The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1907-04-19

This is the story Of Runty Smith
ers, as told to me by various and sun
dry citizens Of Paradise Ariz.:
Archibald Anstruther Smithers was
born of rich and respectable parents,
in the city OF Richmond. Ind. His
of the middle states. He was taught
to have faith. respect his conscience
and be honest lie knew there were
people in the world with but little
regard for law and order. for he had
read books and newspapers. but they
figured as things remote. like Pom
peii and the fixed stars. His uprais-
ing was on strictly conventional lines;
his scheme of existence was bound
ed by the limited experience obtained
among refined and intellectual &C.
quaintanceship A well-marked lido
syncrasy in his character was his fear
OF bodily injury 1t was more than
timidity; it was abject physical cow
ardice. AS moral courage and sense
of duty were among his most promi-
nent traits, his utter lack OF physical
courage was accentuateS.
Developing tubercular tendencies
during his last year in college, this
sludiOus, quiet. timid young man was
given a letter of credit and much adj
vice by his busy father, a channels
skin undervest and a cloudburst Of
tears by his loving mother, and de-
parted for Arizona to seek the robust
health his physician predicted an out
door life in that latitude would con-
fer.
When Archibald Anstruther reach
ed Paradise his general appearance
must have failed. in many respects, to
coincide with the atmosphere Of that
hustling community. Archibald An
struther was short and slight, thin
aud pale of face, hollow-chested, and
with scholarly stoop to his Shout
ders The spectaces he wore were
rendered necessary by extreme near
sishtedness. Following a custom of
the free and unfettered west, lone
some Linthicum dubbed him :Runty"
at their first ntervieW, and Runty he
remained to the end of the story
Mr.. Smithers neither drank,
smoked nor gambled. He did not know
how to load or fire a gun and used
knife only for the subdivision of his
food. On the few occasions he was
present at alterations between two
or more gentlemen. he had. | was in
formed, went white and hot-footed
for cover" 1t was perhaps but nat
ural that the rough and ready resi-
dents of Paradise should hold him at
first in light esteem. He was incon-
gruous-a tenderfoot. He did not fit.
Physically. and in many ways men.
tally and morally, he was everything
that they were not
But when Billy Earle's broncho
stepped into hole and broke Billy's
leg instead Of the bronchos, Runty
Smithers spent days and nights car
ing for Billy and loaned him money
for his doctors bill And when Pat
Johnson's ten-year-old boy was stNck-
en- with diphtheria, Runty brought a
bag Of clothes to the house, drove
Pap off to his work. and saved the
child's life by careful nursing
One night Jake Sweeney partook of
the cup that cheers and also inebri-
ates, and did what Big Bill Jernigan
described to me as some Dromiscu-
Gus shootin' with various deleterious
results and Paradise decided in SOL
emn conclave a marshal was needed.
irt
supple, gray-eyed and fearless, would
have been unanimously selected at
the time, but that an election was
deemed the straight and regular
method to pursue.
On the day of the voting some Joker
conceived it would be great fun to
cast a ballot for Runty Smithers Be-
ing unselfish he shared his jest with
a few friends, who followed his exam
pie and explained the humor of the
occasion to few of their friends.
And when the votes were counted. it
was found the h,lmorists were in the
majority. Runty Smithers was elect.
ed marshas OF Paradise by vote of
sc to 70. Paradise sat up and be-
gan to take notice.
A meeting was hastily called in
Three-Fingered Pete's saloon and a
resolution was offered providing for
a committee Of three, which commit
tee should call on Mr.. Smithers, in
form him that the whole matter was
a mistake, direct his attention to his
manifest unfitness for the position.
and request his withdrawal. AS the
question Of the adoption of the resolu-
ton was about to be put, Lonesome
Linthicum, the defeated candidate
stepped into the ROOM
CHANGING over his audience, he
said
Boys, | have just come from
Runty Smithers. He has heard the re.
suit OF the election and has taken
the matter seriously He has ex-
pressed his deep regret that | should
have been defeated, but is firm in
the belief that our republican institu
tions are based on the theory that the
will of the majority must prevail, He
is anxious to justify your Judgment
in his choice by doing his duty honor
ably and we'll. You elected Runty
marshal of Paradise. The election
was fair and square You cannot
you shall not-humiliate him by ask
ing him to withdraw Boys, Runty
Smithers is going to be marshal of
Paradise! | say it. And, by God,
the first man that bats an eyelid in
contradiction Of his authority will kill
me or / will kill him."