The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1903-06-12

rose and closed the glass door. Then
the two old men sat down together,
waiting for the first move, the one
with the hope in his breast for the full
fillment of the ambition of his life and
the other able In sense to give 1t to
him or at least TO get IL for him.
But the Culbersons are not the stuff
that suppliants are made of. The gov
ernor was petitioner at the power of
the press, but he had no intention of
losing his dignity. After some political
gossip between them he made his
whole proposition.
Il have come. sir" he said, ito re-
mind you of what you are aware
doubtless already-that our section of
the state has the prior claim on the
nomination for governor this year. Ii
is my desire TO ask you to agitate the
subject, sir, in the columns of your
newspaper. 1t would be n valued IA
vor 10 your section, sir, TO make our
claim on the office apparent at this
time before those people in the north
ern section of the state claim ii again
on some preteXt or other"
Sam Wilson assented readily to the
proposition. He had been planning TO
do this for some little time, he said,
and he was very glad that the govern
or had come in to remind him of it.
Nothing further on the goVernorshlp
was said. Both men carefully avoid
ed it. Yet Governor Culberson was
much pleased with his interview.
When he arose to go, Sam Wilson
complmented him on his health.
You are looking extremely wei,
governor he said.
The governor acknowledged the COM
pliment
by the way, governor said VIII
son, are you older or younger than
am
you are
'SiXty-seven:"
"Ah, then, sir, | am year your SEN
ior," said the governor. Il am sixty
eight"
The stately old figure. with its gold
headed cane. tramped heavily away
AS he heard its footsteps on the stairs
Sam Wilson sank back again into his
old office chair and shook his head.
Wilson had followed the world close
ly through his gold bowed spectacles.
and he lived i'm n different generation
from Governor Culberson. In the old
school of politics n man had become
lust ripe for governor at siXty-eight.
Now a man in his greatest strength
was none too strong. Sam Wilson re-
membered with a half smile the DAYS
when n fine figure and manners and
an unexceptional family were chief
among the qualifications for the gov
ernorship. The, governor must be a
fighting man now. with the physique
of an athlete. the intellect of q Grim
inal lawyer and nerves like telegraph
wires. Arrayed against him was the
cleverest band of sharpers that the
country afforded. hired bv princely pay
for what they could steal by outwit-
ting the representatives of the people
and especially this one man. The gov
ernor's work was not for Il benevolent
old gentleman. 1t may be different in
some other states, but we are killing
governors at forty-tve.
Nevertheless Sam Wilson wanted the
governorship for our section and be-
gan to call for 1t most heartily. At
the northern end or the state there was
some tendency TO demur at hrst, but
the general drift OF events seemed
favorable to us. There would be no dlf-
ficulty in finding the proper candidate,
the Herald asserted.
1t was at this time that Governor
Culberson began to enjoy foretaste
OF the joys OF victory. The OLD RASH
Toned country politicians VINO formed
MS council or ADVISERS CONSIDERED the
choice already made. was there any
such candidate III our part OF the
slater they asked convlnclhgly' lie
also received many calls ana many
letters from honheiess poilticiahs WHO
wished 10 put themselves Oh recoru.
In a short time the governor consld-
cred 1t his duty TO Visit the Herald OF
nee again.
Il have come, sir" he said to Wilson,
''to congratulate you on your apparent
Success in uDholQing the rights of this