Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1904-01-14

promise, she spent hours OF troubled
thought selecting lat one upon whom
she would confer the honor of her
nomination. This was no easy
choice, since ten of her promised sup
porters boarded il the house with her.
At last she chose, however, 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
Fra1klin's brilliant speech of Wednes-
day, lied like Mississippi gentlemen,
were safe in doing SO. But for this
time, alasI no amount of protestation
awaited to save their regulations. for
when tn, vote was counted, this lady
had received but one. And that, az
all men (and the woman in the easel
well knew, was cast by the man who
put her il 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 Piunkett, and in so doing,
again gave to Mississippi 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, even 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 coun-
ty, where in early girlhood the suppor
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 splendid tribute to
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-
IN ho ;rfn of hor emotion
It was to her that Miss Plunkett turn
ed first, when all was over, for she was
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-
tical 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
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 even velvet, carpets! 1t
is dreadful and yet it (or some relief
is absolutely necessary. The beauti.
full marble floors are thoroughly COM
Portable (as, indeed, is every part Of
the entire building, but when the
chairs and desks mot to mention hun.
dreds of well shod pedal append.
ages) strike the floors, the grating
noise seems to have a thousand
echoes, and to spread all over 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
and newspaper reporters. This is a
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 little stir
was made Thursday over the same old
bone of contention (now picked up and
polished) viz. furniture and repairs
for the mansion"
The same old song has to be heard
at every session and to many mem
bers its notes. are out of tune. Why
doesn't the State sell the old, rickety,
unhealthy, uncomfortable place (the
property would bring about $75,000.00
now and with s15,000.00 of this a
beautiful modern house could be built
on one of the lots on State street,
where the Deaf and Dumb Institute
stands. With the remainder we could
buy Sligo" just out OF town, and put
the Deaf and Dumb Institution there.
This is, of course, my own idea, but
it seems to me to be an excellent one.
Both houses have had quite num-
Der of bills introduced, but of the bills
even the most Imperative will
speak next time, as there is only room
now to tell of the senate's action to-
day In confirming Gen. Longi1o's ap-
pointments, from Supreme Judge Truly
all down the list, There was hard
fight. The senate was in executive
session three hours and the little
birds who, despite the newness Of
them, have taken up their abode in
these galleries just as they had in
the old ones, tell that the fight was