The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-03-02
Our Daily $bort Story

sir, until you have won the day." she cried r1errily. T He asked her to step into the hall with him and said:
 ..Helen, I am sorely in need of help and advice. am beaten and yet have victory in my grasp have just had A conference with the c. T. & B. people and have found that they are the ones behind Judge Manning. They have bought under some of my delegates and can de- feat me, but say they wip not if I will agree to be friendly" which means, of course, to vote as they desire on their franchises"
 And you spat upon them, of course." cried the girl, clinching her hands,
 woolcott's eyes dropped and the color mounted his cheeks.
 Mot exactly" he stammered. T knew your heart was set upon it-and-and the idea of defeat is so hard-that-that-to tell the truth. I temporized. I took ten minutes to consider and came straight to you" r
 we want no honor. bought from those who charge the usury of self-respect," returned the girl, her eyes blazing Forgive me, Helen," said the man, straightening, ''my mind was befuddled- I was weak, where I should have been strong will give them the answer" The girl stepped closer and placed her hand on woolcott's arm.
 Don't give up. Arthur" she said. Fight them-fght. fight, fight. love you, whether you win or loee.'
 woolcott's eyes wandered dully over the scene before him. He saw the crowd ed galleries and the floor below slowly filling with delegates. He saw the flag draped about the desk on the stage. He saw the decorations and political mot toes hung about the hall. All these things he saw as In a dream. Then the fire flashed into his eyes as though a spark from those of the girl had struck them. By heavens. will," he said. "and I'll
 give them a body blow" He turned
 abruptly and went down the stairs two
 steps at time. The girl smiled faintly
 and returned to her seat.
 The convention was called to order and the preliminaries were hurried through.
 While the credential committee was ver- flying the list of delegates. the chair
 man asked the two candidates for the nomination for the State Senate, the only contested place, to address the conven- tion.
 Judge Manning spoke first and made a ringing address which brought great ap- plause. .'
 Then Arthur woolcott was announced He was greeted with applause because
 he was popular man and orator. As
 he mounted the stage a murmur of sur prise ran through the hall. Always dash ing, bouyant and brilliant, the young law yer came forward, pale, solemn-almost | diffident.
 'I stand here to tell you. my fellow cltizens," he said in clear, impressive tones, that I am undoubtedly defeated | for the position to which I aspired. I regret it only as the forces which have | defeated me menace the safety of the | State and the cause of popular govern
 ment Within the hour I have been offer | ed a guaranty of ti,e nomination if ! would pay the price. I cannot oo 1t and | retain my manhood. so I have decided to remain a layman among you. have | enough delegates instructed for me to | nominate me together with three unin-
 structed delegates who will vote for me John Martin of Crater: Andrew Holmin. l of Pigeon Crossing, and William Peters, ! of the Third ward. But the representa- tives of the c. T. & B. have shown | me almost indubitable proof that six del- | egates instructed for me have been reach-
 ed by influences which they control and | will find a pretext to vote for my oppo- nent. confess my deep disappointment
 at my impending defeat but, my fellow | StNAACho1 I CuHhOS bO NO CdDAtdA ds
 the representative of private corpora
 tion. and since I cannot go as the repre-
 resentative of the people prefer to re- | main at home. I make these statements
 not at all in prejudice O. Judge Manning | whose integrity I do not doubt, but only
 that the delegates who intend to betray their instructions may be placed on re- l,uord for what they are-the creatures of 1 the c. T. & B."
 Wooleott seated himself amid the most ! profound silence ever seen in a political l convention. The delegat1% scarcely
 breathed for the next few minutes. Away
 back near window Major Robey drop ped a heartfelt damn"
 When the roll was called on the nomi- nation for State senator not one of Wool
 cott's instructed delegates had the face
 to stay bought" and he received the
 nomination by a majority of two
 When the roll was finished and before
 1t was announced a pale faced girl in the
 gallery arose and flung a bouquet of
 roses full upon the stage at Woolcott's
 feet. and went toward the door nearly ] on run, laughing hysterically.