The St. Johns herald., 1897-03-20
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THE FAIR CANDIDATE.


must be overcome by some means if he hoped to win. Unfortunately, ha was worried, and his actions showed 1t; on one or two occasions while speaking he ,.,-,. s fs eu-w5sy 10 5uerile bursts 6f tenn per that by no means enhanced his chances for success. Some of the older heads had warned him that by making slurring remarks about his opponent he would only hurt himself, to which he responded by the childlike remark: Well, If a woman doesn't want to get herself talked about she'd better keep out of politics"
 This he practically repeated to a mix ed crowd at Conover's schoolhouse, In one of the strong "coW districts" on Friday night before election, adding: Il cannot believe that parents inter- ested in the future welfare of their chill dren are willing to intrust their early training to the hands and methods of one who so far forgets her womanhood as to stand as a candidate for public office" Of course he regretted the re- mark almost as soon as it was uttered, and recognized that the silence with which it was received was the silence of a disapprOval too strong to find eX- pression in words. But it was too late for regrets, and he expressed none.
 The next afternoon came brief but pointed note from Miss Smith, In which she gently reminded him that hls youth lnH f0 to forget the fact that she was practi- cally defenseless, and that in speaking of her as he had he had been both un- manly and ungentlemanly This, com ing as it did, at a time when he was mentally cursing himself for an ass and a brute, did not tend to soothe him, for he knew that every word the note con- tained was true. SO instead of answer ing it as man should, he wrote at the bottom of the sheet: You have nc business In politics if you don't want to stand the consequences, then signed it and remailed it to the original sender. An hour later he was sorry he had done so, and tried to get the letter out of the pOst0fFice hu- failed.
 mus tt was ,n,tt the next esc,r'-- n. he rode along the lonely trail leading 10 the "enemy's country" where he was to address a big meeting of cattlemen and make an effort to redeem himself by practically recanting all that he had said derOgatOry to the opposing candi- date without losing too much of his al- ready shattered self-respect, he was so absorbed mentally in thinking over what he should say that he did not hear a sudden command to halt, and realized that he was in trouble only when sinuous, sWishing thing hurtled through the air, pinioned his arms to his sides, and jerked him from his sad dle to the rough ground.
 Good shot, OF manw said some one in cowboy costume, who came up and sat on the victims chest. "Ye got him right round tn elbows, fust throw O the rope"
 Let me up, you - scoundrel!' fumed Van Vert. You can take my money without taking my wind at the same time, can't you?"
 Easy, m son." chuckled the giant who was sitting astride him, as he held the candidates wrists so that the othec man, who now came up, could the more easily tie them. we don't want y'r stuff. Do we, pardner"
 "Nopey, Van," said the second man, in a voice that Van Vert tried in vain to recognize. eve jest want t put ye where ye won't make no mo fool r'marks bout tn lady th's' ag'n ye- not this evenin', anyways"
 See here, boys," said Van Vert more calmly, this isn't square deal. You know Eve got to be at the meeting at Meeker at s o'clock? Well, it's almost that now, so let me go"
 "Oh, no, Jimmie" laughed one of his captors heartle1 Y. Not tnight. 'S1uar deal 1 bllava ye said? Was t q squar' deal f'r yo- f s't Up ag' make th taIn ye did oo-, tn iirtle school maam las night! >ot any, So stan I'D, Jimmie, an let ih' gent tackle re to tn tree. We'll let ye go fore ye git cold. Easy, lad. Eff ye git gay we won't do a thing but hawg-tie ye an leave ye lay till mawnin'."
 The next hour was as long a one as Jimmie Van Vert ever spent. The night was a chilly one, and the ropes with which he was bound prevented the free circulation of blood, so that Ill a very short time his eXtremities were aching with cold. To add to his dis comfort, an owl took its station in the brush near by and hooted derisiVely whenever the prisoner shouted, ana the cries of the owl were responded to by several wolves, whose voices sounded as though they were very close at hand.
 Several times Van Vert heard people go by on horseback and in wagons, and shouted to them at the top of his lungs, but the trail was some distance from the clump of brush, and they did not hear him. At last, however, when he had about given up all hope of escaping until his captors should come and re- lease him, he heard the sound of horses coming along the trail, their riders laughing and chatting, and he lifted up his voice in a mighty effort to make himself heard. The riders evidently heard him, and stopped. He shouted again, and presently heard them con- ing toward him.
 "How did 1t happen" queried the young woman, after she and the boy had released the candidate from his