The Irish standard., 1902-07-19

in a voice that WAS growing husky
by very apparent degrees.
"Col. Keever, you have managed
the townsite of Concord and man
aged it WELL Among other things
you have gone ahead, like an able
tactician, and have rushed into this
precinct certain men to build bridges
and houses, and repair roads and
heaven knows what. Now, every
body is aware that the roads are all
right, the bridges in good condition
and that you have more houses than
you can use. Well, then, why have
you brought all these men here? Oh,
we know! That fertile brain, that
intellect that labored and brought
forth the BLIZZARD, has hidden it's
purpose well. but we have discovered
it. Haven't we, boys?"
eve have" came a chorus of thick
voices.
Col. Keever wore q perpetual smile,
very chillilke, very bland; and he
would wink his right eye now and
then and shake his head with great
deal of feeling.
"What's the purpose?' he inquired,
together.
"It's this. That special election is
called for tomorrow. These men
will have been in the county 60 days
and in the precinct 20 days; conse-
quently they can vote and, naturally,
they'll vote for Concord"
"Shouldn't wonder much," re-
marked Keever, with dry hiccough.
"Twenty men, and l pay 'em two dol
lars day for 60 days-that's $1,000
that it costs us to save the county
seat. And who's to the fore in the
enterprise?o Col. Archibald Kccver!
l declare, gentlemen, my throat is
parched. Woul! it be asking too
much"
1t was not asking too much. Col.
Keever was welcome to the best they
had in the shop and all there was of it..
"And this brings us back to where
we started" said Col. Dingle. "Har-
mony would like the county seat and
she would like it just $4,000 worth" :"
Dingle gave Kcever playful push.
"What's that?" murmured Keever,
rolling his eyes.
"Just this" went on Dingle. "In-
stead of voting these men for Con-
cord, vote them for Harmony. You
can do it. The great mind that built
anything"
Col. Keever relapsed into silence
and did his best to think calmly
while the four gentlemen from Har-
mony awaited his reply in soulful
expectation.
"Two thousand?" asked Keever,
huskily. ....
"Two thousand" came an equally
husky reply.
"Cash DOWN."
"Fifty now and 1850 when the
votes are polled."
A long period of silence cnsued to
be finally broken by Keever, with
the anxious query:
"Gen'rmen, is there any left?''
There was some left and libations
were renewed all around.
"What is it, Colonel, yes or no?'
asked Dingle when the gurgiing
period was over.
Through Col. Keevcr's mind there
fitted hazily the following items:
Four hundred aud fifty on account
of "plant;" twentyeigbt sixty to
get that weeks issue out of pawn:
sixty scne odd for sampson, and
there was no knowing the amount
of Pedro Smiths bill. Why not?
He con"hcd, looked around him a
trife ncrvously and then held out
his hand.
"Gi'me the So
A crisp bank note WAS rendered him.
Here yon are,' said l,ingle, land
here are two documents-mere mat
ters of form, you know, one for us
and one For You setting forth
what's to be done, what s to be paid
and when. For your protection as
well as ours. Colonel. Sign there"
Unsteadily the editor took up his
pen and scrawled two awkward sig
natures, whercnpon Col. Dingle
signed below him and the other
three attestcl the act as witnesses.
Then, after drinking the last of
the liquor, the four gentlemen from
Harmony bade Col. Keever an af-
fectionate Goo bye" and left. Col
Keever heard Capt. Blue fall down
the full length of the stairs, heard
Col. Dingle whoop joyously and Maj
Harp tune himself into a discord
family suggestive of eve Won't Go
Home Till Morning." and then these
sounds died away and all was still.
Farther and farther the Colonels
head bowed forward until, no longer
able to retain his seat, he fell under
the desk and lay there, melancholy
example of fallen greatness.
At that moment the door leading
into the worlroom opened softly and
Sampson, a cunning grin on his
freckled face. tiptoed into the sane.
tum.
"It's my turn now, Colonel" he
muttered between his teeth as he
looked down on the sprawled-out
form of his former employer. Stoop.
ing over, he removed the crisp banl,
note from the Colonel's vest pocket
"You owe me something like sos, but
I'll apply this on account. And I'll
put this in my pocket, too" he added
taking from the desk the paper that
had just been signed. "a tramr
printer isn't the man to be fooled
with, Colonel, and you'll understand
this before Pm done with you"
With that Sampson shook his fist
at the Colonel and strobe from the
Offico