The Republican., 1903-06-11

OAAN lAO IL an
sary to waste no words on says Scott
Thomas, risin' up and addressin' the
convention bout the campfire, fer
treasurer of this yere county-by the
way, what name be We goin' to give it?'
81 sorter thought Dinwiddie would
be bout the size Mcintosh replies,
after the battle of Dinwiddie court
house, and because it has COED mouth
full like sound
"'Jest So says Scott. goin' on, the
envious record of our feller county citi-
zen is knowed to everybody as well as
his high and unqualified abilities TO
fulfill the position of treasurer of Din
widdie county. nominate the Hon.
Robert Mcintosh. late of Ohio. and |
reckon no galoot in this yere conven-
tion has nerve enough to present an
other candidate
"The nomination was made unani-
nous and other officers was nominated.
Scott Thomas was made prosecuting
attorney. l was put up for sheriff. and
Doc Tobie for clerk. and the rest of the
offices arranged for. 1t is amazin' to
think how our whole ticket was carried
without a dissentin' vote. Every man
was elected with surprisin' unanimity
in bout two minutes.
eve had little rally with the help
of some liquorids slowed away in the
wagon and Mac made us a speech. Saws
he:
Gentlemen. we have taken a mighty
step in the spreadin' of civiliza ton and
the rights and delights of liberty We
have launched hegira of commerce,
the immensity of what it appalls me,
gentlemen, to attempt to grasp hold of.
lean see this yere waste of buffalo grass
and Texas ticks dotted with the homes
of happy settlers, traversed with
macade-mized pixies convergin' in
pop'lous marts and forums. This cleo
tion to-day will go echoin' down the
corridors of time like a steam calliope,
and perpetuate our memories along
side of julius Ceasar and John c. Cal
houn. guess that's bout all l got to
say
Scott Thomas wanted to make a
speech, but we wouldn't let him. In
the afternoon we hitched up and start
ed back to New Athens. Just as we Nvas
crossin' the county line Doc Tobie hol-
lers out, Hold on, boys, we amt got
no auditor
Sure 'nOugh, we'd plumb forgot
bout that office, and then we was
throwed into mess becuz every man
had an Office already, and the law, so
Tobie insisted, forbid a feller holdin'
more than one public job at a time. At
last says, How bout the nigger?'
| "Without gittin' out of the wagon
we nominated and elected the Cook
county auditor, and right well did the
blasted coyote appreciate the honor.
AS soon as we got home Mac printed
some $1,000 school bonds. We had q
devil of time with the auditor. for he
held us up for quarter every time he
made the hen tracks what stood for his
name. A threat to impeach him never
feazed him.
81 didn't have nothin' to dot wi it, he
says. Ma time is sut'nly wuth some
thin, an seein' as you all ain paid me
fer that coolin' yit jest fixes the price
of my autograft at a quartah.'
1--WE chased around and raked UP
enough to buy Mcintosh a outfit, anC
he sailed for London to place the bonds
That was the last we ever see of him
We held on. hopin' he'd make a stake
and show up. Finally things was il
| such shape YOU couldn't raise an aver
age of three drinks a week, though or
account of the hard times the freight
age was split to two for Is cents. One
spring day, bout two years after MaC
left. a agent showed up from England
loolin' for the officers of Dinwiddie
county. We never let on that we
llnowed a thing, but asked what for he
wanted EN-.
"'Why, you know says he, 4 wan
to collect the interest on some schoo
bonds now two years accreted, an(
some way, you know, 1 can't find th'
responsible parties
eve got out of him that McIntosl
had sold them bonds for $4,000 gold
Maybe we wasn't sore, but we WASH
anything beside Macs wife, what hat
been keepin' us as boarders, eXpectin
any day o see her husband float in will
big roll and take her back to her folk
in Ohio, We'd promise to pay herwit1
our share in the bond sale. When he
fit was wore out givin' it to Macs sou
she turned on us and demanded he
board money. We didn't know what t
do, for we couldn't one of us put up tn
fare to Blue Butte, the station out 0
town.
"At Judge Wiggin's suggestion, how
ever. we all had game of hearts owe
the question, and the loser, what wa
Scott Thomas. married the widow an
cancelled the debt"