Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1906-03-16

road or hitched his horse to the fence
and crossed the soft burrows to talk
with them. At such times he stood
erect again and spoke stirringly, flnd-
ing eager listeners. There was one
question they asked him over and over:
"But are you sure the call Will
Gomez"
"As sure as that we stand here.
And 1t will come before the week is
out. We must be readyw
Often when he left them they would
turn from the work in hand, leaving it
as it was to lie unfinished In the fields,
and make their way slowly and
thoughtfully to their homes, while Tom
climbed into his creakinR little wagon
once more, only to fall into the same
dull, hunched over attitude He had
many things to think out before he
faced Rouen and Crailey Gray again,
and more to fight through to the end
with himself. Three days he took for
1t, three days driving through the soft
May weather behind the kind old Jog
trotting horse.
But on the evening Of the third day
he drove into town, with the stoop out
of his shoulders and the luster back
In Ills eyes. He was haggard, gray,
dusty, but he had solved his puzzle, and
one thing was clear in his mind as the
thing that he would do. He patted the
old horse hearty farewell as he left
him with the liveryman from whom he
had hired him and strobe up Main
street with the air Of man who Is
going somewhere. It was late, but
there We're more lights than usual in
the windows and more people on the
streets. An old man, cobbler, who
had left leg at Tppecanoe and re-
placed it with a wooden one, chastely
| decorated with designs of his own
| carvings, came stumping excitedly
down the middle of the street, where he
walked for fear Of the cracks in the
wooden pavement, which were danger
GUS to his art leg when he came from
the Rouen House bar, as on the present
occasion. He hailed Tom by name.
you're the lad, Tom Vanrevelv he
shouted. You're the man to lead the
boys out for the glory Of the state!
You git the whole blame fire depart
ment out and enlist 'em before morn
ing Take 'em down to the Rio Grande,
you hear me? And you needn't be
afraid Of their putin it out, II 1t
ketches afre, neither!"
Tom waved his hand and passed on,
but at the open doors Of the Catholic
church he stopped and looked up and
down the street, and then, unnoticed,
entered to the dim interior, where the
few candles showed only bent old
woman In black kneeling at the altar.
Tom knew where Elizabeth Carewe
hslt each morning. he stepped softly
through the shadowy silence to her
place, knelt and rested his head upon
the rail of the bench before him.
The street was quiet when he emerged
from that lorn vigil. The corner groups
had dissolved. Shouting youths no
longer patrolled the sidewalks. Only
one quarter showed signs of nfe-the
little clubhouse, where the windows
still shone brightly and whence came
the sound Of many voices settling the
destinies Of the United States of Amer
lea. Thither Tom bent his steps
thoughtfully and with quiet mind.
There was a small veranda at the side
of the house. Here he stood unob-
served to look in upon his noisy and
agitated friends.
They were all there, from the old
general and Mr.. Bareaud to the latter's
son, Jefferson, and young Frank Chen
oweth. Trumble was proposing q
health to the president in voice of
fury.
I'm spite Of all the Crailey Grays and
traitors this side of hades!" he finished
politely.
Crailey emerged instantaneously from
the general throng and mounted q
chair, tossing his light hair back from
his forehead, his eyes sparkling and
happy. You find your own friends al
ready occupying the place you men
toned, do you. general?' he asked.
General Irumble stamped and shook
his fist. YOU'RE spawn of Aaron
Burrl" he Moderated. There's not a
man here to stand by your internal
doctrines. You sneer at your own