Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1900-12-13


Faster there-Ill double your fare"
The carriage lurched around the corr
ner; the lash of the drivers whip
writhed in the air and the horses Went
galloping with the rafting old hack
down Capitol avenue. And as the car
riage pitched and rocked Jamie was
supremely happy-he had done what he
could, and, better than all, he was sit
ting beside Mr.. Meredith and actually
riding in the same hack with him!
Mr.. Meredith was silent until the
carriage whirled into the state house
grounds and the horses, breathing
heavily, We're plunging up the drive
way toward the north portico. Then
he turned and said:
How'd they know I was in town?"
Jamie looked up in surprise.
"Who?" he said.
why" replied MIR. Meredith, who
ever sent you
Jamie felt hurt
But no one sent me. Mr. Meredith"
he said; II just came"
And how did you know 1 was here?"
Il guessed
Mr.. Meredith was thoughtful for an
instant and then he said.
But why did you Gomez
Jamie blushed.
"I-1-l-now-" he stammered. II
don't like to tell And he hid his face
against Mr.. Meredith's sleeve.
The carriage stopped. the driver
leaped from his box and flung open the
door. Mr.. Meredith sprang out. leaped
up the stone steps, ran down the corri-
doris, dashed into the elevator and was
shot up to the third floor. Jamie had
been compelled to run faster than he
ever did in his life to keep up with
him. He was nearly pinched by the
iron door of the elevator as the man
slid Ill shut.
But he was close at Mr.. Meredith's
heels when he ran into the house The
perfunctory Monday afternoon session,
over in their more or less solemn
chamber, were busting into the hall of
the house, evidently expecting some
thing unusual to occur. They pressed
by the doorkeeper, and as they entered
Jamie heard the speaker cry:
The gentleman from Cook asks
unanimous consent to have Senate Bill
SIS taken up out of the regular order,
read at large a third time, and put
upon its passage. Are there any obtec-
tions?"
The speaker raised his gavel, waited
an instant, and said: The chair
hears
rang out like Il bugle:
Object"
The speaker looked up in amazement.
The members of the gang turned about
In their seats with startled guilty
faces; the rich gentlemen on the
speakers red lounge leaned forward
with panied expressions. Mr. Mere
dith was striding down the center
aisle, his hat In his hand, his face red.
his eyes on fire.
Half way down the aisle he halted,
and once more shouted in that fearless
note:
Il object! A million people in Chi
cago tonight are waiting to hear from
this house on this franchise BILL dare
you to take 1t up in this ar-chamber
session.
Mr. Meredith's hand swept a wide
arc that Included the whole house as
he flung his Defiance and then he stood
glazing at them all. The eyes that met
Mr.. Merediths eyes quailed; the house
was still. No one arose, no one replied
to him.
Then after q long minute Of this
painful silence the speaker. lowering
his head until jamie could not see his
face. said in low voice:
OBJECTIONS are heard"
not taken up that day after all.
The session was very short after
that. and when the house adjourned
Mr.. Meredith went down to the speak
er's dais. The speaker looked up as If
he thought Mr.. Meredith was coming
to speak to him, but Mr. Meredith
stopped at the steps. and taking
Jamie's little hand he pressed 1t In his
own big palm and said.
Come with me-"
:. It was the proudest moment of
Jatniess life as he walked gut of the
noisy chamber through the crowd of
angry baff1ed members past the star
ing pages. by the wondering doorkeep-
sers and 80 on out into the rotunda.
They walked down the great white
staircase. and as they were passing
around the polished brass railing of the
balcony on the second aoor Mr.. Mere
dith said, as If suddenly reminded of
something:
Beg your pardon, but what's your
nance"
James Horn,' replied jamie
They kept on and Jamie wondered
where they were going, until they
turned into the governors offices.
Jamie's heart leaped suddenly Surely
this was d day of big surprises,
thought he.
rs the governor in?" Mr. Meredith
asked of the governors private secre
tarY.
"Yes-just go right in Mr.. Meredith, =
and i'm another instant Jamie was
standing beside Mr.. Meredith In the
presence of the governor.
The governor arose as they entered,
and looked first at Mr.. Meredith, then
lowered his kind blue eyes and fixed
them on Jamie.
Governor" said Mr.. Meredith. II
Wish To present my little friend, Mas
ter James Horn
The governor bowed. took JAMES
hand i'm his own and said in his soft
voice:
I'm very glad to meat you, Master
Horn, Pm sure.
Jamie felt himself Jingle all through
at the governors words.
Master Horn, governor" continued
Mr.. Meredith, lis a page boy IN the
house, and today, when we We're all
caught mapping, he saved the franchise
bin from becoming a law"
.Ah?"
Yes" answered Mr.. Meredith: and
then, when the governor had motioned
them to take seats, and Jamie had
worked and wiggled himself away back
into deep leather chair with his legs
/ anu leeL SUCKING StTdlSnt OUT III IFOHl
of him, Mr.. Meredith told the governor
the whole story. When he had done.
the governor arose and went over TIC
where Jamie sat in the big chair, his
arms stretched along the chairs arms.
! jamie would have wriggled out of
the chair, but he. had not time to do so.
And then. as he looked up into the
grave. kind face. his excellency, speak
ing very seriously, said:
My boy, you have done the people
of Chicago and the people of Illinois a
great service-a service you will UNI
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