The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1909-11-02

Dd1ASH hIOVAt nave yOu SOu0 plun
crazys You know | can't afford it,
with my crop all at skies and sevens
and the niggers wantin' the earth in
two week rations."
tits 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 Al 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 dun foolishness
into your head a-runnin' to represent
this heah county and you not six
months over the age hmitY'
Two years. squire" cheerfully re-
sponded Eldon.
THAT amt no answer to my ques-
t1on." 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 at the bottom Of this"
Eldon grinned 81 reckon will
have to make a confdant of you,
squire Ever since 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.
Bfantley has the money, and he has a
record, but the money makes anything
60 with the old man. Jessie won't
hear to word of 1t, and the old man
has been leading her life of it for
the last year. She says if I get elect
ed she will marry me right away, dad
dy 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
Sho& So NV iPn
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
flea's hide and taller. Been a-huntin'
lately?"
Eldon took the hint mot much I
haven't. ingalls, and Robinson amt
putting in time on deer and bear"
He laughed easily. shifting his six
feet of staIwart 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 decent man go up
from the Barraclaw. You don't seem
to favor me. so reckon ! might as
well order the handbills struck. John
son II 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
a busy man, with no time for your
blame foolishness; sides, want you
to understand this heah county amt
no boys football / amt a-goin' one
step, and you might as well drop that
fool talk"
Eldon sprang into the saddle. "Then
fiji have to be me. Pm young. but
I've got clean record on cows" And
before the squire could get in a. pro-
test he had disappeared down the
south road in cloud of dust.
"Well, I'll be- And the squire
nopped his face theoretically. Then
his eyes began to twinkle, and he
broke into q huge laugh Its a 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 with
the keen winds that swept up the
Barraciaw. centering around Wash
Evans store. where the primary was
held. All the antagonism of the cleo
ton was concentrated in the race for
the county judgeship. It had its be
ginning in IN old feud between the
two candidates that had more than
once occasioncd bloodshed. Neither
Of them was there. but there were
plenty of their supporters on the
ground. and wave of excitement
went through the men rs a rumor
spread and gained ground that the
Judge OF The election had | ,en threat
ened by the opposition that he would
be shot II be attempted to serve.
The Rarraclaw being the largest
township iii the county and therefore
the most important RAILING point,
most OF the other candidates were
present except Ingalls,. who had gone
home to the ST. Jean. Jack Robinson
and his henchmen were lined up long
before the polls opened. prepared to