The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1908-05-15


The politician who is following the
calling for a livelihood eats, drinks
and Sleeps politics. You cannot get
him off the track. He finds little in
terest in anything else. All his read
ing, outside of the papers, is on po-
litical topics. He keeps track of past
elections and past ward votes, knows
how his ward has gone, will go, and
ought to go in the future. He is the
life of nj political assemblages, for
he has the air of the expert and the
glibness of an illustrated lecturer"
He attends the wakes" funerals,
dances, parties, baseball and football
games, christenings, church fairs, pic
MICS and all other social happenings,
and gets himself voted 1.-The most pop
ular man" whenever he has a chance.
=
I remember that at one political
JambOree there was beauty show"
and l was appointed one of the judges.
The other two judges were pulling
together" and l saw l was double
crossed before the beauties" went
on the platform. In front of the plat
form there was big crowd on the
chairs, and they were filled by the re-
spective adherents of the contesting
"fair." l had innocentiy supposed
that things were ION the square" until
] was approached by one of the judges
with the idea that the first prize ought
to go to certain girl who, to my no.
ton, was not within a thousand miles
Of being first in the race. l put up
such fierce kick" that the other
Judges got little bit uncertain, and
at last, as first and second prizes were
both gold watches, they agreed to let
me select No. if l would vote for
their choice for first prize.
When No. Is name was announced
o groan went up from the crowd, &C.
companied by a cheer from one cor.
ner OF the seats where the winners
partisans were punched. When No.
rs name was given she was cheered
by a big majority of the crowd, and |
was satisfied my eyesight was still
good. Now for both Of these girls the
vote had been solid, three votes for
each. When it came to No. Sand
there were only three prizes worth
anything-I did little "double-cross
ing" myself. One of the judges pro
posed a girl who had a face like a
custard pie at twilight. The other
Judge said, Sure, that's the one!"
had selected a girl for this prize and
had got her name, so | said to judge
No 2, Where's your LADY," He
pointed to her and l said, Out Of
sight; but we'd better split the votes
this time; you vote for Miss -" Civ
ing him the name of my choice-"st
that the crowd won't have any hollel
coming on the split; two votes to one
will win out anyway"
He did as suggested, but as I alst
voted for my choice the look of dis
gust that overspread his features
when he saw how he had been horn
swoggled" was something classic. Blu
all he said was Holy gee!"
After a man has been mixed up II
politics for year or so he begins tt
perceive that politics has as many an
glesatn a social way as the game Of
'three-cushien caroms" The variety
Of gradations is so widely diversified
and the intervals SO abrupt that il
takes a truly cosmopolitan spirit tc
successfully take the degrees" Al
four O'Clock In the afternoon you may
be touching glasses with young me
chanic at "rathskeller" in friendly
chat over your beer as to how things
look in his end of the ward. At 6 p.
m. you may be dining with bunch OF
Judges and party magnates in some