Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1894-12-21
gent Tor Bennington
Mrs. Mary Gibson, 500 Main Street.

DeCh, surrounded by spectral looking an.
gels, standing over him, with the smile Of
victory upon his face. Underneath this
work of art were the words, Virtue tri
umphs, you bet"
The last sheet of the paper consisted of
ARTICLES showing beyond doubt that Talbot
was confirmed drunkard, horse thief,
wife beater hog thief I'D various other
things 1t also proved Conclusivcly that
his name was not Talbot; that he had only
taken to the cognomcn after leaving Sing
Sing prison scvch years back, where he
had been sent for forgery and arson.
This article was illustrated by cut
showing him in his prison clothes, taken
from Il photograph in the rogucs' gallery,
rs was quantity set forth.
Yes it was beautiful edition, and the
editors felt justly proud Of it-so proud
indeed that they borrowed So, and taking
proof copy with them set up the drinks.
After indulging until the United States
coin at their disposal was gone they de-
parted with the proof to the house Of the
candidate for mayor JOY was in their
bgarts, and they carolCd as the house Of
Macbeth burst into view. Alas! a fearful
end ghostly shock awaited them there.
HacBcth met them at the door, invited
them in, gave them a glass Of whisky and
n cent cigar apiece, looked at the paper
and was delighted with it, but he refused
% pay the $500 agreed upon. He said that
ne did not believe in bribery and corrup-
sion.
Cunning Macbeth He saw that the
paper had all been set up and knew no
time remained to change it. He also
thought that the edition had been run.
But there he was wrong.
The editors staggered from the house in
n dazed state. Where was all their boodlei
Gone. Where was that month S spree they
intended having? Gone. All was gone
but honor, and there was very little of that
left.
was in the printing Office when they
derived and at once knew that something
Swful had happcned-thCy were sober.
Cocker" they gasped simultaneously,
1--WE are lost, broke up, bust up, all gone
60 smash. Macbeth WON'T put up the
doodle"
The shock was terrible one, but l bore
Up, and suddenly "a magnificent thought
BURST upon me.
Quick" l shouted; "change the
aames"
"What do you meant" said one.
"Wny, don't you see, Macbeth and Tai
bot look like one another, at least my por-
traits of them do, and the articles will dc
for one just us well as the other with the
names changed. Run out the revised
proof take it to Talbot and see if he will
como down with the stuff"
The compositions, who looked suspicious
ly, like the editors, changed the names,
made a few alterations in such words rs
Democratic, and in two hours the proof
WAS submitted to Talbot, who put up, OF
rather down, $500.
The next morning. to the Understandable
rage of Macbeth, the paper came out a
farng Republican sheet. Talbot, the Re-
publican, won by a large majority
through our influence, we always claimed.
In one political election, however, we
did not come out on top. No paper came
out at all, in fact, ms four Of the opposi.
tion were sitting in our printing room
with loaded Winchesters and Colts. One
editor was in Jail, and besides we were out
of paper.
Some kind frieuds, headed by an old fell
low whom we had casually alluded to as
"a mean spirited hog, with nature like
a coyote and smell like dead greaser,
were looking foY us, so we took prospect
ing trip into The mountains returning
after the election was over
We were stanch Democrats when left.
John f.. Cocker in Detroit Tribune.