The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-06-23
BY GEORGE EDWIN HUNT.

drawal AS the question of the adop-
ton of the resolution was about to be
put, Lonesome Linthicum, the defeat
ed candidate. stepped into the room.
"All you gents as favors this here
resolution say aye" said Pete.
Hold on Their, Pete, Interrupted
Lonesome. Il want to hear these good
resolutions you are about to adopt. i
may want to get in on this reSolutin5
business myself before it goes too far.
Who's secretary of this congress Of
humoTists?"
Pete designated Fatty Richards with
dignified wave of his hand. Fatty
struggled to his feet and read the
resolution. Fatty enjoyed reading the
resolution, having written it himself
When he finished, Lonesome i-iHI!si-
cum placed his hands on the front of
the bar and leaped TO an upright no.
stion on it. CHANGING over his aud
fence he said:
Boys 1 have just come from Runty
Smithers. He has heard the result of
the election and has taken the matter
seriously. He has expressed his deep
regret that l should have been defeated
but is firm in the belief that our repub-
lican institutions are based on the
theory that the will of the majority
must prevail. He is anxious to JUS
tify Your judgment in his choice by
doing his duty honOrably and Well. You
elected Rusty marshal of Paradise.
The election was fair and square. You
cannot-you shall not-humiliate him
by asking him TO withdraw. Boys,
Runty Smithers is going to be marshal
of Paradise l say it! And, by God,
the first man that bats an eyelid in
contradiction of his authority will kill
me or 1 viii kill him."
There was deep silence for a moment
and then Pap Johnson, big and husky,
shouldered his way through to the bar,
backed up IN front of Lonesome and
addressed the crowd.
4 amt never been much on the pow
WOW business. as you boys know, an !
amt gOin' TO make no speech now, but
do want to remark that Lonesome
has said my say, an any man as white
as Runty Smithers kin count on me in
this here emergencee."
Paradise was used to following Lone
sOme's leads, and Pap Johnson was not
without influence. The humor of the
situation also appealed to many. So,
instead of appointing a committee of
three, the assembiage went into a COM
mittee OF the whole for the purpose of
COngratulating the newly elected mar
shall. Tucson Ike, with his violin, and
Windy Jenkins. with his trombone. led
the parade to the Paradise hotel, where
Mr.. Archibald Anstruther Smithers re-
ceived their Fluctuations and made
diffident speech in which he thanked
them sincerely for the honor they had
conferred upon him and hoped he
would receive their cordial cooperation
ana support in the fulfillment of his
duty.
i d-d-did not an-t-i-ticipata this re-
suit" he continued I'm fact If you
will p-p-peTmit me, may say. in short
that this result was not an-t-t-ticipat-
ed by me-"
Sing it, old hoss." suggested Tucson
Ike.
However, l have always believed, in
short, I have always th-th-thought,
you know. that every man owed
s-s-sOmething, was under an obligation,
so to speak, to accept a p-p-public Of
! flee that came to him unsought and do
the b-b-best he could, you know, for
| his fellow citizens"
Runty assumed office the following
morning. That night Lonesome Lin
thicum got gioriously drunk in the
/ Gilded Heart saloon, went to Three
| Fingered Pete's, kicked over the faro
| table, pulled his guns and was shoot
/ ing out the lights when Marshal Smith
| ers came slowly in the front door. His
/ face was drawn and pallid. His big
/ black eyes shOne with a mixture of the
physical cOWardice and moral courage
that were struggling for supremacy over
| his body. The agony of his soul could
| be seen in every movement. If Lone
| some saw him no evidence of it ap-
peared; the wild whooping and shoot
| ing at the lights continued. Runty ad-
vanced, slowly, reluctantly, toward the
| craZed man, his body impelled forward
| by the fine moral fibre which over
| came his intense desire to turn and
seek safety in hasty fight. He put his
| hand on Lonesome's shoulder and
said:
Lonesome, c-c-come with me-"
Big Bill Jernigan, fat on the floor be-
| hind the bar, grOaned aloud Billy
Earle, at the window, let out an audible
| Poor little cuss," and Pap johnson
/ turned away from the door that he
might not see it. But at the touch OF
the hand, at the sound of the voice
Lonesome turned slowly, looked Runty
square in the eyes and replied:
| Certainly, marshal Anything you
say goes
Runty disarmed him and led him tC
the improvised calaboose, where he was
locked up for the night
You see,' explained Pap Johnson, as
he related the incident to me, Lone
some knowed that infant might git ur
agin something hot purity soon and
might either funk or git hurried He
knowed Runty would be less scared OF
him than any man in town, for him
and Lonesome had been good chums
from the first. Then, agin. Lonesome
wanted TO set a good example to the
resi- of US, sorter show US the law must