892-10-11
THE AUDITORS WIFE.

1t was September, and Sile Burton
was 'in the hands Of his friends" for
the fourth time, after the ancient and
honorable custom of candidates for po-
iiticaf preferment. Odd, is it not, that
men who are otherwise very bright will
delude themselves with the idea that
they are deluding other people with
that venerable lie? never knew man
to rise to any remarkable altitude in the
world political who left his candidacy
to Ibis friends" Once in awhile
man OF that sort comes 10 the surface
and is pushed into the city council, or On
TO the board Of education, by friends"
who are too lazy 10 want those thanks
less, bootless jobs themselves.
This trustful individual always shines
in the position thus thrust upon him.
Having nothing 10 fear he inaugurates
reforms, says what his innocent, guile
less mind prompts him 10 say, and does
divers other impractical and impolitic
things, thereby making himself rec
ord, but making it uncomfortable for
1.-THE boys" who tremble all the time
for fear he will succeed by the help Of
the only too willing opposition in doing
some supremely idiotic thing that viii
cost the party a lot of votes at the next
election. So his first term is generally
his last, and "the boys" gently, but
firmly, consign him 10 the oblivion of
his own private affairs and a clear con-
science, which latter is considered by
most people 10 be a very comfortable
thing to possess.
As ] said, however, Sile Burton, audi
tor Of Apache county, was in the hands
OF his friends, That was literally true,
however, on this particular occasion,
for Sile was very sick man. IL was his
own fault; that is, he had no business 10
go, as he did, with Sheriff Tom Owens
TO suppress that not over in the Bloomer
district last month. 1t was not in the
line Of his duties. But then the call had
been a hasty and imperative one, and
Tom was short on deputies as well as
being pressed for time, and Sile could
hardly have refused 10 go even If he had
wanted 10, which he did not.
He enjoyed little row as well as the
sheriff himself did, and besides he was
one OF the most obliging men in the
world. So he went, and not only got hit
with club or something, but received a
"a bullet in his interior department,
while Tom and the rest Of the posse es-
capped without a scratch. Sile was bet
ter now and could think with consid-
cradle facility, which was unfortunate
perhaps, because his thoughts were
mostly OF his expiring term Of Office and
his helpless condition.
1t was pretty tough, everybody agreed.
because ii was going 30 be ''close"
year, and Sile was great worker. His
friends, too, unfortunately were kept
pretty busy looking ont for their own
scalps, and could not give his affairs tho
attention they needed.
There was the last payment still due
on the house; there was paper" in the
bank 20 be taken up; Sile Burton was
in bad financial way, because, in addi-
ton % being what is known as a good
fellow" he had made some unfortunate
investments lately, and now, TO com
plete his misery and overflow the cup.
Brad Boutwell,, Of Chloride district. had
come ont, in his sneaking but effective
way, for Jere Hobart for county auditor.
and was working night and day for his
man, who had been Sile's strongest op-
ponent IN the last convention. Oh, Il
was tough, and here was Sile, lying help
less, with the nominating convention
only two weeks awayl
All this and much more Sile poured J
into the ears Of his pretty little wife, as
she lowered over him attending 10 his |
many wants In the way that nobody but |
a woman, and a womanly woman, ever |
will learn. She did not say 50, but she /
had had talk with Tom Owens that /
day, and be had agreed with her that |
the outlook was pretty blue; for Brad |
Boutwell,, boss Of the Mountain Girl and /
two lesser mines, employer Of 300 men /
and an entirely interruptions politician, !
was about the worst man in the county !
TO have on the other side. and he had j
assured Owens that he certainly intend ]
ed TO defeat Burtons denomination, and /
"that's all there is 70 it. II goes, too,
what Brad Boutwell, says, and you know
it, Tom Owens"
Yes, Tom did know il, and he knew /
that without Boutwell, his own name
was Dennis" for he had not the
strength in the precincts near town that
Burton had So his hands were tied,
and he could do nothing for Sile in the
Chloride district
Mrs. Burton said nothing 10 Sile Of
Toms visit TO the boss Of Chloride. She
closed his complaining lips with kiss
now and then and chirped away as cheer
fully as though mortgages and unpaid
notes and big surgeons bills and con- !