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

of valor he decided to take to politics.
We've been told. until we're tired, that
all tho world loves a lover: but It's
gospel truth just the same-and when
Flournoy Intimuted to the boss of his
district that he wanted to go to the
House the old Plat In overalls decided
That. for once. he'd Indulge the luxury
of u little sentiment. So he put the thing
through and landed Flournoy on the
ticket. The opposition was mighty stron.
that year, and if 1t hadn't beon for the
quiet way In which the boss put forward
what the literary critics call the .'ro-
nance clement his candidate certainly
would have been skinned at the polls. But
the love affair caught the fancy Of all the
old boys and some Of the young ones and
1'lournoy found himself elected, address,
ed as Honorable" and petted by the
whole community.
Before the smell OF the fireworks cele-
brating his election had been blown out
OF the main street of Bullseye, Flournoy
bensan to receive kilograms, and delcsa-
tons from the various factions fighting
for control OF the House. He was lust
wise enough to play safety and not tie
up with any particular crowd-but he
was kept so busy returning the evasive
answer that he didn't have a chance 10
call on the little school teacher and
throw his future at her feet. In fact the
very night when he had put on his hest
garments and his statesman's smile and
was walking the floor In mad effort to
screw UP his courage for call on his
lady. male siren. from another district.
dropped In and delicatcly ntimated that
stranger things had happened tknn the
lection Of Robert Irlournoy as Speaker
OF the House. And when the political siren
closed his darkhorse song he left a hook
OF parliamentary rules for young Flour
noy's perusal and inspiration.
The poison worked SO swiftly that, In
stead OF treadng the cottonwood lane
That led to Squire Baldwin's house, where
tho school teacher tIlrded, as he had
intended. Flournoy sat s,rauils Of a
Kitchen chair, his head resting IN ltY lack
and his mind working on the splendid
possibilities ahead. II didn't take him
long to figure that II membership in
the House was a strong card 70 pl:y
In his suit for the hand OF this Lady, tnc
Speakership would be royal tlusn. II
the stake had been his ow, ,ife lie
couldn't have been In more ded lily ein-
lest, SO he concluded to wait /, bit ana
make try for the Spenkersh,T cfore
he showed his hand.
Consequently, he sent his lovn a~a'r
into committee for future report AHA
struck out for the capital. There h.
| found things split up into three bunch
i es with party lines lost in tina scra,nnle
( FOR power, The Regulars and tho IN
/ sursen's were evenly divided and thrre
( hungry Scouts held the balance OF pow
= err. The Scouts stood out until tho .ast
minute before the formal opening of Il a
z Rouse and 1t looked MS II the deadlock
might be good for half the life OF the
I session
But Just then the hatchet-faccd old war
horse OF the Insurgents, who had whis
pered the siren song to Tlournoy took
a strip on the situation and showed that
he could spell organization with big
y 10" He had an under Jaw like the low.
er blade of o rolling mill shears-the sort
! that ships oft steel rails as easy as a
small boy bites stick candy. And his ewes
that had about rs much OF the glow 81
human Kindness as the points OF tw
diamond drills, "Old Jawbone," as IL 2
+ boys called him, was seasoned tarriec
who Ind been waiting, for years to Sc,
his teeth into a Good Thing" He saw
/ his CHANGE and made hinge for Il.
i Suddenly, out OF the chaos OF thfngs
came the word that he had whipped Tho
three Scouts into line and thai. VIII
their votes, the Insurgents would mn,
young Flournoy into the Speakers chair
And they did H. too. In short order, afte.
the state patronage had been parce' ~
ont 10 meet the demands OF the Scout~
Probably no Speaker ever carried I'M,
the big chair at the head OF a sta.,
House OF representatives happin
reart than Flonrnoy's He fairly per
splrcd beads OF Joy. kitten with
Sazen balls Of yarn Goslj have made