The Cairo bulletin., 1906-08-24
When the
Votes Tied
BY CLAUDE PAURARES
Copyright, 1905, by W. H. Caldwell

dried nominees had failed to becom
candidates. Ii was becausvnf this tina
Abe Hewson had been elected to TIL
legislature from one of the mountain
districts. When his friends and neigh
bors had talked OF nominating him Ii,
had replied.
"Shoo! Why, hain't got no eddoca
shun"
Don't you reckon you need any L
be an honest man"
But | can't make no speech"
"The less CAB the better Been toe
much talk already"
But them eddecated critters viii gil
me all tangled up"
Nobody can't tangle up a square
man"
Abe Hewson was nominated and
shilling for campaign expenses, and he
| 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 lit
! tie 10 say during the campaign. It
was only when he came home aud told
her that he was elected that She mo-
toned him TO sit down and then said:
abe Hewson, nobody could dun say
that you wasn't an honest man when
married YOU"
Il was tryin' to walk straight til
da"
Fur ten years you was buym' and
sellin' nevis. Abe. did you ever lie
and cheat in that business:'
"Drat me. but | was SO squar' that |
couldn't make Twin ut il"
For six or seven years you have
been tuyin' coon and skunk and wood
chuck skins. Have you been a liar and
a cheat:"
NO. Tlda | could have lied once
and made So on a b'arskin, but shet
my teeth hard agn it,"
You kin borrow a dollar Of most
any man, can't you?"
Reckon so"
"And when man has got your word
he depends on it,
"'Pears that way"
And all this is why you've been
'lected It's cause you've got good
name; It's cause your squar' man
Abe, we uns is pore folks. We hain't
cAdecatcd Pianers and silks and
broadcioths are not for sich as us. We
squatted we're twenty years ago. aud
wen stay squatted TIL The end.
hain't maxim the least complaint over
it. | don't believe I'd care to he rich
and have grand things I'm satisfied
to 20 right along just like this, but
don't fling us down, Abe--dont do
that"
What dye mean, TildaE' he asked.
Il hain't much Of a reader. but eau
make out nun in our weekly paper to
know that heaps o men ARE willn' to
part with their honesty to get ahead Ia
the world. Don't part with yours. You
are goin whar you'll be tempted, but
shet your teeth agin It, I'm holdin'
my head high and feelln' jest az good
as any one on this here mounting. not
y
kase you are squar man. If you
should lose that name you'd lose me.
I'm lOvn' you as much as a wife can,
but I'm speakin' mighty straight when
| tell you that If 50 much as a whisper
should come back here that you had
lost your squar'ness ia walk off aud
starve to death in the woods rather
than live on with you"
And l wouldn't be blamn' you. Til
ia, " quietly replied Abe as he went out
10 walk about and think
Abe lIcwsou went down 10 the capi-
tai of the state in fear and trembling.
lie was mar.ed down by certain mem
)ers and lobbyists as good thing. but
hey gave him time to shake himself
Town into his place There were axes
% grind on every hand. but 1t was the ,
'oal men who had the largest They
wanted a charter for a railroad 10 run
o certain undevelopcd mines 1t
wasn't 4 line to build up the country ,
nd accommodate the people but TO I
ring coal ont 10 market. They want q
"a a grant OF State lands to rccoup I
\ powerful lobby. well supplied with (
money and arguments. was on hand.
those who saw through the scheme 4
nd knew that Il was a steal also {
new that they had their hands full TO
GIT It, g
Abe was moving along slowly and Il
-ying - look ahead for pitfalls when
be- matter of the railroad came M and
G found himself in the thick Of II. He
Dund himself 10 the position Of many u
mother before his time The state "
mploys no lobbyists 10 protect herself Il
N the argument and sophistry and a
honey are IN the hands Of those who "a
.ould rob her. The opponents of the -
abroad scheme sat down with Abe b
Iews0n aud tried 10 make him under ri
and They found him dense. hut real D.
ed that he wanted to be honest Thsy . q
themselves iiy telling him
lat 10 was his duty IT, vote against the q
3D. II WAS clear enough 10 Abe that n
ly. but not 50 rie1r the next The
jby had got after BIN. p
Your congressional OF legislative lob +
rfzf i. smart man 10 - "a sfstF--+ d.