The advocate., 1894-01-24
The Dead Line.
BY GIDEON LAME, d. D.


low down feet. Your folders done
gone an lined dat here crowd, ans in
here as a delagit to dere conventions"
said Slick lugubriOusly. "It's low
down shame, Miss Kate, dat a man wild
dotter like you, aintgOtnO mo- 'spect
for hisself and his'n than to frOW his
self away like dat.
Kate felt relieved and amused, and
burst into hearty laugh.
"'Taint muffin to laugh at, Miss Kate.
YOu's young, an you don't know muffin
bout desc here public fairs, or you'd
laugh on tudder side O. your purity
mOHf;" and Slick sorrOwfully shook
his head.
"Wen, thank you, Slick, for telling
me. l must go see him." said Kate.
"YOu can't see a delagit when con-
vention's in session." exclaimed the ex-
pert politician, in half disgust at such
ignorance of public affairs. "Sides,
da's journed, and he's done gone
home"
This was not strictly true, but Slick,
seeing Kates ignorance of the nature
of her fathers degradation, wished to
save her from the disgrace of publicly
meeting and recognizing the fallen
man. But Kate believed him, and
went to her room to cry little over not
having seen her father.
1t was true, however, that Sam Cot
terrell, Heretofore a thorough-going re-
publican worker in his precinct, had
Joined the new party and had that day
served as a delegate to its first county
convention. Even that was not all.
He was possessed of rude, ungram-
matical, but very telling, sort of elo-
quence, and, as his neighbors often re-
marked, "He had mighty good head
on him. He had reasoned out the
problems presented by the new party's
principles and was master of their
logic; and his merit had been so far
recognized that he had been unani-
mously chosen permanent chairman Of
the convention. The new party had
put ticket in the field" and on lay
ing down his gaVel, COtterell made a
ringing speech which sent all the
delegates home full of enthusiasm and
with the determination to work for the
election of their nominees "till the polls
closed in November"
A month had passed since Slick S
dreadful revelation, and neither Cot
trell nor Mrs. COttrell had been in town,
so Kate contemplated with eager de-
light her prospective visit home. Next
morning after the conversation with her
patient detailed in the preceding chap
ter, she proceeded as early as she could
| 30 hn Nl1 r,nnV,9g nnyinng fn in
quire how soon they should make their
intended visit. But the Doctor was
there, and seemed dismayed as he
looked intently at his watch and
counted his patient'spulse beats. Pres
emily, turning to Kate, he asked
abruptly:
What excitement was he labOring
under yesterday? Was he upY Did he
talk about anything excitingP Did
anyone visit him9 You should have
told me of his agitation"
0Kate wasS greatly perplexed and
could only reply with trepidatiOn:
"Is he worse? Has anything serious
happened?"
"How serious l cannot yet tell, y said
the Doctor. "He is not young man,
and consequences cannot be foretold.
But that something has happened is
certain. Come here and look for your
self"
Kate advanced to the bed and was
startled at the change in the old man S
face. Just as she drew near, he NUT
tered in delirium: 81 must get OUT
She is expecting me" How the little
fellow has grown, Mariel "By the neck
till dead, dead, deadp' "FreeP NowY'
He was silent moment, and then;
Left in '68" "You can have it for a
hundred thousand. I'm going to
| travel." and many more phrases which