News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1903-12-09

| seemed proud OF MS StenJOflan voice
opened one of the windows and shout
ed:
Come in to court. Come in TO courtr
and the motley loiterers below began
1 10 clatter up the broad stairs and fall
into the seats. Joe Bartell, q short,
.hickset man in the neighborhood Of
fifty, with a ford face and q shock of
:eddish hair, led about twenty men up
The aisle to the jury benches at the
right of the stand. They We're 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.
EFF we needed it, it nd be q 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
ululC lllC pDCCNil' liz anu Ills
capital were going to dispel darkness
where it had reigned since the dawn of
! civilization. All that was needed, he
! finished, was the consent of the proper
ty owners appealed to. who. lie 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 glancCs. They had
at once recognized the inappropriate
ness of Wilson's speech and did not
like the white, twitching sheer on Bar
tells smooth shaven face. 1t was as
If Bartell had been for a long time
seeking just such an opportunity to
make himself felt in the community,
and there was no doubt that Wilson's
almost d.ctatorial speech had made a
fine opening for him.
"Fellow citizens an ladies' an gen
tlemen," he began. I'VE are glad to
welcome amongst US Il sort Of a second
savior in our SoGom an Comorry of
crackcrGom. What the gentleman with
the plug hat an spike tee shoes amt
agOin' 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 it. Yes,
he's agoin to hep us powerful an
right off. An, fellow citizens, I'm heer
to propose vote O thanks. He's from
away up in Boston, whar, they tell me,
a 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
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-made 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 go under, he give this gentleman a.
option on it. Well, so fur so good; but,
gentlemen, what have we got to do
with this trade? Nothin' as | kin see.
But we are expected to yell an hol1er
an deed EN- a free right of way
through our property so they kin ship
the timber straight through to the
north an turn it into cold Yankee coin.
We don't count in this shuttle gentle
men. We git our pay fer our land in
bein' glad an heerin' car bells an
steam whistles in the middle O. the
night when we want to sleep The en-.
gynes will kill our hogs, cattle an
bosses an now an then break the
neck o some chap that wasn't hit in
the war, but we mustn't forget to be
glad an bend the knee O. gratitude. OF
course we all know the law kin compel
us to give the right of way, but it pro
vides fer just and sufficient payment
fer the property used; an, gentlemen,
I'm agin donations. Pm agin 'em tooth
an toe nail"
There was thunderous and ominous
applause when Bartell sat down. Will
son sat flushed and embarrassed,
twirling his gloves in his hands. He
had expected anything but this per-
sonal fusillade. He stared at Miller in
surprise over that gentleman's easy,
half amused smile as he stood up.
Gentlemen" he began, land ladies'"
he added, with bow to the right and
left. AS many of you know, l pre-
tend to practice law little, and l want
to say now that I'm glad Mr.. Bartell