The Washington herald., 1906-11-11

I
man to take along a number Of friends
for halliday or so. in order that they
might have a chance 10 crafty their
curiosity and show their admiration for
| the candidate.
But the attention Of Harley was at
tracted presently by one Of the strangers.
a smallish man of middle age. with a
weak jaw and a look curiously COM
pounded Of eagerness and depression.
The strangers eye met Harley's, and,
encouraged by his friendly look. he cross
ed the aisle and spoke to the correspond
ent
You are one Of them newspaper fellers
that travels with Grayson, amt you?' he
asked.
Harley admitted the charge.
And you see him every day?" contin-
ued the little man. admlringly,
Many times a day
My Ny. Jest TO think of your comm
away out here to take down what our
Jimmy GraysOn says, so them fellers in
New York can read It! I'll bet he makes
Wall street shake. I wish I was like
you, mister, and could be right alongside
Jimmy Grayson every day for weeks and
weeks, and could hear every word he
said while he was pOundin them fellers
IL Wall street who are runnin' our cOun-
try. He is the greatest man in the world
Do you reckon / could get to speak 20
him and jest tech his hand?"
why certainly" replied Harley. He
was moved by the little mans child
like and absolute faith and his rever-
ence for Jimmy Grayson as a demi-god.
II was not without pathos, and Harley
at once took him into the next car and
introduced him 10 Grayson, who received
him with the natural cOrdiality that
never deserted him. Plover, the little
man said was his name-Wnliam Ployer,
Of KalapOosa. ChOctaw County He re-
garded Grayson with awe, he seemed TO
wish no more. and made himself still
smaller IN a corner, where he listened
attentively 10 everything that Grayson
said
He also stood in the front row at each
stopping place his eyes fixed on Cray
sons face while the latter made his
speech. The candidate. by-and-by, began
to notice him there It is often a habit
with those who have TO speak much in
public 10 fix the eye on some especially
interested auditor and talk to him direct
~ It assists In a sort of concentration,
and gives the orator a willing target.
GTayson now spoke straight TO Plover,
and Harley watched how the little mans
emotions, as shown IN his face. reflected
in every part the orators address There
was actual fire in his eyes, whenever
Grayson mentioned that ogre. Wall street.
and tears rose when the speaker depicted
the bad condition of the Western farmer.
Wouldn't / like 10 go on 10 Wash
ington with Jimmy Grayson when he
takes charge Of the government" ex-
claimed Plover 10 Harley when this
l4f
myself. but jest to see him make things
hum! Won't he make the fat fellers
in Wall street sQueaI? He'll have the
robber barons squirmin' on the griddle
pretty quick, an wheatH go straight 70
q dollar a bUshel, suret can see it now
His exultatiOn and delight lasted all the
morning; but in the afternoon the de
pressed, crushed feeling which Harley
had noticed at first in his look seemed TO
get control
Although his interest in Grayson's s
speeches and his devout admiration did
rot decrease, Plover's melancholy grew,
and Harley by-aud-by learned the cause
Of il from another man. somewhat similar
in aspect, but larger OF figure and stronger
OF face
ITO tell you the truth. mister" said
the man, with the easy freedom Of the
West, Billy Plover-and my cousin ne Is,
twice removed-my names Sandidge-is
ruunin' away"
Running away" exclaimed Harley. in
surprise. Where's he running TO, and
what's he running from?"
Where he's rUnnin' 20, I don't know
California. or Washington. or Oregon. I
guess. But I know mighty well what he's
runuin away from. it's his wife"
All, a family trouble said Harley.
whose deLcacy would have caused him 10
refrain from asking more. But the gar
rulous cousin rambled on.
It's a trouble. and it amt a trouble
he continued. It's the weather and the
crops, or maybe because Billy amt had
no weather nor no crops. either. You see.
he's lived for the last ten years on a quar-
ter-sectiOn out near Kalapoosa. with his
wife. Susan. d good woman and q terrible
hard worker. but the rains been mighty
light for three seasons, and Billy's wheat
has failed every time It's kinder got on
his temper, and, as they amt got any
children to take care of. Billy he's been
talSin to politics. Got an idea that he can
speak, though he can't. worth sbucks, and
thinks he's got mission 10 whack Wall
street. though / amt sure but what Wall
street dent deserve it. Susan saws he
amt got any business in politics, that he
ought to leave that 10 better men. an STAY
an wrastle with the ground and the
weather. So that made them take to spat-
tin"
And the upshot?"
Wal. the upshOt was that Billy said he
could stand il no longer So last night he
raked UP half the spare CO sh. Ieavin' the
rest and the farm and stock to Susan. an
ne loped out. But first he said he had to
Il whole team of prophets to him. and. as
Jmmy's goin' West. right on his way. he's
come along But tonight. at Jimmy's last
stoppin' place, ne leaves us and takes
:-atn straight to the Coast Tn sorry. be
cause Il Susan had time 10 see him and
talk it over-yOu see she's the man Of the
two-the whole thing would blow over.
and they'd be back on the farm. workin'
hard, and with good times ahead"
Harley was moved by this pathetic little
tragedy of the plains. the result OF IOneH-
ness and hard times preyiag upon the tenn
per5 Of two people. Poor devil," he
thought. ''It s as his cousin says; II Susan
could only be face to face with him for
FIVE minutes he'd drop his foolish idea Of
running away and go home"
Then Of that thought was born unto
him a great IDEA, and he Immediately
hunted uD the cousin again.
rs KalapOosa a station on the teIe-
graph liner he asked
'Oh, yes
Would a telegram to that point be de-
liveTed to the PloveT farm?'
Yes Why, what's up?"
Nothing I just wanted to know Now.
can you tell me what time tonight, after
our arrival. man may take a train for
the Coast from Weeping Water. our last
stop?"
We're due at Weepin' Water" replied
the cousin, at eleven O'Clock tonight.
but I cal'late it'll be higher twelve when
we strike the town. You see. this is a
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