The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1895-02-27
A PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE.
LANINIA Il. EGAN.

4
and i'm the big cottonwood trees max.
ing il seem quite gladsome without,
and, by and by, the Judge began tc
feel the general stuflineSs of the close
office, and pulled his chair little
jerkily across the floor to the open win
dow. He had Il book in his hand, and
held its pages open with one long white
finger till he was seated. 1t was the
"Blue Book" containing the list of
Presidential appointments which lac
seemed to he perusing SO earnestly
holding ii well Off at arms length, and
running his finger along 70 note TIE
salary attached TO each office, now and
then, perhaps little unconscioIsiy,
marking one with his thumb nail lie
paused a moment TO turn over leaf,
and glanced out through the open win
dow, peering over hiS glasses for dis
taHt view. The street below was a
quiet one, and the figure ola tall, spare
man in a closely buttoned getaway
coat, with a high silk hat and dangling
cane, was conspicuous one in com
parison to the few leisurely going pas
sersby in simple morning attire.
"Ges, its Everett" I" said the Judge to
himselfas the well-drcssed man drew
nearer, and hc shut the book little
hastily and went across the room to
put il on the table. He was still stand
ing when the white silk mat appeared
up his stairway, and he called out
quite cheerily:
Good morning, Everett"
"Ah, a busy as ever see, Judge"
sIid the man, shaking hands little
ob>cquiousiy. Il hardly hoped TO find
you down 80 early
"Why, its 8 o'clock" said the Judge
pulling out his watch. "Tve been
down for an hour. think you are th-
early bird thriving young Congress
man like you has no need to look out
for the provcrhial worm. You ought
to leave that for Us old fellows who are
being lrid on the shelf"
80, well, nov, that is an idea" said
the Congressman cheerfully, ''but |
think should know how little likeli-
hood there is of your being laid on the
shelf"
The Judge laughed little nervously
at this kindly disclaimer, and the Con
gresham went on;
"Yes, came out little early this
morning. | have only few more days
at home, and there's good deal to be
done. Thank you for taking care Of
this for me, and hc picked up the
book the Judge had put down 80 hast
lily. "Quite a number of my kindly
constituents are To call on me this
morning, and I'm afraid | shall have 4
d fficulty in placing some of them"
He seemed quite elated at his own
mid joke, and the Judge joined in the
laugh tentatively.
ayes sir" the Congressman contin=
u ii, "when a man with absolutely no
political record, a man who has been OF
no more Use to the party than the gam
in is to the procession which he follows
thro' the streets-when such a man,
say, comes aud asks fora fat Office, il
is nothing more nor less than unadul-
terateJ gall, and shows us the mighty
wrong side OF a campaign victory"
He was not looking at the Judge "a he
spoke, and seemed quite carried away
10y his own enthusiasm. "Now, there
are men, deserving, honorable men,
who have upheld the party and kept
its standard waving above the slime of
degradation, men whom we should be
glad to reward''-he spoke quite natu-
rally-'aRd glad to have To the front
now, for, tell you, we want TO keep
our forces well mustered, We want Ia
keep orr posts well guarded. This i
our deal now fair and square, and we
don't want 10 play a losing game" He
was not on "the floor and seemed n
little reckless of his metaphors. 'The
President is a mighty long-headed man,
but the new bills are going 10 prove
hard nuts to crack"
Everett spoke rapidly, but his quicl,