The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-07-19
AN OfFICESEEKER.

Chicago News: The fate of the office
seeker concerns the public little; save
where the public is a village of 800 in
habdtants. Then everybody expects to
devote time and attention TO the mat
ter.
This particular office sought was the
postoffice. The number of applicants
was fourteen. This was embarrassing
in so small a town, where every man
running was a good citizen. Generally,
two men applied for the office, when
there was a vacancy, Republican and
a Democrat. That was as it should be.
But fourteen! The worthy voters of the
town were greatly put to- Some
tried to spread smile of hope over the
whole fourteen; others were severely
noncommittal; and others came out in
a fiery partisanshdp. The keeper of the
grocery store had 10 roll out extra bar
rels and boxes for the accommodation
of the groups that met to discuss this
unprecedented state of affairs.
Each offlceseeker seemed TO consider
his chances of the best and made pre-
paratons for the prospective change,
as if he were the only one considered.
An ex-justice of the peace sold his
farm and rented a house in the village
convenient to the little building with
the big sign 'Postoffice. tt
A carpenter announced that he could
take no more contracts for the follow
ing season. And everyone knew what
he meant.
A special sort of interest was felt in
the fate of Joel Stevens. The strong.
practical citizens smiled at sentiment
in politics, but in giving reasons for
favoring Joel they were pretty apt to
drift off into a matter not exactly bear
ing upon real fitness for the office. Joel
was going to move over to the village
next week, to be near the postoffice. He
had sold his feed store-burned the
bridge behind him.
We'll, I'll be mad clear through if
Joel don't git it, said a strapping voter
of six feet four, sitting near the smoked
hams on counter in the grocery store.
Il don't often git mad, but 1 will if he
don't git it. Look how good he's been
to that old mother of his"
"Ya-as, ne surely has been good to
his mother, Joel has, admitted little
man buying Orleans molasses. AN
there's all his sisters married, while
the man amt had no chance"
But he can't be 'lected just for takin'
care of his mother grumbled non
committal voter.
mo, not just for takin' care of his
mother. but you see he's just the man
for 1t. He's good at figgers. an spry,
n then, you see, t'ant only his mother,
there's the girl"
Eyes said the six-foot champion.
Joel ought 20 have a home of his own
like he wants it. Lor' knows how long
them two's been waitin'l"
WELL" said a gruff voice down be-
hind the counter, Il been sellin' the
matches right steady for the last eight
years"
That's it," said the long man, IAN
Joel never havin' a chance TO lay by
nothin'. Had them two youngest sisters
on his hands till last spring and lost
his best COW after that. l wish some
body'd say a good word to Major Nc
Kinley for him. d like to do it my
SELF
keeper, confidentially, ''the fact is Joel's
got quite a pull-the central committee
sort of favors him.
And q murmur of approval went from
box to key round the little grocery
store.
The gossips of the village smile as
Joel goes past and say: We'll, there he
goes again-eight years steady. Hard
on coal and oil till l o'clock in the
morning"
Yet they see that his head has grown
grizzled and his face careworn in the
waiting and struggle. They know he
has been unfortunate and has nothing
ahead.
They see Minnie Bates putting a
brave face over sick heart. Sewing
on other girls bridal gowns, poor, little
seamstress, and putting no stitches in
her own. Gradually all her old school
mates have married 1t was hardest
of all when she sewed on Lettie's dress.
They had always been together had
secrets together and plans that no one
else knew. Many time the needle had
pierced tear, falling all unbidden.
Many time the reality had dragged
the happy dreams of long ago before
her-poor crushed little dreams she
was trying so hard to forget. And,
now, she was sewing wedding garments
for the set of girls younger than her
self.
Some nights when Joel came with a
tale of something that looked more
favorable she almost hoped But it was
such big thing TO try to get the post
office, and it would be months before
the decision was made anyway. If Joel
could only go to Washington himself,
she just knew he'd get it. But he hadn't
the money, of course.
If they could Only get the postoffice-
well, even the gossips hoped they
would.
But it wasn't very important office
Ito the government.