The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1907-03-01

GOVERNOR BY PROXY !
! By John Taylor Waldorf {
By John Taylor Waldorf


In the station platform OF a~esolate
Xerxes Junction sto d two impatient
men, The big, numbering. round faced
man was Col. Joe Iays0ni tho thin,
sailow one was Henry Clay Finley.
II was campaign time, and the twain
were "~Awinglng around the circle"
Col Layson as the candidate Of the
Outs for governor and Finley AS the
s~pellbinder paid 70 extol the merits
Of his pnrty's standard bearer,
The afternoon train that was to stop
At Xesxes Junction and wake on pas
sengers for Ardauia wng late, and the
rough old colonel began to swear as
he studied his watch
IN be here In q minute, governor"
said Finley soothinely, carefully OBJ
serving the custom OF addressing can
dldates by the title to which they as.
pire.
A scrawny, bent-oyer old woman,
carrying an apronfhl Of wood, came
out Of the clump Of trees across the
railroad track and limped nlons until
She reached the platform, where she
stopped and looked up Into the
colonel's face with vacant eyed curl.
osity Finley was shocked
Such beastly manners" he OK.
claimed. Shall / order her to be off,
governor"
Before the colonel could answer
the old woman Glambered upon tho
platform and limped eagerly to his
aide.
BE you the ]guyncr?" she asked.
The colonel smiled a big. hearty
smile, and answered; That's what
they call mo"
Won't you pardon my boy He's
servin' Ave years IN Osborn prison.
The old mans been sick abod for
months and | amt able to work. and
we're nearly staryin', Pardon the
boy, won't you. guvner7 ! wanted to
go down TO the capital a year x
when they took Dannio away, but |
had no money and | couldn't yak
that far"
The colonel raised his finger aud
seemed about TO explain, but. the WON.
an talked on p~lteousiy.
They say he stole Il cow for
Haldor. the cattle king that lives
down at Belden. Maybe you know
him, | doht believe DaFnle did any
stealth. hut i he did, ruvner, II
wouldn't be right rnshin' him on to
prison and leayln' old Halder free and
still hirin' honest folks boys to steal
cattle for him"
1T doesn't seem right. for q fact"
admitted the colonel.
bat. my good woman" interrupted
Finley. there was certainly no e7i.
dence against Mr., Halder, or surely
the majesty OF the law would have
been sustained and he, too, would
have suffered the punishment OF the
transgressor.'
Il don't catch all your ine words. |
mister, but | know Dams In prison and
Halder ia guilty, Fine words can't
get round them facts"
We'll put" chuckled the colonel. |
Finley, Il would be Il good scheme IL
you'd talk English once in awhile"
The woman looked puzzled n mo-
ment. but the colonel's face was
kindly, and. throwing down her bundle
OF wood, she dropped on her knees
before him.
Please pardon my boy, gunner
The old man ard nell die before
II you don't. II won't hurt you
to pardon him, He amt no dangerous
criminal. Anybody round here1l tell
you Dannie Higgs was never before
the judge TIL this time, He's all the
child | got left, gunner. Don't keep
him from me"
The colonel helped Mrs. ltiggs 10
her feet and led her to a bench lust
ontside the door Of the little telegraph
office. All the while he was thinking
He vas the candidate Of the
for governor; the Inns" had a
natural majority of $4,000 votes. Gov.
John Randall, with a good official
record 10 back him, was up for no.
and Col Joe Layson had as
much chance OF becoming governor
he had OF gaining the throne Of
He had rcvolved the situa.
lion in his mind, and as he found his
Inspiration Mrs. Higgs started to rise,
but he waved her back, saying; Just
wait, there, madam, until | send a
message and get an answer I'm 20.
Ing to investigate this matter at
once,"
Finley whistled, but the colonel
frowned and stalked into the
telegraph office, For perhaps two
minutes he wrote steadily. when he
bad finished he hurriedly gathered
~ the satisfactory sheets and
Slammed them down on the operators
table.
Here, my man." he commanded,
send this in a big hurry"
The operator looked up sleepIly,
his eyes and read;
To Hon, John Randall,
Executive Mansion, Eagleton:
"My Dear GOWN running against
but you know it's only for exer.
CROW HAD 5000 RING