The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1892-10-13
PIOCHE NEVADA, THURSDAY. OCTOBER 13, 1899

respectable ones-tripped down the ,
street, trying to look unconscious, and |
entered the door of Brad Boutwell's Of !
fee. 1t was the noon hour, and he was |!
alone engaged in the pleasurable occu |
patton of disposing of an excellent lunch
and bottle of beer. He heard the hesi-
tating step in the outer Office, and
stepped to the door of his sanctum,
where he stood, somewhat taken aback
at the sight of his visitor. 1t was sew
eral seconds after her sweet voice had
asked, ''Is this Mr.. BoutwellP" that he
recovered his equanimity and gracefully
acknowledged the fact.
81 am Mrs. Burton-Mrs. Silas Bur
ton. I came to see you-to-to'-
But here her courage gave out for the
moment, and she did the very best thing
she could have done-just wept few
relieving tears, while the sympathetic
Boutwell,, who had been a bachelor
sever since he could remember" as he
himself said, "My dear madam-ed" her,
stammered, grew red in the face, vague
ly felt himself triumphant ass, and
finally led her gently to chair, where
she finished her weep
Then she pulled herself together and
told him the whole pitiful tale. 1t was
indeed-thought Boutwell,, who had al
ways had more money than he had
| known what to do with-a narrowing
state of affairs, and so his bachelor
heart, overhowing with sympathy for
the poor, frightened little emissary who
sat before him, and being, it must be
said, rather unsettled by this extraor-
dinary visit, he agreed almost before he
| knew it to let the affair alone and switch
the ambitious Hobart off the track.
Then, with her heartiest handshake,
world of thankfulness shining in her
big brown eyes and fervent words of
gratitute on her sweet lips, the little
missionary was gone, and Boutwell,, his
brain in whirl, sat down to think.
Well, by Jove! Now he had done it!
Why. great sacrificed Caesar! The thing
wss impossible, utterly! He rushed to
the door. His late visitor was not in
sight. He sat down to think more calm
ly this time.
In politics there are complications no
man can overlook or ignore There are
multifarious considerations and obliga-
tions that must be attended to, and
whose existence is due more often than
not to circumstances whose discovery
by the unsympathetic world would be a
calamity to the individual or individuals
most interested. This case was such a
one. Hobart had 'cinch" on the boss
of Chloride, and was master of the situ-
alton, and no one knew it so well as did
Jere himself, who was never slow about
gratifying opportunities.
Thus Boutwell, communed with him.
self, and the result was much perspira-
ton and an uncomfortable conscience.
"Well, no use shedding any tears" he
said aloud, ''but, by Jovei wish could
keep my word with the little woman
What little duck she is, and how Bur-
ton ought to congratulate himself! Hum
--hum-hunl Poor thing! How rocky
she'll feel when she finds played such
a dirty trick on her Ye-es, and what'll
say to myself
Teddy O'Hara, whose family had been
kept from starving during the strike a
few months before by the charity of the
"little duck" and her husband, and who
had awakened from his monday nap
under the office window about ten min
utes previously, chuckled softly to him
self and sneaked away, remarking as he
reached the street.
"Oh-ho! Thot's it, is ut! A-hal Teddy,
me bye. Oi t'ink yees had betther TEX a
thrip over t. Apache the day. Yees don't
feel loike workin, do yees, nowT And he
hid his dinner pail and started down the
trail for the county seat, whistling glee-
fully.
OF Mrs. Burton's second interview
with the smooth Mr.. Boutwell, it is un
necessary to speak at length. 1t was
uncomfortable for him, but he kept his
wits about him and did not lower his
flag, and Mrs. Burton went away with 6
white, drawn face-and with the sci
lips of brave little woman who has
made up her mind to something.
"
The day for the convention dawned
The visitors from the outside precincts
including those from Chloride, were al
ON hand to see the fun. 1t was almos
time to call the convention to order, bu
two or three delegations had not arrived
The Chloride delegation was one o
, these. The visitors from that camp re
ported that the delegation had onl,
stopped to hold brief powwow il
,, Chairman Boutwell's Office and woult
be along soon. Jere Hobart, as lucl
? would have it, had got a gloriou
, "jag" ON the night before, and was il
bed at his quarters at Chloride as tn
result of fall into the cellar of tn
Nugget saloon. He might have pulle,
himself together and gone over Il
Apache, but everything was fixed" an,
there was no need, he concluded. So h
grunted and turned slowly over towar,
the cocktail on the table, with that &C
tion consigning his fate to Brad Bout
well and supposedly packed" conven
ton.
The chairman of the county centra
, committee called the convention to or
| dor and rand tho coll Tho ,ox,,x...4 4: :.