The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-03-17

the Grass effrontcry to confess he was
wholesale crook and that he wal
going to continue one. You've sappee
the integrity, the honesty, the freedom
of this city and state. You've made
us byword for every community II
Americn. You've traied your iniquit.
Gus railroad across the state, crushint
every smaller and more honest line
until YOU are ear of all our traffic.
You rob the people by sending to Lcgis
lnture your own henchmen, who hell
you steal franchises, and who cut dowi
your taxes and throw the burden q
assessment on the very class of people
you have already defrauded to the toll
OF your bent. Corruption of the foulest
sort has been smearcd by you all ove
the face Of this Commonwealth, till thu
people are stricken helpless AM
speechless under 1t. Who can hell
them? Are there ten lawyers in this
State who don't wear your collar, ant
whose annual passes from yorr roat
aren't igranted them on the writer
understanding that such courtesies are
really 'retainers2 Then, when I try
to help the people you have ground
to the dirt--when / try to wipe the
filthy stain from the Mountain States
shield--even then you will not fight me
fair. as man to man. You stab in the
back, like any other common felon, and
you feel so secure In your own stolen
and propose to continue your 'r-nnable
knifing tactics. Why. Caleb Conover
you don't even know how vile thins
you are"
Waiting doesn't pay.
He paused, breathless, still furious
The Railroader was leaning back in hii
big chair cycling the angry man with
genuine Amusement
You've got the hang of it!' muir.
INJURED Caleb, half to himself. The
regular reformer shout. I wouldn't
have thought it of you. Honestly. son
its hard to take you reformers serious
You're all SO dead sure you're saying
what's never been said before. and
that you're discovering what no one
else ever dreamed OF. IF only l could
buy one OF your Civic Leaguers at my
own estimate Of yon. and sell you al
your estimate Of yourself, it'd be thu
biggest deal I ever made. Now dond
get red and try to think up new plati-
tudes to heller at me. I've listened
pretty patient but think it's my turn
to do little shouting, too Iv0
heard you out Now, maybe it'll do
you no harm to make the same return
play to me. Sit down. You came here
to reach an understanding and get q
line on my course, Ell? Well, you've
got big load OF fine words out Of
your system in the last few minutes.
Ill answer you best l can, and
then maybe in future us two'll under
stand each other the better"
In spite OF himself Give Standisl
listened. This thicksct powerful man,
whose blazing temper was proverbial,
had attended the young candidates.
rather turgid arraignment with every
evidence Of good-natured interest. Ht
had endured insulting epithets will
almost the air Of one who hearkens L
compliment. And, in answering. he
had cn mn n
ance with his usual mode of address
that Standish was utterly puzzled, ant
was half ashamed of his own vehe
mence. What one OF the Boss's myriad
moods was this, and what end had h,
in view? Give checked his own inn
something OF justice in what Conove
had said about the courtesy due maj
who had listened to such TRADE a
his.
Standish remained standing at TIL
table, looking pcross with unwlllin,
ease in his chair. watching the younge
man with grim smile, as thoug
reading his every thought Their rela
tive positions were ludicrously akin t
those Of Judge and prisoner And tn
compelling force that lay behind tn
amusement in Caleb's light eye
strengthened the resemblance.
I'm the first place." said the Rail
roader, II think you called me eur.
Twice. I believe, You said that. Yo
most likely thought I'd get mad
cur does get mad whun he's called ba
names. But q grown mans too bus
to kick the puppy that yelps at hi
neels. A man OF sense keeps his mout
shut unless he's got something to say
II cur hasn't anything else to vel
at, he goes out and picks scrap wit
tho moon, or at something else that
too big or too high up to bother |
hit back when he barks at It, Me, &c
instance. So Well let it go at that
and we won't bother to get up puzz
picture OF us both and label 1t Fin
the cur Have a cigar? No? The
aren't campaign smokes. You needn
IA been afraid of EN-"
He lighted a gaudily-banded perfect
pulled 1T a minute, and went on:
II don't know, why I'm going
waste time talking to you. I've new
took the trouble before to defend m,
self or to try to make other folks s.
my view OF the case But you're
a well meaning chan, for nil YOU'RE Su,