Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1903-12-15
CHAPTER xxx.

CHAPTER xxx.
In HE mass meeting at Spring
town was a most important
IsaSsFSy event. 1t was held in the
Ey courthouse in the center Of
the few struggling houses which made
up the hamlet. The entire Bishop fam
lily, including the servants, attended.
Pole Baker brought his wife and all
the children in new spring wagon.
barley society was represented, as
the Springtown Gazette afterward put
1t, by the fairest of the fair, Miss Dolly
Barclay, accompanied by her mother
and father.
The courthouse yard was alive with
groups Of men, eagerly talking over the
situation. Every individual whose
land was to be touched by the proposed
road was on hand to protect his rights
Pole Baker was ubiquitous, trying to
ascertain the drift Of matters. He
was. however, rather unsuccessful. He
discovered that many Of the groups
ceased to talk when he entered them.
"Some'n's up" he told Alan and Mil
Ter in the big, bare looking courtroom.
II don't know what 1t is, but I smell
rat, an 1t amt no little one nuther"
Opposition" said Miller gloomily.
II saw that as soon as I came. II they
really were in favor Of the road, they'd
be here talking it over with u.s.
I'm afraid that's It," said Alan.
"Joe Bartell is the most interested, and
he seems to be sort of ringleader. l
don't like the way he looks. saw him
sneer at Wilson when he drove up just
now. I wish Wilson hadn't put on SO
much style-kid gloves, plug hat and
negro driver"
mo, that won't go down with this
crowd" agreed Miller. at might in the
slums Of Boston, but not with these
lords Of the mountains. As for Bartell,
I think know what ails him. He's go
ing to run for the legislature and
thinks he can make votes by opposing
us-convincing his constituency that
we represent moneyed oppression. Well.
he may down us, but it's tough on hui
man progress"
At the hour appointed for the meet
ing to open young man who held the
Office Of bailiff in the county and
seemed proud of his stentorian voice
opened one of the windows and shout
ed:
Come in to court! Come in to court!'
and the motley loiterers below began
to clatter up the broad stairs and fall
into the seats. Joe Bartell, short,
thickset man in the neighborhood Of
fifty, with ford face and shock of
reddish hair, led about twenty men up
the aisle to the jury benches at the
landowners whose consent to grant
the right Of way was asked. Stern OPP
position was clearly written on the
leaders brow and more or less distinct
~ reflected on the varying faces Of his
followers.
"Ef we needed 1t, it nd be different
matter" Miller overheard him say in
sudden lull as the big room settled
down into sudden quiet, "but we kin do
without it. We've got along so fur an
we kin furder. All Of US has got good
teams"
Wilson in his crisp, brusque way
made the opening speech. He and his
capital were going to dispel darkness
where 1t had reigned since the dawn Of
civilization. All that was needed, he
finished, was the consent Of the proper
ty owners appealed to. who, he felt
confident, would not stand in their own
light.
He had hardly taken his seat when
Joe Bartell stood up. Alan and Miller
exchanged ominous glances. They had
at once recognized the inappropriate
ness of Wilson's speech and did not
like the white, twitching sneer on Bar
tells smooth shaver face. 1t was az
II Bartell had been for long time
seeking just such an opportunity to
make himself felt in the community,
and there was no doubt that Wilson'S
almost dictatorial speech had made q
dne opening for him.
"Fellow citizens an ladies an gen.
tlemen," he began. 1--WE are glad to
welcome amongst us sort of a second
savior In our Sodom an Gomorry Of
crackerdom. What the gentleman with
the plug hat an spike toe shoes amt
a-goin' to do fer US the Lord couldn't.
He looks nice an talks nice. an. to use
his words. don't believe he deceives
appearances. I'll bet one thing, an
that is at he won't deceive us. Accord
in to him we need i'm every hour, as
the Sunday school song puts 1t. Yes,
he's a-goin' to hep US powerful an
right on. An, fellow citizens, I'm heer
to propose a vote O. thanks. He's from
away up in Boston, whar, they tell me,
niger sets an eats at the same table
with the whites. When his sort come
this away durin' the war, with all Their
up to date implements Of slaughter,
they laid waste to everything they
struck, shot US like rabbits in holes an
then went back an said they'd had a
good hunt But they've been livin' high
up thar sence the war, an Their tim
Der is a-playin' out, an they want some
more now, an they want it bad. So
they send Their representatives out to
find it an lay hold of it. How does he
happen to come heer7 AS well as kin
make out. old ALI Bishop, good man
an a southern soldier-a man that l
hain't got nothin' agin, except maybe
he holds his head too high up his
mind awhile back that lumber would
be in demand some day. an he set to
work buyin' all the timber land he
could lay his hands on. Then. when he
had more'n he could tote an was about
to 50 under. he give this gentleman a.
ontiOn m II Well IN frr co oynod. hyf