The Cairo bulletin., 1906-08-24

turn. Men We're solictous about his
health. He came TO know that shawls
and dress patterns and jewelry were
being sent to his mountain home Tai
Tors We're ready TO measure him for
new suits without cost to himself, and
hints were thrown ont that after the
| adjournment he would be wanted to
fill an important position down in the
lowlands.
All this was very soothing and Sc
ductive to Abe. He had always been
used 10 plain speech. spade was
either a spade or not a spade. The
sophistry Of the lobbyists tangled him
up. He was made to see that under
certain circumstances a long handled
! shovel became short handled spade.
lie was man without grain OF nat
ufal vanity, but when gentlemen or
wealth and education asked him To sit
down and drink and smoke with them
and deferred to his opinions ii was
only natural that he should feel puffed
up.
The day came when poll of the
house showed that the vote on the rail,
road bill would be tie. Abe Hewson
could not be counted for certain ou
either side Both sides claimed him,
but he had made no direct promise.
The casting vote would he his Some
of his mountain constituents had come
ItIt l.nt Itn la o..
and the members against the bill they
had soon been reduced to a state OF un
certainty For the first time in thu
history of the legislature an lgnoran.
but honest ''coonskin" member held
the balance Of power With the most I'm |
portant bill Of two decades in the bal |
ance
Queefly enough, the lobbyists bad not /
resorted to direct bribery in Abe's case. |
They might argue ard cajole and |
throw hints OF rewards. but they felt |
afraid to so further. Both sides felt
that he was trying 10 figure things out
for himself ana then cast his vote as
conscience dictated
The day finally came when the b.ll
was TO be put Oh its final passage.
That il would be tie vote every one
was assured, Abe Hcwson was in his
tween two opinions He was no near
er decision ia his own mind than a
week before. Some preliminary busl
ness was being Transacted when
messenger called him out Just out
side the doors he found his wife Size
had on her poke bonnet ana heavy
shoes and calico dress and had been
the sport Of crowd for the last ten
minutes. 1t was thirtysiX miles over
the rough mountain road to the log
cabin. ana she had walked all night
She had neyer been in the city before.
never seen such crowds, never baheld
such buildings, never BOXED 50 many
men in the face
"Gawd, Tilda, but You yege," ex
claimed Abe rs ne laid Il hand on her
Yes Abe"
But what for? What dan brung :
-eY :
THAT railroad hlH, Abe I've baen =
'eadin' of it right along, ana I've dun 4
)een prayin'"
"And-and"-
''Prayin to Gawd. Abc-p"lyin' that
le might dun gimme light to see nv
way clear and make yon see yours n
The light come yesterday. Gawd he :
lun wants YOU to vote agin that rail
Dad and still be an honest man. I've
walked all night to get here ana tell n
ou. ] was skeered by The darkness. Il
nd I'm skeered by tho people They II
re lauelin' at me now. I'd never II
ave come, Abe-Fd never have come
= this Twin world If Cawd hadn't dun H
ent me"
Half an hour later the bill was put u
n Its passage, and one OF the mes u
ages going over the wires to people Y
lterestcd read;
Railroad blI Knocked into a cooked n
at. Abe Hewson's wife did it," n