Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1896-10-03

peak, and the major saw something
intensely interesting straight ahead.
Each used efforts to get votes, and
their constituents, with the same
overpowering interest that they
would take in dog fight, cheered
them on with jealous partisanship.
Every man in camp was politician
enough to know that the vote would
be close, though he made outAaudish
claims for his candidate and backed
his Dragging with all his possessions.
The colonel told the story frequent
ly of how Major Morrisey had left
wife and family in Missouri, be-
cause necessity knew no relations
in-law, and the major retaliated with
yarn to the effect that Colonel
O'Shanahan would never have got
out of Kentucky if he had not been
SO excellent a judge of horsehesh.
Election day was a holiday in
Paradise Bar. Every inhabitant
was feyerishly and actively interest
ed. Hans Scopenhauer laid in an ex-
ira supply OF distilled trouble and
added to his Office armament. Then
every one voted. The immigrant
from Cork and the late cornhusker
from Iowa balloted side by side.
The broken English of the Dutch
man just over and the soft accent of
the sou of Alabama had equal voices
in the election.
But when the major and his mar
shals brought up Juan Moreno to
help save the country, there was
vigorous protest from the colonel
and his aids. 1t was the next worse
crime to votin g twice, they claimed.
"An insult to the right Of suffrage,
by Gawd, subj said the colonel.
And nobody dared to attempt to
vote twice at the first election at
Paradise Bar. Arguments on the
subject would have been carried on
with pistols instead of words, and
the passing OF the lie would have
been followed by boom in cemetery
lots. Moreno was a Greaser, shift
less, dishonest and ignorant. Did
he not possess every qualification Of
the intelligent voter? Then the ju-
dicial mind of Judge Sampson, both
clerk and judge of the first election,
shone forth and averted trouble.
"There is no good reason why he
should not vote" he said. "Eyery
qualification that's missin in him is
missin' in one of yew." An awkward
silence fell upon the crowd. An at.
tempt to point out his defects might
make the judge personal in his an
swer. And so Moreno triumphantly
cast his vote, and the frown on The
colonel's brow gathered more wrink-
les.
Then a brilliant thought flashed
athward his mental sky. The ma
jor's unpaid board bill was certainly
larger than his. And while the Judge
waited in silent dignity for the sun
to say good night to Paradise Bar,
the colonel and two or three of his
supporters disappeared. The voters
waited in expectation for the clos
ing of the polls, still alternating
calls for refreshments with conjec.
lures as TO the result.
There was scuffle outside, an ex-
cited murmur of surprise, and then
the colonel marched proudly into the
room, with Sing High on his arm.
The fat placidity of Sing Highs
face wore look of pleased expecta-
ton. 1t had been made clear to him
that he was to play some important
part in the drama that was exciting
Paradise Bar from the Red Eye to
the suburbs, though he was not at all
certain what he had to do. There
YVES an exciting discussion and more
than one angel maker was drawn.
But Judge Sampson, with calm i'm
Partially, decided that his case was
similar to Moreno's, that no qualifi-
cations had been declared necessary,
and that they had all voted without
regard to race, color or previous
condition Of penal servitude, and
that Sing High should vote. The
same awkward silence fell upon the
| crowd, and the judge took Sing TO
one side and instructed him in the
grave duties of an elector.
Sing Highs smooth counteDance
was scanned with smiles at his own
Importance. There was a whisper
| ed and animated conference between
him and the judge, and then he came
| forward and voted as the sun went
! down.
The counting of the ballots was
finished, and the results, except for
sheriff, announced, when fatal &C.
cident occurred. Hans Scopenbausr
ran out of liquid exhilaration. He
had to 60 across the street to bor-
row of rival, with whom he main
tanned open warfare and secret
friendship, and the peaceful reputa-
ton of the Red Eye was left IN
guarded.
| The Judge impassively gave out
the result. "For sheriff." be said
"the vote stands: Major Morrisey,
1873 Colonel O'Shanahan, 1913 +; Joe
Emerson, |.
For a minute silence succeeded