Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1908-03-04

them to Thompson to argue and dis.
cuss and win him over. Money and
promises were freely used. and there
came time when the lobbyist could
at least figure on an even vote In the
house
Honest John" still stuck out. He
hadn't the acumen to discover where
the colored gentleman was hidden. but
he had n~feeling that he was there in
the wood pile somewhere, aud he would
not commit himself.
IT was then that the lawyer dropped
argument for the more powerful weap-
on. He knew the financial condition
of the farmer He doubted If the man
had ever had thousand dollars In his
hand. Though rated as honest" there
was doubt as to whether he could
stand temptation-leg.sativ tempta-
ton.
One night he paid Thompson visit
In his room and went over the whole
matter with him. putting everything
In most favorable light. and when he
went away he left thousand dollars
In crisp greenbacks on the bureau.
That was double the price he had paid
others. but he had reasons for increas-
ing the bride. The money was found
after he left. and next day the old
farmer came to him to restore IT.
at must have been left by soma
other caller" WAS the reply. prob
ably by some one who was In there
arguing In favor of my bill. He may
speak to you about 1t in the course of
the day"
But be was mighty careless to leave
a thousand dollars lying around that
way"
'Oh. he isn't worrying about It. Per
haps he wanted to make you little
present and took that way OF doing 1t.
It's often done here in the legislature,
you know"
1T may be, but I've done nothing to
earn 1t, and | don't know more than
| ten members by name, ! wish that the
Teller who left 1t would come back"
He was told to hang on to the money
until the owner called for 1t. but he
was much perplexed and put out. BY
he found two other farmer members
| who had come into possession of $500
| each In just as mysterious a manner
| There seemed to be a philanthropist
| going about among the conscientious
| members and distributing rewards Of
| merit
When the house adjourned for a
week and Honest John went home
| to his daughter he had that thousand
| dollars with him. and its history was
| still mystery. In few hours. how
ever. he was enlightened. and he went
back to the legislative body to en-
| tighten others.
The day finally came when Lawyer
Trask's bill was up He had counted
| noses and was sure of its passage He
| sat there In the utmost confidence, to
| be amazed and dumfounded when it
was defeated Ivy majority OF three.
| Honest John and his two farmer
| friends had recorded their votes among
the nays" although they had been
bought and paid for An hour later the
former had caller at his room. The
caller was pale faced and desperate.
| Mr. Thompson" ne said, II left a
thousand dollars on that bureau one
night a few weeks ago"
"Geewhittaker. But you denied 1t
was yours
sit was little present"
But why should you make me a
present of thousand dollars?"
"Because-because | wanted your
help on that bill and because l YVES GO
ing to ask your daughter to be my
wife"
"And mebbe you left $500 apiece for
Crane and williams?'
| Yves"
And you were going to ask their
| daughters to be your wife,"
Moo"
"See here, Mr.. Trask." said the old
| man after looking at him for half n
minute, ''if | were you I wouldn't ask
Minnie to be your wife. told her all
about the money when l went home.
She said as 1t wasn't yours and as no
| one had lost it and as Crane and VIII
| liams was In the same fix that the mon
| ey belonged to charity.
I'VE sent it down TO her. and she di-
vided it between couple of orphan
asylums. and she's got the receipts to
| show that it reached 'em. No. |
| wouldn't ask her. might object to
| you as a son-in-law. and she might take
1t that you were trying to buy your
way into the family.
"Lemme just add that you are a
| mighty careless man with your money.
and IL you don't mend your ways you'll
bring up in the county house before
| you are forty years old"