Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-02-25
"Go on, Go ont" said Bull. and others

WoiuSH 49, IHey can Std0Q tulnSS tuS way
There was scarce laugh at this, SO COM
pietely had the youngster assumed there in
his listeners mind the role Of protector
| of his mother.
well" he continued, I'VE walked down
the road piece next, day-that's yester-
oay. ihere was another house. l Just had
| to go In there, because ma tainted In the
| orchard. 1t made ME almost sick to see
her iayin' there when knew all she needed
| was just grub. l knowed it wasn't nothin'
worse than hunger-but say, fellers, do you
| know that nothin' amt much worse than
| hunger?'' He paused. IT don't suppose you
| do ne added.
A flicker of smile was on his face as
| he looked at them and added:
GU look too fat and heartyt'
A murmur went around the hall, but 1t
| was not mirth exactly.
Well, continued Billy, taking a deep
breath, Il made my mind up that 1 was
| a-goin to get her 'somethn' if I had to
steal 1t. 1t don't sound nice. but that's the
| way l felt. Teller come along and went
into that other house. l didn't speak to him
Know but ali you Jersey folks was just
alike. l sneaked in after him. I was
a-ioadln' up with grub when l let plate
raj! out OF my fingers and got ketched.'
Musser had reached the limit of endur-
| ance. He did not RISE but he said. and
afterward regretted it:
You see, he acknowledges that he's 8
thief
Billy turned upon him like little wild
cat. Again that small, accusing finger
pointed at him.
Yes" said he, II was a-stealn', and it's
Jest sech men as you that makes folks
steal"
He turned again to the delegates as a
whole while Musser struggled hard to find
words with which to meet the onslaught of
this small AMI unexpected Nemesis.
Il said that I got caught in that house
as 1 tried to hook some grub he went
on conversationally, not deigning even an
he paused again, and there was no sign
that any one there in that hall desired to
interrupt his little silence.
What do you suppose that that man did
to me?" he asked at length.
Still Musser had not learned his lesson.
Licked you as you well deserved,
hope he said.
1t a mistake, but before til, dele
gates had had a chance to tell him that
with shouts and groans Billy, earnestly,
quietly and with as much effectiveness in
his untutored manner any carefully
trained orator could have thrown into the
words-an effectiveness of quiet that almost
made his hearers catch their breath-went
on:
That's where Mr.. Musser's wrong. That's
what he'd a-done. You'd have to look for
any man to do that that would set his dog
onto a woman. But that other man, he
amt that sort. He fed us so'st we
wouldn't have to steal. He give us bees
to sleep in. Mas goin' to help around his
house till somethin' better comes along,
and he-he got me job down to the
office of the newspaper, and I'm goin 10
earn enough to pay him back Tor WHAT
stole. That's what!'
He paused again. while the faces of his
auditors relaxed and smiled at one anotner.
Then again the small arm and pointing
fingers were thrust out, not accus1ngly TINS
time but with a certain air OF pride ana
gratitude.
and there" he said, pointing to the
flushing Cooper, "is that man.
49, ,f,,rr Of
it was quickly stopped when 1t was seen
that Billy had not finished speaking.
Now, fellers,'' said Billy, with smile,
and with no apparent knowledge that ne
was outraging the dignity of the conVeh-
ton by thus designating solemn delegates
Il don't know what a man in Congress mas
to do and 1 don't know what sort ought TO
go there, but, If 1t amt penitentlary, IL
seems to me that I'd vote a gee sight
quicker to send man to 1t that give
chunk of mince pie to a hungry Kid than
would for one that hollered him away ana
sicked the dog onto woman.
For an instant he stood there looking at
them His face was white, and not man
doubted that he had been talking from
true experience and his heart. There had
been many little details in his speech ana
its delivery that no report could reproduce
details that proved it's honesty and earn
estness. There was a silent pause. linen
Jack Selkirk. who had been not less alb
sorbed than were the others, held out his
and, with MS ndHuS Oh DIZZY
jumped down to the floor.
The tears shone In his eyes at last, but
they had not been there while he had
spoken He fought them bravely and turn
ed his face up toward the platform SO thal
only Bull could see them
Musser, half strangled by his wrath, sat
silent and staring Cooper was very red,
and looked the picture of complete as
comfort In the gallery there was not a
whisper Even the hoodlums were quite
silent Mercy's eyes were bright and Wink
ing. and Bess leaned back upon the bench
with flushed face and her arms stretched
tensely to the rail before her. Betsey BOD
bin with blazing cheeks and eyes that
winked faster than most eyes could, stared
at the ceiling of the hall.
Suddenly there was an uproar of applause.
Bull checked 1t with gesture and stepped
forward off the platform. He spoke quietly
and his voice choked little. He also
winked his eyes for some unstated reason.
His words seemed almost if they were
continuation of the boy -,
And so would We" he said, not very
loudly, to the delegates. Now, woulon
We?'
An approving roar rushed toward him,
and from one of the back seats man rose
up to shout:
II move we nominate Caleb Cooper by ac
clamation! A risin vote!'
Il second it! I second it!' another voice
called loudly.
picking up his gavel said:
us 1t the will of this convention that
Caleb Cooper be unanimously and by ac-
clamation named as our candidate for Con-
gress?"
AYE! Aye!'
Yes! Yes!'
The cheering came from everywhere In
that same voice that had spoken from the
rear before there came in strident tones:
You bet!
And instantly every delegate in the hall.
excepting only Caleb Cooper and Jake Mus
ser had risen to his feet.
Pandemonium had broken loose. At last
Musser rose and waved his arms and shout
ed protests but no one needed them. The
first words heard were those of Bull, who
roared above the tumult:
Then let's elect him, too!
And with no more formal motion of par
liamentary procedure the convention sep
arated into yelling groups of enthusiastic
men, all trying to get hold of Cooper's hand
to shake it or struggling in the press which
surged about the almost smothered form of
Billy Sucker.
Probably Jack Selkirk was the only per-
son in the hall who tried to catch the eye of
Betsey Bobbin But he tried and easily sue
ceeded for her eye was seeking his. There
was profound respect In the way he waved
his hand to her and bowed.
Aunt Betsey did iti' he said a moment
later to Sam Bull
"Sha did by poshr' said Bull