The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1905-07-05

brought tears - my eyes. 1t was Il
powerful surprise to me. and 1t was
some time befo' l could control my
emotions. When I had succeeded l
said to him:
Judge Golden. | never did care for
office. and l am satisfied to rest on
my record as a soldier, but If the peo-
pie of this state are calling to me, sub,
l must obey. If l am elected to the
high and honorable office l will do my
best to retain the love and affection
of those who honah me-
THAT was the way it happened,
suh." continued the colonel. land it is
needless to add that my tears mingled
with the cocktail l drank with the
Judge befo' he departed.
"a few days later my nomination
followed, and the die was cast. Yes,
sub. l was nominated by reclamation,
and for II time the other party hesitat-
ed about making ii nomination in op-
position. 1t was 20 clear that l had a
walkover and would ride in on the
wave that they were reluctant to make
a move. However. they Mt length de-
cided to put out Il ticket. and after a
great deal of persuasion al unknown
~person-an unknown person way of in
a swamp county-was induced to sac
rifce himself. While he was such a
cipher, sub, that It wasn't deemed nee
eSSary FOR me to make Il campaign,
deemed It best to prepare Il few
speeches and exhibit myself to the EN-
thuSiastic and adoring people.
II carried my speeches and | carried
the people. 1t was said in the papers
that | was the popular idol and that
my remarks were received with hurri-
canes of applause nothing less than
hurricanes. After some of the meet
ings the aioring %populace lifted me
upon their shoulders and bore me about
in triumph, suh-in triumph. The op-
position was silent until the campaign
fully opened, AMI then they blaZcd
forth like 4 battery suddenly unmask-
ed. There was innuendo, falschood and
vitupcration by the barrel, and for IL
moment l felt appalled,.
"\ot tina. they could truthfully as
pcrse my record, sub. but they resortcd
to the" ba 'ps1 lying and the yroSscst
cXaggcration. Can yo' credit it, sub.
that they tried to take from me the
honah Of leading my regiment in the
desperate charge ut Gettysburg? Yes.
they did. suh-thcy shorely did-and
they even went farther. One paper
said | was fO'teen miles in the rear ut
the time, and another published a pic
ture of me sitting on the fence while
my brave boys We're sweeping gallant
~ up The slopes to die for the cause.
Cad, sub. but didn't my blood boil
when ! saw that picture! And they
made charges, sub charges that ! was
a political schemcr and a charlatan and
dishonest to the core and that my the
cries were the phantoms Of an insane
man.
II couldn't 20 ahead, subj couldn't |
do 1t. My motives had been be.ied and |
my honah impugncd, and with the
Bunkcrs. sub with tn" Ruukcrs from
time imm"lnOrial- hoHa. has always
come first. | dropped the canvass to |
preserve and protect my honah. | be-
gan at the read OF tn" opposition. Per
haas 20 remember IF reading of the
sudden demise Of an editor named
Gadsb.v in this state: l walked on him
one day and quietly said:
"Suh. am Colonel Runkcr-co!onel
Bunker. sub. Will yo' kindly arrange
to shoot at me at ten paces:"
HE said he would. sub, and he did.
sub, and l must say that he died like a
gentleman. trusted that my prompt
and vigorous action would have Il salu-
tary effect on his contemporaries, but