The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-11-08
The Tattlings Of a Retired Politician.
HOW The DEAR PEOPLE FORGET.
By Forrest crissey, Author Of the Country Boy"

Then the business elem ent" waited on
big Mike and asked him to run In
order to save the day. They assured
him that he was the one man who could
SNUFF out the young invader without bat
ting an eye. or course. being Mayor
OF Pfnhole looked like potatoes TO man
who had held che center Of the stage
through whole Legislative session, AMI
who had his eye on seat In the State
Senate. But the boys begged him to
make the sacrifice and urged that the
mere use CT his name would put the
other man out OF the running. Finally
no yielded. The music which had cele-
brated his triun!phal return was still
sounding In his ears and NE looked upon
ter OF form. In fact. he didn't consider
It necessary even to remind the people
that hi had given them the one thing
they wanted. They would never forget
that! So he just kept on handing out
hardware to his customers while the
young lawyer worked his smile and his
stories from one end of the street to
the other.
Somehow. before anybody particularly
realized 1t, there was sort OF general
Inquiry as TO whether Big Mike ever
would be able to satisfy his appetite
for office. Even one or two OF The men
who had been n the Plnhole deega lions
that went up to the capital during the
session. for the purpose OF holding up
Bis Mikes hands and giving him moral
support, were heard to lns'nuate that the
political leader OF the business element
SO hated TO see an office get past him
that he'd be running for Justice OF the
peace or constable next. rather than have
some other fellow fill the place.
Then. the women and the dudes OF PIN
hole society began to whisper that 1t
would be reul nice to have a mayor who
didn't spit on his shirt bosom and who
used ut least three handkerchief in
week.
Well, before the polls oncned you could
walk from one end OF the street to the
other without hearing solitary word
or the subject OF how Big Mike had
stamped a whole Legislature and saved
Pnhole from being crushed under the
wheels OF the water wagon bill But
every time you listened In little politi-
cal taA you were dead sure to hear
how many spots were once counted on
Big Mikes shirt bosom and how tiresome
n thing It Is to see man make a politi-
cal glutton OF himself.
Big Mike didn't hear much OF this talk
and he simply snorted with compn.sant
content at the straa fragments of 1t
that did reach his ears. He allowed that
a man could wear shirt front OF solid
rlug fringed with flne-cut II he could only
give his constituencies their hearts de-
sire and give 1t to EN- quick-when they
called for 1t. The people. he said, knew
oil about him and he knew the people OF
Pinhole so we'll that he didn't have to
get out and run campaign with dude
on shirt front Issue, A bear on
floor sanded with carpet sacks would
be calm and peaceful object compa red
with Big Mike when the ballots were
counted. that night and the election of
tho smooth young lawyer announced.
Mike plowed up both sides OF the street
In his wrath. sold out his business and
moved into another frontier Town. In an
adjoining district which had been as
much bene...ed by his work In the Legis-
lnture as had Pinholc. Then he started
In for a long campai En, He Is working
at 1t now, day and night, and you may
depend upon 1t that he will be back again
for any legislation that the Pinhole dis
trlct may want He says that he Is now
trict may want. He says that he Is now
reformer--and that the first thing he
proposes to reform is the memory nf his
dear Ola friends The people Of Pnhole.
All this. | admit Is rather discourage
Ina to a man who has put up really a
great fight for good measure that ought
to entitle him to an eternal mortgage on
the support OF his district for anything
he may choose to ask. However. there
may be sneakng streak Of satisfaction
to some fellows In the fact that con-
stituency Is about ms quick to forget his
sins and plumbers al his triumps OF
craftsmanship In their behalf. Perhaps
you have forgotten the episode OF Gum
shoe Smith," In the session when you
were laid off Let me jog your memory,
Gumshoe represented one OF the river
districts. Although he had whole lot
OF farmers In his bailiwick, he was out
for any substantial assets he could fas-
ten on to without making too much noise
about 1t, And what's more. he didn't
hold himssx at a cheap price either, He