The Tupelo journal., 1904-01-15

pointed girl returned to her home.
strong, SO brave, SO chivalrous in all
things else, would only learn that the
greatest kindness in these cases lies
in simple, truth, it would be so much
better thar for them to "be like gentle
men" to all of the girls and vote for
only one. There was a sad, but at
the same time, funny case of this sort
some years ago, when a OF
great intellectual ability, but too sol
i'd" faith in men Of legislative frailty,
made the ace Cor thought she had).
With unquestioning belief in every
promise, she spent hours Of troubled
thought selecting at one upon whom
she would confer the honor of her
nomination. This was no easy
choice, since ten of her promised sup
porters boarded in the house with her.
At last she chose, however, a man OF
simple honesty who would not break
his promise, even to a woman The
campaign rolled on, and waxed hot.
At last the fateful time arrived, and
among the others, this lady was nom
mated. The voting in those days was
done in caucus, and sometimes the
men who had, to quote from Malcolm
Franklin's brilliant speech of Wednes.
day, lied like Mississippi gentlemen
were safe in doing SO. But for this
time, alas. no amount of p~rotestation
availed to save their regulations, for
when the vote was counted, this lady
had received but one. And that, as
all men (and the woman in the case)
well knew, was cast by the man who
put her in nomination!
There were, no doubt, several SINH
lar experiences in last weeks election,
as three Of the candidates had only
one vote each, and one had three,
while all the rest of that great body
of wise men cast their votes for Miss
Matte Plunkett, and in SO doing,
again gave to Mississippi a splendid
official, and at the same time demon
| strated the fact that il this beloved
land of ours a girl can cut her own
way in life, ever though thorns cover
the road and rocks rise in the path.
Miss Matte Plunkett, with naught to
aid her but an honest name, came
from the far interior OF Leake III
ty, where in early girlhood the suppc'
of a large family slipped from the
fathers (paralyzed) shoulders, to hers,
then frail and inexperienced, but loyal
as only a Mississippi girls can be.
Her victory was a splendid tribute 10
her worth, by the men of Mississippi.
Among the hundreds of eager specta-
tors who crowded tie galleries, sat
one lady who was known to but few.
She was a small, elderly lady, in sim
pie black, whose dimming eyes gazed
at the scene with somewhat OF their
old-time ~fervor, and who leaned far
forward to catch the count while her
hands clasped and ~unclasped con-
tinually, in the intesity of her emotion.
1t was to her that Miss Plunkett turn
ed first, when all was over, for she wa
the mother for whom land the chill
dren') this brave daughter is giving
her youth and strength, and the best
of her life.
OF course The first thorough, prac-
teal test of the capitol is now being
made, and to the great surprise of
every one certain features of it are
most disappointing. For instance, the
acoustics of both these splendid audi
forums are poor to a degree. 1t is a
matter of impossibility to transact bus
mess as things exist, and hence both
houses adjourned today until Monday
afternoon, having in the meantime, ap-
pointed committees to purchase car
pets for the floors. Carpets! Just
think of the dissertation of covering
those beautiful floors with "three-ply
brussels" or ever velvet, carpets! 1t
is dreadful and yet it Tor ONE relief
is absolutely necessary. The beauti-
full marble floors are thoroughly COM
Portable Gas, indeed, is every part of
the entire building, but when the
chairs and desks mot to mention hun
dreds of we'll shod pedal append
ages) strike the floors, the grating
noise seems to have a thousand
echoes, and to spread all owe the
earth. 1t is impossible for those sit
ting in the next row to clearly under
stand a speaker, as matters now stand.
The committees are Lard at work on
bids today and hope to have the floors
covered by Monday.
This unpleasant condition was. I'M
doubtedly, the cause of the senate's
action in excluding from the floor of
the senate everybody except legisla-
tors and their employees, State officers
n newspaper reporters. This is q
most wise action and the house should
follow suit. There is ample gallery
room, and the galleries are elegant in
furnishing and arrangement, for all
visitors, and they should sit there, in
stead of in the way of, or at the elbows
of, the men who are sent here to do
the States most important work. 1t
will be a great day for legislation
| everywhere, when the members of the
legislature and of the lobby are in
different apartments. Quite a little stir
was made Thursday over the same old
bone of contention (now picked up and
polished) viz. furniture n repairs
for the mansion"
The same old song has to be heard