The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-06-09

 Conover behind it." retorted Caleb. 1 guess he's as good a packer as Right any day. I'm expectin' a tough scram- ble in order to beat you at the Capital, the. ground myself. An I'll beat you as sure as I beat you today. It'll mean a fight-a big fight I know that But a fights somethin' don't generally run Ki-yi-in' away from
 "An this is somewhat beside the point, gentlemen" interposed Stand ish. 'Is there any further-?'
 He paused and glanced about the ta- against the brute who had thus far held the lists so successfully against the Arareek's doughtiest champions. At length Caine spoke.
 Ut appears to me-" he drawled in his lazy, -bantering way, that these proceedings have been decidedly in formal; even for an avowedly informal meeting. Also, that we have made There are several broken heads, and the atmosphere is somewhat heavy with the reek of battle. But I fail to hear any shout of victory. Ger tainly not from our Honorable Com mittee. Perhaps you will all pardon me if I suggest that our learned body has gone about the present business in a less tactful way that one might have expected from such natural dip lomats. MT. Conover, you have had to answer some extremely impertinent unnecessarily impertinent - questions this afternoon. If you have answered them in their own key, I am sure no one can hdnestly blame you. Unless you care to say anything more, think the Committee may as we'll go at once into executive session and put the matter to vote. I so move, MT. Cndlr- man."
 Hold on a second" said Conover. ''You people can vote in a minute if you want to. First, I've got a word me, as I take it, are that I had a bad start in life an that my business methods aren't any better than the methods of other men in this Club. let the question of my business meth ods slide. I guess there ain't as many stones on the carpet as there's men here to throw 'em at me on that score Now, as to my not bein' a. gentleman an my start in life: I started at the bottom of the ladder. I'm only in the early thirties and Pm nor far from the top. How many of you could a. got where I am if you'd started where 1 did? Not a man of you. I worked my way up from tally boy of the C. G. & x. yards to the job of president of the whole road. An I'm makin' it the biggest road in the State. How'd I do it? By fightin'. l had no pull, no cash, no family at my back. Ev'rybody took turn at try in' to step on my hands whenever I'd SraD a new TunS OI tne EduueI. DuI I climbed oman fought on. To day Pm as rich a man as there is in Granite. Other rich men were mem bers of this Club an got fun out Of 1t. So I joined it, too. I've as good in to have it. That's why won't get out. An you can't put me out You're goin' to vote on my case in a to keep me here. Not because you want to; but because I've made you do it. If you hit a sulky dog with an axe-handle, he won't exactly love you. But he'll mind you. ntxt time. An it's better to be minded than to | be ignored. I guess there won't any body here ignore me in future. By the way, gentlemen: Just to show how much int'rested I am in the Clubs welfare, I bought in the mort gage on the Arareek's house and grounds last month. I bought it for | fear it might fall in the hands of some 1 crank member who'd foreciose 1T ne was dropped from the Club. Or such a crank as might foreclose if he was
 treated like a measly social 1eper at | the Clubs blowoutS. That's all, gen.
 tlemen. I'll wait out on the porch excuse the Committee from risin' and | escortin' me to the door,"
 | He rose, stretched his big frame and louneed out of the room silence ac- companied his exit, but was split by a dozen excited voices the moment the door slammed behind him.
 | Caleb Conover was 1oafing in a long wicker chair on the veranda, a cigar between his teeth and a long frosty glass at his side. He was idly watch | ing the putting match on the green before him. The veranda's other oc- l cupants had more or less unobstruslve- | ly withdrawn to the far end of the | porch, leaving him quite alone. It was thus Caine found him when the Committee meeting broke up. The
 newspaper owner strolled across to-
 ward Conover, a tantalizing smile on his thin, bored face
 Well? ?" he querled.
 | Conover glanced up eagerly at his | friends approval.
 ..Say. Caine," he asked pointing,
 Why do they choose one of the iron | tipped sticks sometimes and then use
 one of the brass headed ones next | time, for just the same kind of a
 swat?''
 Cain gazed down at Caleb in genuine
 wonder; then dropped into a chair at
 his side.
 "Conover," he declared, You're the | only man on earth who never bOreS
 me. And it's because you never by any chance happen to say or do what
 people have a right to expect you | to-
 | "If it's a riddle" said Caleb, pug zled, as he looked away from the | green.
 "It isn't. It's genius" answered Calne. Here l come to bring you | the decision of the Committee. The
 decision that's supposedly been keep | ing you on pins and needles. And, | instead of dragging the news out of me by main force, you ask a question about a putting nlatch-'' l "Oh, the decision?' returned Caleb,
 carelessly. That's all right. I'm to | be kept on as a poplar, respected
 member. I knew that before I left ! the Committee room." ssYOu knew than did then 'I always do,'' agreed Caleb with
 utter simplicity. That's why Pm ! where I am today. If I couldn't size
 up folks plans before they made 'em, I'd still be a brakeman on the c. G. | & x. or runniu' the railroad saloon where I made my first cash. I'm kept | in the Club by every vote except Bla- | carda's."
 I You nstened?" cried Caine in won der.