The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-06-08
Stories Of an Inland State.

|
10 purchasers who would buy without rob-
bling him downright, as he believed. he
had wandered about the streets, listened
to street-corner discussion on religion
ard one on politics and discovering that In
the early evening, Earl Stevens. candid
| ara for congress, was to speak, he folio ~ed
| the crowd TO the hall and took seat hall
| way back, Lighted his pipe and brooded
| over the crimes Of the mighty against the
1 lowry.
The hall was crowded. There was good
| deal of laughing and shouting and a tre-
mendous amount Of smoking. But he
smoked only. A stranger at his side had
said:
big meeting. amt it?''
| Mn" he had grumbled without remov-
| ing his pipe from his lips.
do you think Stevens'u be elected" es-
ssyed the stranger airily.
Mn" he had grunted again without
| turning to identify his questioner.
| What did you say?' asked the gallant
| stranger.
He had turned slowly upon the man. and
removing his pipe leisurely had answered
| roughly:
Nothing"
| Which so ruf1ed the stranger that he
moved his seat away from him with noisy
| display of offense.
| He had been partisan in his time. He
had helped the boys" carry the conven-
tons. He had yelled himself hoarse over
the pretty phrases of his favorites in the
days that were gone, but now
There was a muffled movement of feet as
| the three hundred men in the hall squared
| themselves in their seats and raised their
| In eff xx-hi q
gloomy gentlemen. A short man in a
! tremendous white collar took the chair
nearest the table and hitting the table light
| ly with his knuckles said feebly:
| Gentlemen: We have selected for chair
man this evening the Honorable Ephr:am
! Botts'
There was tremendous cheering and
Ephriam Bolts came forward on the stage
with that heart rending show of gravity
that fright alone can .engender.
| He accepted the honor thrust upon him
"in few well chosen remarks" We quote
| the local paper. He then announced a
song by the Wildcat Campaign club.
| The Wildcats came out for business and
| stationed themselves in the center of the
stage and after bending their heads to-
| gether for some minutes, without provoca-
ton started topical campaign song.
| He heard them. but he did not look up.
In fact he had not seen the men file on
| the stage. He only knew they were there.
| He knew Bolts voice. He knew that the
young candidate for congress, Earl Stevens.
was there, but he did not look up. And
even when Ephriam Bolts arose and said,
1T is now my pleasure, fellow-citizens. TO
| introduce to you our esteemed candidate
| for congress, Earl Stevens. he kept his
| eyes steadily on the floor and sucked away
at his pipe.
| The youthful candidate for congress was
well-dressed. He was tall and well-propor-
| toned while his face was young and hand
| some, his chin clean-Scraped and his NOUS
tache waxed tightly. His voice was soft,
deep and melodious and as he continued.
he was frequently interrupted by applause.
He did not applaud.
| But as the speaker went on with his fine
| phrases, he began to melt in spite Of him
| self. He got up, to the surprise of thost
| around him, and shook himself savagely.
Sitting down again he was glad that thu
| oratorical spell had passed from him. The
words were fair indeed, but they could not
move him. AS he listened he glanced far
| upward and lowered his eyes until they
rested on the trim, well-clad figure of the
speaker. Then he looked at his own rags
and his heart turned to gall and he arose
and walked out into the middle of the aisle
and raised his hand.
The speaker stopped and the crowd with
that relief which all crowds feel in pause
in a long address turned to him.
you all know me- he said turning from
one side TO the other. 81 am John Wright.
No man here knows anything 'agin' me. j
have lived among We many years. I now
rise here to request a hearing Qronical ap-
plause from one corner Listen, 1 demand
hearing. Young man. Your words are
pretty. But look We here Look at these
rags, look at these hands, look at this face,
look at these feet For years have labor
ed. For years I have struggled. industri-
ously, thrifty, tirelessly and this is what
l am
There was uproar from the crowd, but
the young candidate raised his hand and
asked:
Did understand you to say your name
was John Wright?''
John Wight
well. Mr.. Wright. This Is my meeting
am billed here to make a speech. When
am finished l will let you have the noor."
A most magnificent jeer at old John
do YOU yieid?" asked the speaker with
Hight, graceful wave Of his hand.
No cried John Wright in a voice Of
thunder. II do not yield, Yield, Yield,
What have to yield. The right of speech?
That 1 will keep-forever"
He glared about him. One man just In
front of him was cheering ferociously
''Bill Green" yelled Wright. Stop thatr'
Bill Green gave anofber rnot
Wright stepped forward and struck him
in the face with his open hand.
The crowd now began laughing and cried
Take me stage, Take the stager'
Old John Wright walked up to the stage,
climbed over the foot-lights and threw off
his coat His dirty blue shirt, and his
coarse trousers made him look tramp
and his unkempt hair did not lessen the
resemblance.
But as the strong light from below struck
bis hardy brown face and sinewy neck ex-
posed oy ris unbuttoned SHIFT. the resen,-
blance ceased and he stood before them a
farmer whom they knew and whom they
until now, respected
only a word" he said raising his voice
'and Il en- l viii leave you"
He turned from the audience and address
ed the candidate. now seated.
You VIII be elected ! will vote for
you. All these men will vote for you You
were yd:Se6 almost in this district. You
were reared as lawyer. You have tasted
our dust and been Drowned by our winds
until you are one Of US. You mean well.
You have been telling Us OF our Ills to-
nicat- GOD knows We have a-plesty. Your
one desire, however, is not 10 relieve our
sufferiags. IS not 20 take these rags from
~ d w..
sleep IN peace like a civilized being. but
& 10 get - congress Don't deny il You