Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1901-05-02

OF his We're his weak point, ana al
though he was extremely nearsighted
he was vain enough to deny himself
glasses and kept the fact Of his in
trinity q secret. The consequence of
this folly was a wide reputation for
haughtiness, as he rarely recognized
anybody on the street, and it undoubt-
eddy damaged him in his practice. At
any rate, he had never made anything
more than a very modest living when
the curious incident l have in mine oc-
cured.
1.-THE city government had been for a
long time under ring rule" continued
the story teller, land it finally became
so bad that the decent people revolted
and organized a reform movement. The
good looking la~wyer-call him Colonel
Jones for convenience-was n of the
reformers, and, among other things, he
made himself active in securing in
dictments against a number Of gam
bling house keepers.
The boss ringster of the place was a
typical bully and ward politician nam
ed Harding, who was financially inter-
ested in several of the games and nat
urally furious at any interference. He
was a giant physically, he would fight
at the drop of a hat, and the personal
fear he inspired was really the secret
of his influence. After the gambling
indictments were found he proceeded
to use his pull to have them pigeon
holed, and, learning what was going
on, Colonel Jones was rash enough to
write a newspaper card in which he
scored the authorities for allowing such
q ruftian to defeat the ends Of justice.
1.-THE colonel looked like q soldier, but
he was really a very bland and peace
able gentleman, and he never dreamed
that his little effusion would get him
into personal difficulty. On the morn
ing the card appeared he was walking
calmly to his office when Harding rush
ed out of a bar across the street. called
him by name and at the same time lev
eled a six shooter at his head. AT that
distance all coons looked alike to the
nearsighted lawyer, and, turning in the
direction of the voice, he made III the
vague figure of a man with outstretch-
ed arm apparently reckoning him to
come over.
"a little surprised, but still perfectly
placid, he started to cross the street.
Harding glared at him in amazement
and once or twice was on the point Of
pulling the trigger, but the spectacle
of that serene and dignifed figure
calmly advancing straight or the muz-
zle Of the gun was too much for his
nerves. and before the colonel travers.
ed half the distance he dropped the
weapon and ANONYMOUSLY fed.
Needless to say, the episode made a
tremendous sensation, and Jones, who
had sense enough to hold his tongue,
was the popular hero Of the hour.
Harding, on the contrary, was ruined,
for his prestige had disappeared like a
fash of lightning, and. unable to stand
the disgrace of the affair, he quietly
sold out his belongings and left the
city. That broke the back Of the ring
the reformers went into control, and
the colonel was elected mayor by a tire
mendous majority. He served two
terms. built up one Of the biggest law
practices in that part Of the state anG
died worth nearly a quarter of a mi
lion dollars.
"In explanation of my inside knowl
edge Of the case l don't mind saying
that he was a distant relative of mine
and in the family circle, where hi:
nearsightedness was well known, b.
owned up to the facts as a good joke
He said he had a vague idea when b.
U started across the street that Hardin.
was a farmer client who had promised
to pay him a fee that morning."-Ney
Orleans Times-Democrat.