Live Oak daily Democrat. (Live Oak, Fla.) 190?-190?, 1906-08-30
When the
Votes Tied
By CLAUDE PAURAREs
Copyright. 1905. by W. r Caldwell

Iue electors n2Q taken Ine Dit IN Jnelr
teeth and run away, and the cut and
dried nominees had failed to become
candidates. 1t was because of this that
Abe HewSon had been elected to the
legislature from one Of the mountain
districts. When his friends and neigh
bOrs had talked Of nominating him he
had replied:
''ShoO! Why, hain't got no eddeca-
shun-'
Don't you reckon you need any to
be an honest man."
But can't make no speech"
The less CAB the better. Been too
much talk already
But them eddecated critters viii git
me all tangled up"
Nobody can't tangIe up a square
man"
Abe HewsOn was nominated and
elected He didn't have to pay out
shilling for campaign expenses, and he
didn't make any promises. They knew
him throughout his district as an hon
est man. They said Of him as they
said Of a January coOnSkin-that was
prime"
His wife was not pulled up with
pride over his nomination. She had lit
tie to say during the campaign. 1t
was only when he came home and told
her that he was elected that she mo-
TONED him TO sit down nd then said:
"Abe HewsOn, nobody could dun say
that you wasn't an honest man when |
married you"
Il was tryin' to walk straight. Til
da."
"Fur ten years you was buyin' and
sell-n' nevis. Abe, did you ever lie
and cheat in that businessT
brat me, but was so squar' that /
couldn't make a Twin at it."
"FOr six or seven years you hav"
been buyin' coon and skunk and wood
a cheat?'
"NO. T1lda. l could have IieI once
and made So on a b'arskin. but l shet
my teeth hard agin It"
You kin borrow a dollar Of most
any man. can't your
Reckon So"
~And when a man has got your word
be depends on lt7''
"'Pears that way"
And all this Is why you've been
'lected- It's cause you've got a good
name; It's cause your a squar' man.
Abe. We uns Is pore folks. We hain't
educated Pianers and silks and
broadcloths are not for SIGH as US. We
squatted we're twenty years ago, and
VEL stay sQuatted till the end
hain't maxim the least complaint over
H. / don't believe I'd care to be rich
and have grand things. I'm satisfied
to go right along just like this. but
don't fling us down, Abe-don't do
that"
What dye mean, TiIda ?" he asked
Il haln't much of a reader, but 1 Can
make out 'nuff In our weekly paper to
know that heaps O. men are willin' to
part with their honesty to get ahead in
the world. Don't part with yours You
are goin' whar you'll be tempted, but
shet your teeth agin It I'm hoIdin'
my head high and feelin' jest as gooF
as any one on this here mounting, not
bekase we've got money, Abe. but be-
kaSe you are a Squar' man. II you
should lose that name you'd lose me-
I'm lovin' you as much as q wife can.
but I'm speakin' mighty straight when
tell you that II so much as a whisper
should come back here that you had
lost Your squar'ness I'd walk of and
starve TO death in the woods rather
than live on with you"
And | wouldn't be biaLlin' you, TIL
ca" quietly replied Abe us he went out
to walk about and think.
Abe HewsOn went down 60 the CAPT
tai OF the state in fear and trembling.
He was marked down by certain mem
berS and lobbyists as a good thing, but
they gave him time to shake himself
down into his place. There were axes
10 grind on every hand. but 1t was the
coal men who had the largest They
wanted charter for a railroad to run
10 certain undevelOped mines 1t
wasn't line to build up the country
and accommodate the people. but to
bring coal out TO market. They want
ed a grant of state lands to recoup
themselves.
A powerful lobby, well supplied with
money and arguments. vas on hand.
those who saw through the scheme
ana knew that il was Il steal also
knew that they had their hands full 10
6ghtit.