The news & observer., 1897-02-07
Sad
69lhalh@n77

j. whey SHOOK, says the ASheV1lle
Citizen will not be an applicant for the
collectorship, according ito a card i'm
which he says by am understanding
with Senator Pritchard, who was chief
among my promised supporters, and in
whom l place implicit confidence, / shall
not be an applicant for the position"
This skit tlitting aimlessly as a flake
of snow through the columns of the
North Carolina press has at last lodged
upon the loving heart of the News and
Observer. We shall not turn it loose but
let it lie meltingly upon our blossom, for
fear some chilling cold streak of this
frosty world may crystalline it into a
biting icicle to hang cuttingly from the
edge of the roof of the soul of j. Wiley
Shook. Rather let our hearts blood
warm it than to let iii icily, yes spang-
Engly becloud the barometric heart
tubes of j. Wiley Shook.
We know what we are talking about
Few know anything of the Soul-yearn-
ings of Shook. Some who have seen
him have been fiendish enough to remark
that he was a soulless individual, but
we who have been out nights with him
know that his soul MS as great as his face,
and his heart opens every time his
month opens. OF course, there can be no
chiggers ON any man with these testi-
monials.
But TO proceed with the argument
We who have seen Shocks soul know
that even from last summer, the beak
of that soul was buried in the collector
ship, even as the bill of the pelican is
submerged after a fish of dts own paritic-
ular liking
First, there was mo place that suited
Shook so we'll
Second, there was no place that Shook
suited so well.
While Governor Russell and Marsh
Mott and Senator Pritchard, with Ewart
ON the side, was making HendersonviIle
howl last summer it was well understood
that Shook was to have the collectorship.
1t was written in colors of light on the
check of the mountain girl; Russell
chuckled Shook; Pritchard smiled Shook
Marsh Mott winked Shook there was no
concealment; a reporter of the News and
Observer walking through the dark night
near Ewart's Heights mentally asked if
it was true that Shook was to be collec-
tor; he heard the owl ask tu- -whoo? He
heard the words whisper, Shook The
cabbages and succulent corn, green and
crisp under the chilly mountain air IN the
stiffness gave that cracking might sound
that one often hears: 1T was Shook.
Shook; the little whirlwinds under the
thunder-claps ON the maple spurs and
slopes whirled and whirled in dry-leaved
accents of Shook, Shook the horses
sneeZed Shook; the mountaineer full of
moonshlne, staggering ON legs that look
ed like mule-hames of oak said. II see
Shook" all nature had the Shook jams.
and as tne prospective collector walked
along the road, even the earth Shook.
But to take "a back-somersault from
this phase of the argument to the card
of Mr.. Shook, observe the italian touch:
By an understanding with Senator
Pritchard, who was chief among my
promised supporters and in whom place
(could he have written 'placed?D implicit
confidence, j shall not be am applicant
for the position What? BY an under
standing with a man who had promised
a position, one shall not get that posi-
thon? There are wrapped up i'm that lit
tie bundle of words, sarcasm, pathos, and
a possible satisfaction ut something else
in sight-though the horns of Shook
III.
And he deserves the place: he is built
for it. In the parlance of Hanging Dog
township and Loafers Glory j. Wiley
Shook is thribly fitted for the place OF
collector in the Western district. He is
composed of three parts from the waist
up, he is one saw-log; from the waist
down, he Us two saw-logs: there would
be no danger of any Stillworm turning
If he once trod on him; he can give corn
likker points and get the decision even
against Wyatt Eaup.
Deserves it? Yes. Look at him dn the
recent Senatorial fight; 240 pounds of self
denial for twenty days. See him at
three in the morning chasing a boDter "a
cross the Park to keep him from taking
the train; watch the eggy white of his
eye, and it has lot o. whitenin', as the
shaft of moonlight hits it, and see there
written loyalty, a do-or-die glimmer; the
white of that eye against the moonlight
disclosed a legend burned i'm moonlight
silver (16 to u Il love my leader, be-
cause my leader loves me-" the white Of
that eye! 1t was opalesque aus corn-likker,
and swelled with pride in the coming
triumph of Pritdhard and incidentally
Shook. 80
But why discuss it?
First, summoned to Washington ON a
job of few hundred dollars, the offerer
narrowly escaped death. Now foiled a
gain!
Here and now we take our stand for
Shook; we will hold up his hands before
he shall get hold of us; we wonder who
ut was that last anxious might at the
Park. Hotel that Pritchard had to sub
stitute for Shook. 1t will yet appear
Meanwhile, do not doubt Senator
Pritchard; he loves you. You may not be
collector, but you may collect salary
from some other source all the same
j. Wiley Shook, friend of Pritchard,
true aus steel tempered in a furnace of
birthstone, fellow journalist, the morn
ing of Pritchard's night, and the might
OF Pritchard's morning Shook be still
not corn-still-but be sti1l-it shall yet
be midday-and something bigger than
four dollars the day at that. Pritchard
may seem dark during the night, but
T. al.