Mexico weekly ledger., 1896-01-23
Lucky Dave Ball.
HOW THE LITTLE GIANT" OF
PIKE MAY BECOME GOVERNOR.
A Sort of a Fortunate Cuss' Anyhow.
and There is No Telling Just
Where His Success
Will Stop.

HANNIBAL, Mo-, Jan. 20.-Hon D..
A. Ball, of Pike county, says A. IL.
Jones, has been playing in big luck of
late, and on the lucky wave he has
struck he expects to ride into the
gubernatorial chair at jefferson City.
The Senator and the drummer were
coming up from st. Louis on the K.
line a few days ago, and, being old &C
quaintances, drifted into conversation.
"Say, JONES'" said the politician to
the travelling man, ssI believe in luck,
and when a fellow strikes it he should
push it for all it is worth. Hence my
candidacy of Governor.
"To begin with" continued the gem
tleman from Pike, 81 attended the
Atlanta Exposition before Christmas.
When 1 got ready to come home 1
bought sleeping a privileges to st.
Louis. had a friend living in a town
80 miles distant from Atlanta, and ran
out there one day in order to spend a
night and take a train the next night
for home. After spending the night
with my friend 1 discovered that I had
lost my ticket, and at once merged
into a quandary as to what was best to
do. Finally, however, 1 concluded to
chance it, and when the train rolled in
I boarded the st. Louis Pullman. Ad-
dressing the porter, 1 said:
"Say, porter, have you an empty
birth for st. LOUISE"
eyes, sir" was the response.
"Well," said I, 81 suppose it must be
for me am sorry to tell you, how
ever, that I have in some way lost my
ticket"
"Dat's all right" said the porter.
"You lost it yesterday on de street at
Atlanta an 1 found it."
"And he handed it to me.
"sWho is you? asked the porter.
"Why, Pm the Honorable David A.
Ball, of Missouri, at one time President
pro tempore of the State Senate and a
winner in the present race for Cover
nor of that great State.
"sLawd o. Moses said the porter,
how glad I am dat I found dat ticket
| Governor, der's nuthin' in dis a toe
! good for you"
"But that is not ALL" said the Sena-
tor, and Mr.. Jones became more inter
ested than ever.
"Since the first day of December ]
assisted in the defense in the most
noted murder Vs. known in the an
mails of American crime and we won
with hands down. / mean the Hearne
case at Bowling Green. Now, wasn't
that luck?"
Mr.. Jones assented and commenced
to congratulate the gentleman from
Pike when he was cut short by Col
Ball, who said: "Stop; save YOU
thunder. The biggest stroke of luck
of my life is yet to be related to you
and it came New Years day. For q
years my wife and I have been mar
ried, and during allthat time no sweet
fond urchin was sent by Providence te
bless our home. On account of this
misfortune, as l have always claimed
it to be, my friends all over Missouri
have twitted me numerically andfre-
quently made me wish ] had never
been born, much less married. Well
sir, on New Years day there came q
baby to our housed"
"By gosh" said Jones, "You are
the biggest man in the State. Accept
my earnest congratulations and wher
1 get to Louisiana / will send you
case of Kentucky whisky in order thai
you may drink, along with YOU
friends, to the success of your baby!'
"You do me too proud" said the
Senator. "The baby is not mine. L
was born to our servant"