The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1900-11-15

head and laughed. Jamie started 9
him with wide eyes-hs saw nothin
} to laugh at, especially when Senat
Bill 57S was coming up. Present.
the clerk took one OF his hands fror
his side and dropped it on the big be-
beside the register, and as it clange
out in the empty lobby, he shouted il
his laughing voice:
"Front !"
A bell boy in buttons slid to th
desk just as page boy does in th
House when member claps his hand:
The bell boy and jamie looked eacl
other all over from head to toe In th
instant they stood there facing escl
other, and the clerk began
"Go see if Mr.. Meredith"
And just then tall form appes re;
around the corner of wall, and Ja,. ).
looked up.
It was Mr.. Meredith himself, =,
smiling as the spring, with bunch {.
violets in the lapel of his new liy!.
coat. Jamie sprang at him.
"Oh, Mr.. Meredith" he said, raising
his clasped hands almost appeallngly
"come-quick !"
"Why, what's the matter?" said Mr.
Meredith, halting in surprise.
They've got Senate Bill 57S up!'
Mr.. Meredith's eyes opened his iace
lost its mild expression.
"What do you know about Senate
Bill 57Sw
Jamie took him by the coat-he
dared at last to lay hands on his sacred
person-and tugged as he said
"Oh, honert-Mr. Meredith--honest
CROSS my heart they haye--youIl be
too late !!
Mr.. Meredith looked at the pleading 9
lad closely, and then suddenly ex-
claimed
"Oh, yes! You're one of the page
boys" And then he ran as fast as he
could through the lobby, down the
steps and across the sidewalk, jamie
after him.
"Come on !" cried Mr.. Meredith as he
stopped to plunge into a carriage at the
curb, dragging Jamie in after him, and
tho Irivor.
"The State Hou se--fast as you can
drive !"
The driver whirled his carriage
about In Sixth Street, and as Mr.. Mel g.
dith drew in his head and slammed d
the heavy door he shouted:
easter there-I'll double your
fare /"
The carriage lurched around the
corner, tho lash 9, tho drivers whip
wrlthed in the air, and the horses went
galloping with the rattling old hack
down Capitol Avenue. And as the
carriage pitched and rocked jamie was
supremely happy-he had done what
he could, and, better than all, he was
sitting beside Mr.. Meredith and actual
ly 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, were plunglng up the drive
way toward the north portico. Then
he turned and said:
"Howd they know I was In town."
Jamie looked up in surprise.
"Who?" he said.
"Why," replied Mr.. Meredith, "who-
ever sent you."
Jamie felt hurt.
"But no one sent me, Mr.. MEREDITH"
he said "I just came"
"And how did you know was here ?"
IL guessed"
Mr.. Meredith was thoughtful for an
instant and then said
"But why did you Gomez"
Jamie blushed.
"I-I-I-now-" he stammered.
"I 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
dashed into the elevator and
was shot up to the third hoor. jamie
had been compelled to run faster than
he ever did in his life to keep up with
alca. Il. was nearly pinched by the
iron door of the elevator as the man
slid it shut.
But he was close at Mr.. Mereoith's
heels wher he ran into the House.
The Jew Senators, having just con-
cluded a perfunctory Monday alter
noon session over in their more or less
solemn chamber, were bustliug into
the ball OF tie House, evidently ex-
pec,ing something Of interest to occur.
They pressed ny the doorkeeper, and as