The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-02-06
TOLD In THE SMOKER.
ny JOHN CORBURToN.


visible, silent friendliness, or. at least, a
cheerful acceptance of anothers pres
ence: and it could be seen that the two
undergraduates, in the sweetness of their
briars, were beginning TO forgive even the
dinner.
The moon, low on the broken horizon,
sliding from the window ON the left TO peer
in at that on the right waited placidly for
the talk that must come. The Texan was
the first to break what silence the wElrr ana
jostle Of flight allowed. He coughed pres
emily, conciliatory preface to the remark,
Yes sir, were hittin' her up PITY lively.
Forty nile, reckon. Well, sir, my father
never rode on a railroad train in his life
No sir Moved to Texas in wagons, and
STAYED there. Married ON the way and
opened a store in San Antoine. Never left
the State; never went nowhere he couldn't
ride to on a boss. Mother she travelled,
though; she's ben to Eur'pe NJ wife says
I'm a terrible gad-about. I go on t New
York twice a year-bus' ness though. Not
much fun in New York for me. You gen.
tIemen from there?' he asked. turning to
the collegians.
Mo replied one 'sWere from the West"
"B'en on for a little junket reckon
mo, we're at college; we're going home
for the holidays"
MY Oldest boys in the high school, in
San Antoine now. remarked the Texan,
softly stroking his mustache. you gentle
men Joined the football club at your col
lege?'
mo" grAvely replied the young man who
1 had spoken. Neither of Us has joned.1
live seen a game of it, said the Texan
, Ind I wouldn't get into it. always keep
out of trouble long as / can When mans
Iookin' for me 1 let him hunt; don't hunt
for him. / go on about my business. Once
or twice." he continued gently, i've had
TO meet trouble, and then / reckon l can
say / was ready. Down in our country 1t
used to be man had to face the music
now and then or lose the neighbours respect;
but 1 don't want no football in mine"
II was once door-keeper of of state
legislature" observed the politician, with a
long pull at his black cigar, but shouldn't
care to play football
IT'S considered rather beneficial in some
ways said one of the undergraduates IAN
gudly. Its supposed to teaclis the young
idea sharp-shooting, nerve, decisveness,
equality to the emergency, quick Judgment
and generalshp; all that, you know
IT'S my experience" said the Philadel-
phian, that those are just the qualities
most men haven't got
You never can tell till you need 'em,
whether you've got em or not" said the
man from Texas. And, another thing, IL
my experience that they're mighty hckle.
I've seen an old desperado's nerve desert
him without warning when he needed 1t the
worst kind of a way just when nobody ex-
pected anything in the world but the sher-
IFS funeral But it's worth 1ivin' for to see
a man crawl out of a small hole by usin
his nerve and common sense like lightning
Eyes. it is" assented the undergraduates.
rEa poIfticigusa story.
eyes. sir said the politician. ANY of
Won remember when Henderson was run
ming for Governor? Well, it was a pretty
close campaign and old Colonel Wilson,
might good manager he was, too--was run
ming il Tor Henderson and keeping
an open eye on every little de-
tail Henderson's show wasn't the
best in the world and it might depend on
anything. For one thing he had to have
both the liquor vote and the temperance
vote and that's always difficult. Now,
bill had passed the legislature providing
that if the majority OF the voters in any
ward signed protest against the presence
of any saloon that might happen to be IN
that ward the saloon had to be abolished
'sWen there We're two saloons in Hender-
sons ward; one right in amongst the nand-
soonest houses in the town, and the other
over in a corner OF the ward where it
wasn't so conspicuous. The ladies, of
course, didn't like having the first saloon
right under their noses that way--mistake
ever to put it theresa they got up a pro-
test against it and took it around the ward
They went to Henderson first, without any
warning. before Wilson had chance to
get him out of town. 1t was only four days
before election. If Henderson didn't sign the
temperance people would down him, and
if he did, the liquor people would do the
same. He signed the paper at once, thanked
the ladies' politely for the opportunity,
bowed EN- out, and went III and told his
wife he was out OF it. The news fairly shot
over the place and within half an hour the
local liquor people had got together and APP
pointed al committee to investigate. Two
hours later wilson was driving into town
from the country happy as a bird. for
things were shaping up beautifully at the
last moment. when a messenger met him
with a note from Henderson telling him
he'd signed the remonstrance. At the same
time Wilson saw the committee coming up
the street; he spotted EN- at once and
drove to meet 'em.
Good afternoon, gentlemen he calls
out waving his hand in a friendly way.
Colonel Wilson. can you tell us if It's
true that Henderson has signed the protest
against So-and-So's saloon@ asked the
spokesman.
why. certainly says the old colonel,
smiling.
well. that was a mighty mad committee.
you've got the face to sit up there and
admit it and laugh cries one. This is a
serious matter as you'll soon find out
Quietly. gentlemen says the colonel.
Quietly Now, see here; competition is the
ruin of trade. Think how much richer each
OF you would be IL it weren't for the others
now, wouldn't you?
What's that got to do with it,
Now you take the case of man do
ing a good business continues Wilson, con-
fdentially. land let some rival come along
and set up and ruin the first mans trade
say the first man is mighty smart If he
takes advantage of any opportunity to get
rid of the rival and make him move.
don't say it's exactly right but do say it's
mighty bright and jnstihabe. don't you?'
oh certainly says the committee, i'm
patiently. But we want
Just q second Wilson interrupted
sweetly. Here's the point, that saloon was
running Henderson's business. You say
yourselves it was justifable; he was losing
money every
How in thunder was he losing money
on that@