The age-herald., 1897-08-08


 John Lawson was tall, slender and a trife stopped from the neck. His crown of glory was of an auburn shade and his eyes an uncompromising steel blue. He was deliberate in manner and dreadfniiy in earnest wish life. His duties as new watcihman in a government building in the city of Washington threw him m the company of fellow watchman who was an old soldier of The G. A. R. professor.
 Old Soldfer-"You never fit, bled and died for your country, young man. So what influence brought you here ~ -
 Johrs-"Pine Kpo-s." Tssses sA.#s.
 Old Soldier-'Is that what you call your congressman" sa=-stfs Y ss|
 John-'.No; I mean shat patsed the civil service examination. and had to study by pine knolts to learn enough to do it." --=.---- .fs.a
 Old Soldicr-"Find it hard?'' - John-"No; Pve be,:n teaching school out in the hills ever since I wore gafluss es and red .op boots. and passing. wasa.as easy to ne as licking the neig'lfborhoud children" Old -Soldier-"Going to blow in your money like the oih-r young fellows, I guess. esss. ss.sssss,. :. .s John-"No. drought r. would study. law"
 To study law was the one motive John. had in coming to Washington at all, and the salary he drew from UEcle Sam l'hras. sufficient to defray his living and ed1ear5 tional expenses. ssi se4s retty soon after the above dia logue the - Law School opened it's session of 1S-. and John Lawson was among the first to enroll.
 Some of the city chaps that were agoinss to run the thing, or thought so, go.
 thsit ''hili billy" ard whispered it among themselves that they would have some fun before the election of officers. Some young fellow called John Lawson to the chair, and nanimous cry for Lawson went up clear 10 the top of the house. T'hsy thought lie would get rattled and with modest excuses refuse the honor, when they would carry vi ct armis and great sport would follow.
 Without waiting fer further insis, ance he arose with quiet dignity and said: T await g. committee of escort
 Bully for John; let's have a speech" and two young men-conducted him to the sage He gave them an improptu talk full of hard sense and noble purposes ,thert some of them neVsr would have dreamed eff on their own account. He plead with the boys to show gentlemanly consideration of each other that was | worthy the training their mo hers had | given th-m. As for himself, he modes.ly | said that he had been denied the refining | surroundings that some of them had en- | joyed. but that he had tried 70 make the | best sort of man that his chances had gfv;n him.
 There was not man present but was ashamed of his mistaken idea of the stuff | that ''red-headed hill billy had in him." and they all decid,sd they would offer an apology in the form of a vice-presfdency and "a night of il"
 Accordingly they set out in a crowd, and as John was the guest of honor, he was permitted to make the choice of drinks all to follow his lsad. as per agres- ment. Well, if am to have my choice" he slowly drawled, m say let Ger be whisky straight
 While the drinks were b;ing disposed of John was presxr5 to know how he cane to have such a fine command of rar1ia- mentary rulings. thereby begg able to holl down that turbulent ms et.ng.
 "Out in the hilfs. not very far from Arl1delphia, where I taught school. we had debating society composed of all the men in the n,eighborhood. The affirmcltive w;ire the Webst:rs and the nagatve he Gays. No matter what sub iect was mp. religion, politics. or local af- fairs. the same debater always kept thfr respective sides. They argued where ever they met; in the country stores. the internlisstoa between Sunday school and church and any and everywhere. I was the school mas ter ard was always pres- dent. Now, if l hsi1 not understood the rules of parliamentary law they would not have thought me a suitable man for the s2fncol' teacher I seemed to be part of the duty of the position"
 By this time they had reached bar No 2, and John again being accorded the or- der. caEGd for more whisky straight" The boys winket1 at each other and aglaed that as they had been euehered out of ithtGr lack in the eleltion they would put John to bed with a head on him. Cigars whra passed around but John declined and drew out his old hickory pipe and his black velvet tobacco bag embroidered with a spray of wild hCrey-sucl<le. This he shook at the boys and pushing a shade to match his hair. said it was a remembrance of the hills. and a little maid as sweet as the flower she made for him.
 By this tinpe the boys wsre winkine pretty generally at each other. thinking at this rate it would not take much longer to put the frills on the old boy: but John knowing to the contrary. and having no body else at whom lrs could wink. wink at himself if the mirror. Tho boys see ng that. supposed he was wnking at the figure he saw reflected ther5in from the frame on the opposite wall. laughed in chorus ard looked again at John.
 When ban No. was reached and st.ll