The National tribune., 1901-12-12
q SikleQg; Shorty
SsY aMdMeB0y09rCn q,
WEsSsA On the f1arCfl Ah1uNtNe Car0lirlaS

Copyrighted, 1890, by the publis
Proceedings at the Governors Reception.
The Bottom Drops Out of the Market for
Plots.
Let me lean on your arm, Deacon -
said Mrs. Powhatan Cudger, as she part
ed from the Governor at the door OF the
library, and made her way over to the
Deacon. Il feel the need of a strong,
true arm as it seems to me l never did
before in all my life"
Where is Mr.. Cudger?' asked the Dea-
con, not little disturbed by the col
lapse of the lady upon him.
20, Mr.. Cudger is excellent in his way,
but of no sort of use i'll an emergency
like this, even if he were here, which he
is not. His only way of meeting a crisis
is by bank check or a lawsuit"
Mighty good ways to meet many diff
ticulties," remarked the Deacon.
Yes, with coarse, material troubles,
but not those of the heart"
You scare me. Let me look around
for n doctor"
NO, no; L don't mean that kind OF
heart-sickness. It's of the soul"
''Hum-m-m. You want preacher,
then?"
No, silly; 1 don't want a minister
How dull you are. | mean that since I've
come in here my hearts been struck"-
Madam" said the Deacon, reddening,
and becoming agitated, Il must remind
you that I'm q married man, and have
one of the best wives in the world, and
that I'd do nothing under the sun to give
her the slightest uneasincss, nor
''Will you have little sense, and
listen to what I'm going to say?' she
asked irritably. Il thought that If there
was one man here this evening about
whom there could be no suspicion of
filtration, it would be you. | get 50 tired
of men who want to fiirt with me, when
I'm eager to discuss great principles and
the political situation"
Yes, num- said the Deacon, much
relieved
Now, if there's a man here whose ap-
pearance would indicate the utter prepOs-
terousness of any Irritation with him, it is
you,' she added, in a tone of mild re
proof.
Yes, num- said the Deacon; but
frank statement of fact.
What has sadly affected my heart
siace | came in," she continued. has
been the discovery of the falsehoOd and
cowardice of a man who | greatly ad-
mired-Mr. Samuel Hopkins. | thought
he was brave even to desperation" -
Never no danger from hydrophoby
Il had no idea that men could be so
base"
''Hum-m-m? Man ever sell you a self
closing farm-gate?" inquired the Deacon.
Il couldn't imagine that there was such
perverseness and wickedness in the
world" .i
''Hum-m-m? Ever try to carry four
hoop-skirts in separate bundles?"
He was ardentiy longing to shed his
blood for his distracted country" she
continued, too excited to mind the inter-
ruptiOns. a.at
"Hum-m-m? Rather slow in getting
about it. Wars ben gcing on over three
years now. Men who hain't bin so anx-
iCus have managed to shed a good deal
of blood. If he sheds any of his blood
it'll be when he cuts himself shaving"
Il have pleaded so long and so hard
with him to dissuade him from some act
of mad self-sacrifce that might ruin all"
"Self-sacrifice from himl He'd sacri-
fee anybody else before he would hair
of his own head
80 he would. Indeed he would He
even gave up my letters to Gov. Morton,
in hopes to shorten his Imprisonment"
is it possible? When a man sets out
to be a Copperhead he lays down to every
lllfaIiiltSS tldI ne can lulllh Oh DuG i
didn't imagine he'd descend to that. Men
writing letters to other mems wives, and
women writing letters to other mems
husbands amt according to tho peace and
dignity OF the State of Injianny and Bap
tist discipline, but when it's done the
man ought to stand by the woman until
his finger-nails drop off. There's honor
20, there wasn't anything in the letters
4 Int Il 10
she explained hastily. In fact I've got
them here, and am going to take them
home to show him. It's the principle
Of the thing, more than anything else.
Though, if Gov. Morton hadn't been more
Of man than he is an Abolitionist he
might have made trouble for me about
even sent me to Fort La
fayette, or some of those other hOrrid
PRISONS"
Lots of man about Gov. Morton. Six
ty pounds to the bushel-nO chaff nor
cookie"
But what can you expect from a
Iominick too cOwardly to resist when the
mini0ns of tyranny lay their hands on
him?'
IF you mean by them Latin words Sol
Withers and Thad Virgins, | think he
showed mighty good judgment. They're
not made O. pie-crust, | tell you. I'd
IL
they got their mad up."
She was not listening, but shufflng
over the letters in her hand, when she
gave start.
MY, here is one that isn't mine. It's
from some other woman. She uses pat
chouli, too. Vulgar creature! 1t must
be that horrid Mrs. Vernon Quiggs. The !
Quiggs are tolerably good people in Vir- |
real quality, though-but !
Libby Grouse, whom Vernon married. is |
than cOrn-shucks. Old Grouse. |
her father, was just a Pennsylvania |
butcher, before he got Government CON
.ract, and made money supplying the |
Yankee soldiers with measly pork I'm |
going to tell her some day that her |
father killed more Yankees than have any |
Confederate army. Yes; it's from Libby |
Quiggs. | know her scrawl. She's been |
trying to make her stubby fingers bend |
10 write like a lady, but her education |
comes too late. 1t should have begun with |
ler grandmother. What's she doing writ |
ng to regular cOnspirator like Samuel |
anyhow There's something |
wrong about that: I'm going to see what |
she says" -.-.
Madam, you wouldn't read another
voman's letter?' expostulated the Dea-
.Un. r1f
why not?" she asked calmly, proceed
ng to pull the letter from the envelope
She's no business TO be writing scented |
Tisn't good form. And especially to such
| man as Samuel Hopkins. There's sure
o be something disloyal in 1t. She pre-
ends TO be Il great rebel, and in with all
lac plots and plans of the opposition.
May find something of importance in here,