Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1909-12-04

Muu Tue ulMkCAb WahNAh thg VAIN 80
two week rations."
ats one or the other of u.s." persist
ed Eldon- ''You know. squire. we've
only got to post your name. and Jim
ingalls, might as well go back to his
crop for all the votes he'll get In this
county. much Less the Barraclaw."
The squire jumped to his feet and
took turn up and down the long gal
lery. His round red face grew seri-
Gus as he reflected that Eldon was
speaking the simple truth. After all.
why not help the boy? He was TOO
young, but he rather liked his ''stand
and deliver" methods. Then he was
Jim Eldon's son--old Jim, who had
slept under the same blanket. foraged
for chickens and starved with him
during the mad days of 1868, and they
had been shoulder to. shoulder in the
dark years or reconstruction until old
Jim went to his rest In the little grave
yard beside the Barraclaw.
"See here, Barnes Eldon, want to
know what put this dunn foolishness
into your head a-runnin' to represent
this heah county and you not six
months over the age limitT'
1.-TWO years. squire" cheerfully re-
sponded Eldon.
"That amt no answer to my ques-
ton" And the shrewd gray eyes
bored deep into Barnes Eldon's blue
ones until the red wave went up the
tanned face to lose Itself In the roots
of close cropped dark hair. Make
clean breast of 1t, boy. There's some
| woman ut the bottom of this"
| Eldon grinned II reckon ! Will
have to make a con6dant Of you.
squire. Ever aimee Jessie Eldridge
and l went up to that Missouri col
| lege together we have been sweet
hearts, but you have heard. reckon,
that old man Eldridge is dead set on
making Jessie marry Dick Brantley.
Brantley has the money. and he has
record, but the money makes anything
go with the old man. Jessie won't
hcar to a word of 1t. and the old man
has been leading her life OF It Tor
the last year. She says II get elect
ed she will marry me right away. dad
DIV or no daddy. We want to show old
man Eldridge that Dick Brantley's
not the only man in this part Of the
world that can make living for his
daughter. That's why, squire"
Thought so. Well, Jessie's mighty
nice little gal. You've got more
sense'n i give you credit for, Barnes.
and I'll think It over. Hal Eldridge
always was ready to sell out for a
fiea's hide and taller. Been a-huntin'
latelyT
Eldon took the hint. mot much l
haven't. ingalls, and Robinson amt
putting In time on deer and bear
He laughed easily. shifting his six
feet of stalwart body over the gallery
railing, dropping to the ground be-
meath. You'd better think fast,
squire. My minds on politics. and it's
bent on seeing a decent man go up
from the Barraclaw. You don't seem
to favor me, so 1 reckon l might as
well order the handbills struck. John
son III be likely to charge extra on ac-
count of having to rush them. we
haven't any time to lose"
Now. look heah. Barnes Eldon. I'm
busy man. with no time for your
blame foolishness; sides. want you
to understand this heah county amt
no boys football. l amt a-goin' one
step. and you might as well drop that
fool talk"
Eldon sprang into the saddle. Then
I'LL have to be me- Pm young. but
I'VE got a clean record on cows" And
before the squire could get in a pro-
test he had disappeared down the
south road In a cloud Of dust.
"Well. I'll be- And the squire
mopped his face theoretically. Then
his eyes began to twinkle. and he
broke into huge laugh. ITS go
and blamed good way to even up on
Hal Eldridge for sneakin' my labor
while was up there with some more
fools a-tendin' to other folks bust
ness"
The crisp fall morning bristled witt
the keen winds that swept up the
Barraclaw. centering around Wasf
Evans store. where the primary wai
held. All the antagonism OF the cleo
tion was concentrated in the race fol
the county judgeship. 1t had Its be
i ginning In an old feud between the
two candidates that had more thar
once occasioned bloodshed. Neither
of them was there. but there were
plenty OF their supporters on the
ground. and a wave OF excitement
went through the men as a rumol
spread and gained ground that thu
Judge of the election had been threat
ened BY the opposition-that he wouit
he shot IL he attempted to serve.
The Barraclaw being the larges
township In the county and therefore
the most important rallying point
most of the other candidates wer'
present except ingalls,. who had gone
home TO the st. Jean. Jack Robinson
and his henchmen were lined up Ions
before the polls opened. prepared T.
give both Ingalls, and Eldon a stiff
SIGHT. Mcpherson. the threatened judge
rode IN on the stroke Of the clock ant
fismounted amid a general hush. Al
pyes followed him as he strobe through
The doorway and took his seat. Win
chester across his lap
BY IL o'clock the crowd had increas
I'd until nearly every voter In thu
township had collected around thu
polls. The squire sided in and on
among them, with a whisper and
lily chuckle to each. Barnes Eldol
Kept close at his heels when not en-
IL 10