The Jasper news., 1908-12-03


with whom she had maintained an odd
and jolly friendship as long as she could
remember, came out to chat with her.
AUNT Mary says that Blaine is sure to
be elected" she announced.
Not in a thousand years" Dick en-
phatically returned. Cleveland is elected
just as sure as that sun is going down
in the west!"
Aunt Mary says not"
"Well of course" said Dick, keeping
in his temper as well as he could, she
doesn't know anything about politics.
She reads the Tribune and believes it."
"Yes," said Constance, sand she says
she is sorry for anybody who will believe
anything the World says"
She does, Ell? Well, she will believe
something different from what she does
now in a few more hours -
"She has big heap of brush over on
the hill which she is going to light as
bonfire when she hears that Blaine is
elected" Constance said, delivering the in
formation which had been the express rea-
son for her stopping at the gate.
"Well, if he doesn't light it until she
hears that" Dick spoke with grim con-
fdence,: the pile will rot away right
"She has sent Abner to town." Con-
stance said, ito hang lantern UP when
he hears Blaine is elected and she will
light the fire at once"
Good Heavens p Dick. exclaimed.
"Surely she isn't thinking of setting such
a fire with the wind blowing like it is
now! Sine will set the whole country
on fire"
"But you say that Blaine isn't going to
be elected y said Constance.
"He isn'tr', Dick insisted with passion
ate conviction. But that fool of an Alb
ner may hear and believe anything that
isn't so-he's .Republican-and he may
hang out lantern without any reason
for it. Go back, Constance, like good
little girl and tell your aunt that it will
night like this. She will be almost GER
tain to lose her house if she does"
Constance turned her pony's mead and
trotted back to Mary's house. "Dick says
that you had better not set that fire to-
nigh" was the not particularly diplomatic
manner in which she announced her mes
sage.
"He does. does hep Mary answered
furiously. ""Wel he can attend to his
own business and | will attend to mine"
.'He says that you will set the whole
world on fire. Constance continued sweet
ly. HE says, though, that if you wait
until Blaine is elected, you'll be lots older
than you are1
did he say thata" Mary asked in a
voice choking with indignation.
well, those were not his exact words" y
Constance admitted. "But that was what
he meant He said that the pile would
rot just where it lies. But he said that
Abner was fool of Republican and
that you were another-no he didn't say
that--he said that Abner would believe
any fool thing that he heard about Blaine
being elected and would hang up his Ian
tern and then you would believe it too and
go burning up the>whole country"
Mary could scarce speak for anger.
"You just go back and tell him." she
said as soon as she could speak. shat
he may look toward the Widow Mason's
barn and when he sees a green light he
will know that Blaine is elected. And
then he car look over here and see big
bonfire burning in celebration of the vic
tory over him and all the other mean,
contemplate Democrats in the country"
"But, Aun. Mary, Dick says"
Don't mention his name to me again J"
Mary exclaimed in passionate anger.
Constance saw that her teasing had gene
too far and she now tried to sooth her