The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1902-12-23


rolled up Pennsylvania avenue. The
general shifted the refreshing atmos- I
phere as he involuntarily quickened /
his pace. 1t will probably never be
known what turned his thoughts TO
other days when shot and shell rained |
about him and he advanced rapidly |
from the ranks TO the position of cap
tain, then major and colonel, coming
home wearing the straps of general,
all his advancements being achieved by
bravery. 1t may have been those mem
cries were refreshed in his mind by
the murmuring breezes that came gen
tly down from far-famed Alexandria
and the undulating domains of the la
mented Lady Fairfax. 1T any rate he
paused in his walk and remarked half
aloud: 81 have half mind to give
it to a soldier" A passerby hearing
that remark would not have been able
to interpret its meaning. but the read
er of this story will know that lie
still had his mind on the Pamunkey
post office. "But there is the rub"
he went on. (which one? There is
McMurry-he is a veteran of the civil
war, and no better soldier ever shout
dered a musket. chen there is Ran
dali, a soldier of the Spanish-Ameri-
can war, and be mist not be sighted,
and last comes Murphy who now has
a son at the front. Well, 1 have no
choice in the three, now which shall
it be?''
The troubled man walked on in deep
thought for few moments. then pull
ing out his watch to ascertain the time
he exclaimed: II have it'll I will leave
it to chance, and may the disappointed
candidates and their friends have
mercy on me. can make no mistake
in the three. Either of them would fill
the bill. Tonight will not wind my
watch. 1t will stop in the morning at
about the time l awake. If it stops on
an even number of minutes, McMurry
gets the post office; fit stops on an odd
number Randall is the winner. and if it
stops five seconds either way from the
minute mark Murphy viii be open for
congratulations"
With that the Old warrior and states
man thrust the watch into his pocket
and went back to his work of framing
a caustic speech against a measure pre-
pared by the other side of the house.
The matter of the post office vacancy
at Pamunkey was out of his head so
far as he was concerned. He had left
it to mechanical agency which would
soon settle the fate Of the multitude of
aspirants.
In the meantime great anxiety pre-
vailed at Pamunkey. The newspapers
had caught the spirit of the contest
and published all sorts of predictions
as to the result. One started a guess
ing contest and sold coupons on the
result. The acting postmaster squan-
dered the proceeds of the sale of a fine
| Jersey COW in purchasing coupons for
his friends to vote for him. A large
installment of his votes came into the
office of publication on the very night
the congressman's bejeweled watch
was counting off the minutes to decide
whether it would stop at odd or even,
or for the man with the son at the
front.
When the general awoke the next
morning he lay still for several mo-
ments and looked at his watch. which
reposed on his dresser. He wondered
whether or not it had stopped, and if
/ it had who had won. Finally he arose,
placed the watch to his ear and lis
tened. 1t was as dead as the chances of
a host of candidates at Pamunkey. He
/ hesitated to look at the face of the
watch. and finally dropped it into his
pocket with the thought that he could
just as well Look at it after break
fast.
On coming out of the breakfast-room
the general was about 10 draw his
watch from his pocket and decide the
momentous question, when he noticed
a young second lieutenant coming up
the steps. A moment later the gen
era. advanced toward the young volun-
teer infantryman, extending his hand
and exclaiming: Hello, Ferguson
where did you drop from?"
Just in from the Philippines" re.
sponded the soldier, grasping the hand
of the congressman. The two went
into the hotel and had long talk over
the situation in the orient. Felix Fer
guson was son of an old comrade o.
the generals, and his home was in Pa
munkey. When the two reappeareC
from the steps the congressman wa.
asking the question: "Wen, now tha'
you have received your discharge, wha
DO you expect to do?"
To be frank with you, general, 1 an
going back to old Pamunkey and mar
ry pretty Elsie St. Clair and settl,
down." responded Lieut.. Ferguson, col
oring slightly.
At that the general took out hi
watch and appeared to wind it in a me
chanical sort of way. This act set tn,
wheels going and ruined the chance
of some post office aspirant. 1t viii
never be known who won on the stop
ping of the wheels, but it is known tha
one of them lost on their starting.
you are just the man I am lookins
for" said the congressman. "They
need a man in the post office down a
Pamunkey and III have you appointed
this very day. This will give you anC
your young bride a good start in life.
Thank you." said Ferguson, "thi