The Washington weekly post., 1899-11-28

. I around the corner from here. is TO hoia
a festival Saturday evening. ana a gold
headed cane IS to be voted 10 the mos
: popular man in town"
But where il the funT'
In getting the cane. Saw. now, bu,
well be on hand, and ~ don't get thai
cane over al the other candidates. YOU
, may call me gOati It's sl5 cane, and
; 1ust what | want You must have known
aSout the festival. as you 20 10 that
church very ofteng'
I But you SEQ" began Mrs Rouser
and then checked herself.
What DO / see? The cane goes tn .bs
most popular man in town. That conceit-
81 old Brown will think he's sure M II
ana that assifed Jackson will smile and
grin and tumble over himself. but the,
wont be In 1t with me. II viii be lust
IKE rolling of a log 10 win that eane.''
IL hadn't thought OF going" stam-
mered Mrs. Bowser, after awhile.
wen, you can make up your rnird 10
60 Indeed, should think you'd be proud
10 have me bear of the prize. Won't II
piease you 10 discover that I'm the most
popular man in town.
-e-s. or course but suppose II
shOuidnt I turn out that wayg"
but II 5 got to turn out that way-got
10 DO II. Haven't been asked to run for
alderman? Haven't I contributed 10 the
free ice and sick baby funds? Don't we
| give TO every charity. and don't all the
chlldren on the street run after me? WHY
gave $25 in cash to neIp build that very
edihee. II there's a more popular man in
town than l am I'd like to know him"
but II you shouldn't get the cane then
/ you'd-you'd-"
/
lhen I'd what? II looks TO me az II
you dldn.t want me 10 get it, Perhaps
you had intended TO vote for some other
cdhdloate Well, you go ahead and vote
Ior "hom you please, but I'll walk home
with mat cane just the same. We 20 10
the FESTIVAL on Saturday evening"
Tnat settled it, and Mrs. Bowser had no
more objections to offer. Mr.. Bowser
took hold of the matter in his enthusiastic
way. lie let II be known that he was IN
the hands OF his friends, and that his
! IrlenuS were expected 10 vote early and
! oiten and pull him through For four
Gays ana evenings he went about talking
or the matter, with the result that ''popu-
lar candidates" appeared in all directions.
Mrs. Bowser had fears and doubts but
whenever she threw out hint, Mr.. Bow
ser drew himself up and replied:
Il shall get that cane, and don't YOU
worry about ii. 1t looks as if there might
De dozen candidates, but I'll smash 'em
10 squash as soon as the voting begins. |
I've had no less than seven men ask me |
would run Tor mayor next year, and |
believe I'll take a nomination.
When the fateful evening finally arriv-
ed the Bowsers were on hand at an early |
hour. II didn't take Mr., Bowser over ten |
minutes TO discover that things We're not |
exactly as he had expected In the first |
place, 1t was 10 cents vote, and in the /
next he was stranger TO most of the |
church people and none of them seemed |
TO nave marked him down as candidate. /
lie soon came upon a stern, severe look
ing woman, who made inquiry of him:
Il understand that you are Mrs Bow
ser's husband, and how does it come that
we never see you here of a Sunday with
her?'
II am not much of a church-goer,"
he stammered in explanation.
That is, you don't feel il duty to set
a good example to others?"
Il hope / am not bad man"
''Did it ever occur TO you that you had
a soul?"
''Of course"
Il am afraid it hasn't. Poor Mrs Bow
ser! We often talk about and pity her. I
don't think our minister has quite done
his duty. He should call on you and have
d serious talk
A little later on Mr.. Bowser met a male
acquaintance, who expressed great sur
prise at seeing him there and asked If
ne intended TO rent a family pew. ,
Il m after that cane" was the reply
but you-you can't expect to win it," ,
I'D like TO know why not"
The man looked at him with a pitying !
expression, but had no explanations 10
make. doubt crept into Mr. Bowser's
mind for the first time, and he hunted I'D
Mrs. BOwser to say:
Il believe this crowd has put up a Job
to beat me out of that cane"
Il don't think So" she replied ''but SUD- z
pose We go home? It's crowded and un-
and l know you're not en- S
joving yourself"
When i go home that cane goes with {
me" he announced, as he set his Jaw. &
I'm either the most popular man in !
town or I'm not and it's a good time TO s
find out how i stand"
When the voting for the cane began Mr..
BOwser stood all alone. He saw that he a
was out of il, and Mrs. Bowser made an d
other effort to get him home, but his min6 (
Was made up to ole game. He bought a {
hundred BOWSer tickets a one swoop and | f
deposited them in the box, and these put |
him far ahead of any other candidate. His
period of exultation was a brief one. how
ever. 1t was the crowd against BOwser.
but he was a fighter He had $40 in his | 5
wallet, and not till the last cent was gone
lid he abandon the struggle. When the
ballots were counted up he found he had
ost by over 200 votes. {
Il m so sorry! whispered Mrs Bowser
Is she followed him out of the church.
He made no reply. :
1T was awful that you paid out $50 and !.
lidn't get the cane after all" b
She heard him gritting his teeth, but he !, :
answered never a word. y
You are probably the most popular +
nak in town, but they combined against {,
ou." h
Still not a word. Side by side they y
walked home and entered the house. Mr.. :,
sowser turned up the hall gas. hung I'D a
lis hat. and as Mrs. BoWser sank down Il
nto a chair he lowered Ger her and
houted:
Woman. this is the end" F
''W-what do you mean" she asked.
'Nou worked your little game and got Il
Ne downed. and no excuses or explana- .
ions will go"
But what did I do?' u
MY lawyer will he here bv "a O'Clock u
: the morning. You can doubtless have =
ours meet him Al that hour Ii won't | y
AXE long 10 arrange matters" %
But II"
That is all, Mrs, Bowser-all except the d,
ivorce and alimony. As / have some
apers 10 prepare for the business to- ia
borrow 1 viii bid you good night-good :
ight."
"Eut can't"
Good night. Mrs. Bowserr' he repeat-
, Cs he bowed and waved his hand and
tired to the Iibrary-"good nightm
Where You Don't Have 10 WORRY.