The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-11-01

'
( solemn spectacle alongside the young
( Speaker. And n kitten presiding over n
! pack of timber wolves would have been
Z an example of the eternal fitness ut
things compared with young FlouInoy as
J the ruling officer of that House. He hal
/ no moro idea Of tho nature of his job
/ and the powers that were playing with
him than a cocksparrow. caught In a
cyclone, has of Ehe thing ne is up
/ against.
1t meant just one thing to Tlournoy-
the girl! Beyond her, he saw nothing,
knew nothing, cared nothing. His sud-
den political honors were only trophies
to be flung at her feet.
Just before adjournment. at the clo<e
of the fist week, he wrote Miss Lucy
Dove asking If he might take the lib
| erty OF calling upon her Saturday even,
ing. And hesdidn't lose sight of the prob
ability that she would be duly Impressed
by the imposing official stationery upon
which his note was written.
OF course. just what he said to her.
that night as they walked UP and down
between the two long rows of cottonwood
Yin the light of the autumn moon, isn't
of mountaineering as 1t was written
In his face when he showed up at tho
beginning of the week. One of the
boys who was in his open secret read the
Speakers face with the remark: He
had his petition hung up In the HANDS
OF friendly committee, with an intim =
ton of speedy and favorable action"
Sometimes the whole front of his coun-
tenance was hung with the bunting If
assured hope-only TO be changed, in tho
space Of an hour. to the dark draperies
Of threatening despair. But the game
that was put up to hin. in the course OF
the week, was swfter than anything he
Ind ever thought Of and together with
the worsy about tho young woman, 1t
/ wore him to a FRAGILE
/ But, at last, The members adjourn ed
/ for another Sunday at home and he
! packed his grip and made for Bul'sere
on the first train. The sight of young
Flournoy's face, when he returned. was
something to warm the heart of a cob
blestone. Even "old Jawhone" actually
thawed for an instant under the radian !.
OF It, The wedding card was spread on
tlournoy's countenance in palmer terms
than on the engraved announcement. S
that We're opened by the members. TIe
had won the heart OF the little school
teacher as suddenly as he had landed
the Speakersrlp. There was an ire
pressible Young Lochinvar" look In his
4 eye and he rapped his gavel with new
4 ring OF confidence.
old Jawbone" figured that the right
minute had come to spring his biggest
game on the hoy speaker" as he some
times called Flournoy, when talking wi Ii
the gray wolves" of the Insurgent gang.
consequently, he had u private conference
with the knight of the Chair and laid
out the lines oftthe gang programme And
the layout wds ~ rotten and highland 4
deal MS was e2er put up by bun i,
OF Hack Hills ron, rgents
There wasn't FRY moro duplicity IN
4 Flournoy's compassion than IN an ante.
lone and he sh'rd opeFy at the PROOF
sitlon. Then The vnderjaw OF the H.
surgent chief set right and sudden and
he said: Give lne Sotr last word on this
tomorrow no>n.
II Flournoy intended to take his brids
into his conlil.u:e CT the matter no
changed his mind and fought II out inside
himself Probably he was ashamed to
show her what dirty mess was being
brewed among the men who belonged to
his political camp. But he knew all
right, what the thing would look lika
u, her eyes and that was enough far
him, He stood by the white plummes
Isne OF her conscience, as he saw it, and
prepared to abide by the results,
But no recognized that he was nm
against tho biggest set-to he haa e.
eountefed since he had gone into t's
hnishthood business--but he had as little
conception OF what could happen to him
as baby left one railroad track.
That noon. after he had kissed his wifs
dozen times and received her pron>is,
that she would come to the House In the
course OF the afternoon. he clhched IN
ms afnor and went into the speaker,a
private room, ready for the joust with
'ha Honorable "Jawbone." And he had