The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1907-04-20

Don't overlook their spurs said 1.
They amt got none" said he. .ex-
lept those you lend 'erl."
We returned TO table palled by
sulIen dread-dread Of me- anger
against Dominick, who IN the cour-
Bse OF his ignorance of the conyen-
tionalities which restrained them, had
taken the short, straight cut to me
and peace. And, as veterans in the
no-quarter warfare of ambition, they
knew | had granted him peace on no
less terms than their heads.
They had all, even Roebuck, been
drinking freely in the effort TO coun-
teract the depression But the cham
payne seemed only TO aggravate their
gloom except in the case of young
Jameson. He had just succeeded
through the death of his father, to
the privilege of levying upon the peo-
pie of II counties by means of trolley
franchises which the legislature had
granted to his father in perpetuity in
return for financial services to the
party" 1t is. by the way, an inter
esting illustration of the human be-
ing's lack of thinking power that a
legislature could not give away a
small gold mine belonging to the pub
lie to any man for even a brief term
of years without causing a reyolu-
ton, but could and does give away
far more valuable privileges to plum
der and to tax, and give them away
forever, without causing any real stir.
However = young Janieson's liquor.
acting upon a mind that had not had
enough experience to appreciate the
meaning OF the situation, drove him
on to insclent taunts and boasts, ad-
dressed to his neigbbors but intend
ed for me- | ignored him, and, when
the coffee was served, rose to de-
part.
Roebuck urged me to stay, followed
me TO the cloak-rcom. took my coat
away from the servant and helped me
with it. II want to see you the first
thing in the morning, Harvey, said
he.
I'll call you up if / have time"
said l.
We came out of the cloak-room his
arm linked in mine. and crossed the
corner of the dinirg-roo toward the
outer door. Jameson threw up his
arm and futtered his hand in an im-
pertinent gesture of farewell so
long, Senator Swollenhead," he cried
in thick voice. Well teach you a
lesson in how to treat gentlemen"
The last word-gentlemen- just
clearing his mouth when Dominick's
teapot, flung with all the force of
the ex-prize-fighter's big muscles and
his big body, landed in the midst Of
his broad white shirt-bosom- And
with the teapot Eominick hurled his
favorite epithet from his garbage
barrel OF language. With a yell
Jameson crashed over backward; his
flying legs, caught by the table. tilted
It; his convulsive kicks sent it over,
and half the diners, including Dom
mick. were floored under it.
All this in a snap of the finger. And
with the disappearance of the phys
ical semblance of a company of civ
flized men engaged in dining in civ
ilized fashion, the last thin veneer
over hate and fury was scraped away.
Curses and growing roars made
repulsive mess of sound over that
repulsive mess of unmasked. half
drunken, wholly infuriated brutes
There is shrewd sly wisdom snugly
tucked away under the fable of the
cat changed into a queen and how
she sprang from her throne at sight
OF q mouse to pursue it on all fours
The best of us are. after all. animals
changed into men by the spell of rea
son: and in some circumstances, il
doesn't take much of q blow to dis
solve that spell.
mo n Nj
stances. that blow proved sufficient.
Partridge extricated himself, ran
round the table and kicked Jameson
In the head-partly in punishment.
perhaps, and because he needed just
that vent for his rage. but chiefly to
get credit with me, for he glanced
toward me as he did it. Men, sprawl
ing and sauirming side by side on
the floor, lashed out with feet and
fists. striking each other and adding
TO the wild dishevelment. The can
dies set fire to the tablecloth. and be
fore the blaze was extinguished
burned several In the hair and mus
taches.
Dominick. roaring with laughter.
came 10 Roebuck and me standing
at the door, both dazed at this magic
shift OF a "gentlenan's" dinner into
a bearpit- "Granby's ghost is raisin'
hell. said he.
But l had no imp-.se TO laugh or
gioat. Good night said | TO Roe |
buck. and fastened away.
It was the end OF the attempt to |
mine the foundations of my power. |
But I did not neglect its plain warn |
ing As soon as the Legislature as |
sembled. / publicly and strongly ad I
vocated the appointment of a joint |
committee impartially to investigate |
all the cities of the state. those ruled /
by my OWN party no less than those /
of the opposition. The committee was /
appointed and did its work so thor /
oughly that there was popular |