The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1906-01-06
g&leet Sturp.
THE TEPPENPAW PRICE.
Francis Lynde in the Cosmopolitan.


noon of the day of the County Convention
before Teppenpaw got away from the TregC
Hotel and the dinner rendered him by the
leading members of his party.
Time was when it would never have oc
cured to Greene County constituency Il
dine candidate for the Legislature; but
the world moves, even in the solid South.
To be sure, the banquet in this instance
was no more than shirt-sleeved gathering
about Tarkins longest table in the bare
diniugroom of the tavern, with Tarkins'
roast pork, boiled cabbage and the other
hearty comestibles of farmers midday
meal for the viands. But its significance
remains
The idea originated in the fertile brain
of Jake Layne, one of the party stand -bys.
Teppenpaw was dark horse. His name
had been sprung upon the Convention at
the last moment, when it had become evi-
dent that Luttrell and his miner delegates
would bolt if either Carmody or Bulhek--
both lukewarm in the cause of organized
labor-became the party candidate. Some
one had suggested Teppenpaw as com
promise Luttrell had demurred. One
Of the issues of the campaign was the pro-
posed repeal of the State law authorizing
the sale eff convict labor to the highest
bidder: how did TePpenpaw stand on this?
\ miner from the Luttrell faction had been
keputel to take the young farmer aside for
probing purposes, and TePPcnpaw, know
ing nothing of the log rolling, or Of the
mention of his name in connection with the
candidacy, had answered unguardedIy. He
though it would be well to repeal law
which held the threat Of convict competi-
ton over the heads Of free men in the coal
mines, and said SO. Whereupon Luttrell
had swung his contingent into line. and the
nomination was made and carried before
Teppeupaw fully understood what was
happening. After the adjournment, Layne
and some others thought it might be well
to examine their hastily chosen compromise
specimen under the party microscope
Hence the dinner a, Tarkins
II reckon We wasn't lookin for this
when sc drove over from the Thiri Dis
tric, this mornin', was We. John p said
Iayne, when the steel knives and forks
we're fairly in play ever Tarkin> red
checked ,ablecloth
NO. sa;d Teppenpaw zaberly And
if you pushers had gwen me half chance
10 say whas san;ei to. /, j never ye
come to a vote on my name this side o.
kingdom come.
Listen at him laughed Tris-s, an
other Of the party wheel horses Yc
or,n' to be 50 bashfal, John. They ain {
nobody goin to bite ye uP youdcr 4, ,he
capital.
Teppenpaw looked down the length Of
the table and braecd himself resolu,ely Tor
wha, he had to Do. He was strong
hmbed, sqaAre-shoulderei young tellow,
vith steel gray eyes and the rctiocni. Im.
mobile face Of the mogutaineeT stock. From
a sheer sense Of duty be had a,teniel his
district convention the night before; and
being appointed delegate TO the coanty
gathering, he had been present to answer
to his name Farther into politics he
would have said that oxen could not have
drawn him
II reckon it heap ton late now 10
make the kick that would have kcp, you
all from shown me 70 the from, the way
you did, he began gravcly; 'bai i, ain {,
too late TO tell you what you We run up
against 1 m 10 politician. don, even
know A. tn what yog d call good Demo.
erai. If it came 10 question of wha,
believed To be right against the party, I i
bolt in aminGte
"But that isn' al, Tcppenww went
on. iossedly. II ain the tirs, H,tls bic
in sympathy with the way thing are done
in politics For iustanoe-as eaali
date, | don allow 10 contribute a dollar
TO the campaign fund and You all know
I've given a. free A. | could afford to in
the past;
We'll, that's all right, too, said the
two hundred pounds Of approval a, the
farther end of the table What next
Next Is something that Il cost lue every
third vote in the county, l reckon, said
she dark horse, braeins himself llttle
more s;ifiiy. Il amt going 10 lose a
month time ridin all over rhi, county
begin for votes
This was body blow At custom-the
time honored Southern custom which de-
cre,s thas a candidate shall do mach Of his
own electidneering.
Il reckon yen jest about have to do
that John, objected Layne, breaking the
knife and fork silence that followed Tep-
penpaw declaration
mo, said homes, John, sturdily.
''And there vet one more thing if IN
elected, 20 TO the capital without hayin
any strings tied to me make no swaps
or bargains or promises beforehand
Sawson, the county prosecuting attor
ney, looked up from his plate.
Seems to me you might have told Us
some Of these things over yonder in the
court -rOom, Mr.. Teppenpaw.
"You can any of you say | didn' try
to, asserted the candidate, But YOU
all turned in and hollered me down Now
| reckon you We got to make the best Of it
and take the chances.
Biglow, the town wag, passed his cup
for more of TaTkins' chicory coffee.
Lucky for US there ain a-goin' to be
any chances to take, = he laughed The
Green County Democracy could elect a
wooden Indian, if it had a mind to- What
I IN worryin' most about is what John Il
do when some O them lobbyists up yondel
at the capital flashes a roll on him.
1t was joke, and Teppenpaw joined ii
the laugh But when it came his turr
again, he said, That all right amongst
friends, Josh; but its a place where al
honest man might be pretty thin-skinned. 7
''Shucks!' said young farmer from
Teppenpaw's own neighborhood, "that
ain nothin to get mad about. They al
do it. Every mans got his price, now
adays.
Teppenpaw turned on him quickly
"When you hear a man say that, yoJ
know toler' bic well where to find him
Hank. "
The table applauded the hit, and thc
youngling laughed good naturedly.
"Oh, I amt got any wings sproutin',
he confessed. 81 own up right now tina
it be the size of the pile that d catcl