Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1906-09-28
When the
Votes Tied
By CLAUDE PAURAREs
Copyright, 1908, by W. R. Caldwell


1t was an Off year in politics-that 10.
1t was a bad year for the politicians.
The electors had taken the bit In their
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 ne
had replied:
"shool Why, l hain't got no eddeca-
sbunp
"DonT You reckon yoH iiee2 ANY ".
be. an honest man.
But 1 can't make no speech.
The less CAB the better Been 700
much talk already"
But them educated critters VIII gN
me oil tangled up"
Nobody can't tangle up square
man.
Abe Hewson was nominated and
elected. He didn't have to pay out a
shilling for campaign expenses. and ne
didn't make any promises They knew
him throughout his district as an hon
est man. They said OF him as they
said of January coonskin--that was
prime"
His wife was not pulled up with
pride over his nomination. she had Ut
tie to say during the campaign. IL
was only when he came home ana toid
her that he was elected that she po-
toned him to sit down and then SAID:
ABE Hewson. nobody could dun say
that you wasn't an honest man wnen
married you
Il was tryin' to walk straight, I'll
da."
EUR ten years you was buyin and
sellin nevis. Abe, did you ever lie
and cheat In that business3'
"Drat me, but I was so sQuar' that
couldn't make Twin at It,"
"For six or seven years you have
been buyin' coon and skunk and wood
chuck skins. Have you been liar and
cheatT
mo, Tilda l could have lied once
and made So on q barskin. but 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
he depends on itf"
"'Pears that way"
"And all this ID why you've been
iected 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
eddecated. planners and silks and
broadcloths are not for SIGH as us. We
squatted yere twenty years ago, and
we'll stay squatted till the end. !
hain't maxim the least complaint over
| It, I don't believe I'D care to be rich
and have grand things. I'm satisfied
to 60 right along just like this, but
don't fling Us down, Abe--don't do
that"
what dye mean, Tilda y he asked.
II hain't much of reader. but 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 II. I'm holdin'
my head high and feelin' Jest as good
as any one on this here mounting, not
bekase we've got money, Abe. but be-
kase you are squar' man. If you
should lose that name you'd lose mo.
Pm lovin' you as much as n wife can,
but I'm speakin' mighty straight whom
tell you that II so much as whisper
should come back here that you had
lost your squarness I'd walk OF and
starve to death In the woods rather
than live on with you"
And wouldn't be blamln' you, TIL
d." quietly replied Abe as hs went out
to walk about and think.
Abe Hewson went down to the CAPT
tai of the state In fear and trembling.
He was marked down by certain mem
bers and lobbyists as n good thing, but
they gave him time to shake himself
down into his place. There were axes
to grind on every hand, but II was the
coal men who had the largest. They
wanted charter for railroad to run
to certain undeveIoped mines. 1t
wasn't line to build up the country
and accommodate the people, but to
bring coal out to market. They want
cd a grant of state lands to recoup
themselves.
A powerful lobby, well supplied with
money and arguments, was on hand.
Those who saw through the scheme
and knew that It was n steal also
knew that they had their hands full to
nsnt IT,
ABE was moving along slowly ana
trying to look ahead for pitfalls when
the matter OF the ralirond came UP apd
ne Iound hlinseii IN the thick OF IT, he
round himseir In the position OF many
announcer peiore ms Tune. Tne state
employs no lobbyists to protect herself.
All tne argument ana sophistry ana
money are In the hands OF those who
Wouio rod her' Inc opponents OF tns
raiIroad scheme sat Gown with ABE
HeW9On and tried to make him under