The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1904-02-12

eating before the arrival OF a hOcK OF
blackbirds Fastening thither ere the
eventide should be upon them. TIL.
blackbirds came. chattered. gossiped
quarreled and beat each other with
their wings above the smoker sitting
on the top fence rail.
hut he had remembered. 4 thousand
miles to the east ii was commencement
day. seven years 10 day from his
own commencement.
Five years ago. on another June aft
ernoon. yosng man from the east had
alighted on the platform OF the station
north of Plattville and. entering the
rickety omnibus that fingered there
seeking whom il might rattle 10 deaf
ness. demanded TO Toe driven to the
Herald building. IL did not strike the
driver that the newcomer was pre-
ciscly a gay young man when lie climb
ed into the omnibus. but an hour later.
rs he stood in the doorway of the edi-
fee he had indicated rs his destination.
depression seemed TO have settled into
the marrow of his bones.
Piattville was Instantly alert TO the
strangers presence. and interesting con-
lectures Were hazardcd all day long at
the back door OF Martins Dry Goods
Emporium this was the club during
the day., and AT supper the new ar
rival and his probable purposes were
discussed over every table in the town.
/ Upon inquiry he had informed Judd
Bennett. the driver of the omnibus.
that he had come 10 stay. Naturally
such declaration caused a sensation,
as people did not come TO Plattville TO
live except through the inadvertency of
being born there. In addition the young
mans appearance and attire were re-
ported TO be- extraordinary. Many Of
the curious. among them most of the
marriageable females of the place. took
occasion to pass and repass the sign Of
the Carlow County Herald during the
evening.
Meanwhile the stranger was seated
In the dingy Office upstairs with his
head bowed low on his arms. Twilight
stole through the dirty window panes
and faded into darkness. Night filed
the room. lie did not move. The young
man from the east had bought the Her
aid from an agcnt-had bought IL with
out ever having been within hundred
miles of Plattville. The Herald was
an alleged weekly which had some
times appeared within five days of its
declared date of publication and some
times missed lire altogether. II was a
thorn in the side of every patriot Of
Carlow county. and Carlow people. aft
er supporting the paper loyalty and
long. had at last given II up and sub
scribed for the Gazette. published in
the neighboring county of Amo. The
former proprietor Of the Herald. a
surreptitious gentleman with gOatee.
had taken the pTecaution of leaving
Plattville forever on the afternoon pre-
cedinc his successors arrival. The
young man from the east had vastly
overpaid for his purchase. Moreover.
the price he had paid for il was all the
money lac had in. the world.
The next morning he went bitterly to
work He hired compoSitor from
Roucn. young man named Parker,
who set type all night long and helped
him pursue advertisements all day.
The citizens shook their heads pessi.
misiically. They had about given up
!. the idea that the Herald could ever
, amount to anything. and they betrayed
an innocent but ,.ausiic doubt of abil.
ity in any stranger.
One day the new editor left a note on
his door: "will return in fifteen min.
! utes'
. Mr.. Rodney McCune, a politician from
the neighboring county OF Gaines. hap
pening to be In Plattville ON an eTrand
=, TO his henchmen. found the note and
. wrote beneath the message the scath
; ing inquiry. Why
, When he discovered this addendum
, the editor smiled for the first time since
, his advent and reported the incident II
, his next issue. using the rubric why
Has the Herald Returned TO Lifef" a:
, a text for a rousing editorial on hon
. esty in politics. n subject Of which h
already knew something. The politica
district 10 which Carlow belonged wa
, governed by limited number Of gen
> tlemen whose wealth was ever ON tn
. increase. and honesty In politics VA
a startling conception TO the minds %
I the passive and resigned voters. wh'
. talked the editorial over on the stree
, corners and in the stores. The mex
week tneTe WAS anolutE thllpIiat. pei
!. sonal and local in its application. an'
r thereby IL became evident that the new
: proprietor of the Herald was tbeoris
A who believed i'm general that a politi
r clans honor should not be merely o
4 that middling healthy species know
: as honor among politicians" and II
n particular that Rodney McCune shoul'
@ not receive the nomination of his part,
= for congress. Now. Mr.. McCune wa
n the undoubted dictator of the district
and his followers laughed at the stran
@ gers fantastic onset: but the editor wa
N not content with the word of print. ii
o hired horse and rode about the cOur
II try and (to his own surprisel proved {
e be an adaptable young man who Ell
n joyed exercise with pitchfork to tn
n farmers profit while the farmer tall
h ed lie talked little himself. but afte
. listening an hour or 81 he would drop
n word from the saddle rs he left. an
n then. by some surprising wizardry. th
a farmer. thinking over the Interview
!. decIded there was some sense In whs