Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-04-29

tlptOe anu SHOOK W1tDcreO nSt IN the
boss firmly set, determined face.
"Infamousv' shrieked the deacon.
you're n monster! You're upright
eous! You should have belonged to the
political machine Of Catalina or Pom
titus Platter
Never heard tell o. them" muttered
Sanders, deeply puzzled. Guess they
was never In Mississippi in my time"
His accompanying gesture Of per-
plexity caused the deacon to hasten his
exit. Tripping over the leg Of chair.
he fell headlOng into the arms of the
watchful Jackson. who received the
deacon's blessing for uplifting the
righteous in the hour OF their fall"
Relieved Mt the departure Of the wit
nesses. Sanders showed increased ag-
gresslvcness. ITO be sure, senator,
you were careful not to personally
promise me anything for my support
at the election. as you say the leader
sneered, but you had Jim Stevens to
make promises for you. which was
smooth. absolute an artistic smooth
stop, slr!' Langdon furiously shout.
ed. you forget. sir that your insinu-
alton Is an insult to man elected SEN
ator from Mississippi, an insult to my
! state and to my friend Senator Ste
vens. who know would make you no
promises for me, for he had not my
authority"
"Certanly you're a senator, but
what's a senator anyhow? I'll tell you,
Mr. Colonel Langdon, senator is a
man who holds out for his own pocket
rs much as US fellows that make him
will stand for. When we don't get our
rlghtful share. he's through"
! With a sudden start. as though to
spring at Sanders throat. Langdon,
with compressed lips and eyes blaz-
Ing. grasped the edge Of the table
with grip that threatened to rend
the polished boards. With intensest
effort he slowly regained control of
himself. His fury had actually weak
ened him. His knees shook, and he
sank weakly into a chair. When he
finally spoke his voice was strained
and laborious. Sanders. you and |.
sir. must never meet again because
might not succeed again in keeping my
hands off you. What would my old
comrades Of the Third Mississippi say
II they saw me sitting here and you
there with whole body. sir, after
what you have said? They would not
believe their eyes. thank God. sir.
They would all 60 over to Stuart City
and buy new eyeglasses. SIR" A sus-
picious moisture appeared on the colo
nels cheeks which he could not dry
too quickly to escape Sanders observa-
ton.
But I had to let you stay. sir, be-
cause you. the sole accuser. are the
only one who can tell me what l must
know"
what do you want to know" asked
Sanders, who had realized his great
mistake in losing his temper. in talk
ing as openly and as violently as he
had and in dragging the name Of Sem
ator Stevens into the controversy. He
must try to keep Stevens from hearing
Of this days blunder. for Jim Stevens
knew as we'll as he didn't he, that the
man who loses his temper. like the
man who talks too much, is of no use
in politics.
II want to know how you formed
Your opinion Of political matters--of
senators. IS 1t possible, sir. that you
have actual knowledge OF actual hap.
penings that give you the right to talk
as you have? want to know II
must feel shame. feel disgrace, sir. to
be senator from Mississippi, tina,
state. sir, that the Almighty himself
sir, would choose to live In il he came
to earth"
There, there, senator, don't take toe
seriously what have said" Sanders
replied in reassuring tone. having out
lined his course of action. Il lost my
head because you wouldn't promise me
something l needed-that appointment
for Hagey. What l said about sena'
tors an such was all wild words
nothin' In 'em. Why. how could there
be- senator?" This query was happy
nfterthought which Sanders craftily
suggested in a designedly artless man
ner
"Just what thought and know" ex.
claimed Langdon sharply. ut couldn't
be: it isn't possible Now you 60. sir,
and let 1t be your greatest disgrace
that you are not fit to enter any gen.
tleman's house"
"Oh, don't rub II in too hard, senator.
You may need my help some day, but
you'll have to deliver the goods before
hand
II said, Co."
"Tm gon'. but here's n tip. Don't
blame me for fightin' you. I've got to
fight to live. I'm human bein'. an
humans are pretty much the same all
over the world, all except you-you're
only half natural. The rest Of you Is
reformer."
After Sanders departure the colonel
sat at his table, his head resting in his
hand. the events of the day crowdinG
his brain bewilderingly.
THE battles Of peace are worse than
any Beauregard ever led me into" he
murmured Fighting to conquer one
self Is harder than turning the left
flank of the Eighth Illinois In an EN-
6lading fire."
But the new senator from Mississippi
did not know that for him the wars Of
peace had only just begun, that per-
, haps his own flesh and blood and that
of the wife and mother who had gone
before would turn traitor to his colors
In the very thickest of the fray.