The Baltimore County union, the Towson news., 1909-09-25
THAT WILD YOUNG TODD.

(From Uncle Remus's Home MagazIne)
Old Bill Todd, leaning against the
end of the polished bar, listened to
the click of the telegraph in the pool
room beyond the swinging door and
wished somebody would come in and
buy him a drink. Old Bill was as
lean as a lath and so tall his elbow
rested comfortably on the oak as he
slouched Imply In the angle at the
wall. His tightly buttoned "Prince
Albert accentuated his thinness, but
it served to hide the fragments of
shirt which had fingered too long
away from the laundry. and Old Bill
had long ago learned to value clothes
for their utility rather than their
decorative value.
A young sport slammed the swing
ing door of the pool-room behind
him, and the click OF the instruments
grew into fierce clatter through the
opening and died away again.
'sWhat dye like at Sheepshead,
Bill ?" queried the youngster, patron
izingly.
That's not my line of business,
my young friend,' returned Mr..
Todd. "I'd as soon bet on what
hill billy jury's going to do in dam
age suit than put good money on
horse never saw and running thou
sand miles away. Gambling snot my
particular vice, anyway"
"It's easy to see what Old Bits
pet particular vice is, remarked
young Cummings, at the round table
in the corner. Mr.. Cummings was
dressed carefully, if little foridly,
and he seemed we'll pleased with him
self and the rest of the world. Todd's
a good example of what long bat
tie with booze will do. You can't
beat it. This ones on me, Gus.
Give us another of the same, Cicero.
ssLet's talk business, said Brewer.
"We've got to make up that slate and
get right into this fight before the old
gang gets the edge on us. Charley's
good for District Attorney and
Mcpherson cinch for Sheriff. Mac
can beat Parker in that race, for
Parker's letting that guy that shot
Archer get out of jail looks too hshy
for the county to stand for, and lisa
dead certainty he was fixed by the
old crowd-and that stops his clock
so far as elections concerned. He's
dead duck. The rest ofthe tickets
good enough and we can put it
throughput who can we put up for
Criminal Judge?"
cit don't matter a tinker's cuss
who you put up" said Charley Cum
mings. "Cartwhright has cinch on
it as usual-he's good until he drops
dead on the bench in one of his long
winded charges. We can't beat him,
and we don't need the place. Just
put somebody out to fill the ticket
who'll get out and hustle for the rest
OF u.s."
Old Bill Todd Strengthened the
kinks out of his system, wobbled
bit to regain his balance and lounged
out of the door.
"There'syour man, laughed young
Cummings. "He's been a loser all
his life and he ought to be used to 1t.
Run him for Judge"
Old Brewer grunted and spat at
the stove door. There's bigger
fools in Willingham county than Ole
Bill Todd" said Brewer. But he'll
never land anywhere.
AS the party at the table broke up,
a breathless youngster rushed in.
"Oh, say, Mr.. Cummings" he in
quired, ''have you independents made
up your county ticket yet?'
"Why, certainly" returned Cum
mines. "Just finished the slate.
You know all but one. We're going
to nominate the Hon. William Todd
for Criminal Court Judge" f"
Mr.. Cummings joke pleased him
nightly, but he had forgotten that
young Bevins was very new cub on
the Morning Times and statements
from politicians were as yet to be
considered by him as pearls OF truth.
The Honorable William Todd was a
new name to young Bevins, and 1t
sounded promising. And a sleepy
night editor let the story get by him
without an inquiry.
Old Bill Todd climbed out of his
tumbled bed next morning with
pain in the temples and thirst such
as no man knows who goes thirsty
to bed. He had worked late the
night before, propped up on pillows
with a queer little squat -bottomed
lamp balanced on his forehead to cast
a glow on law-book after law book
which might bear on the case OF Dod-
son versus Pitts. Of course it wasn't
Bill Todd's lawsuit. He never found
one beyond the Police Court now,
but more than one great law firm
knew the value of Old Bills legal
skill in working up knotty case.
After it was won ten or twenty
from the fee found its way to Mr..
Todd's pocket, but it never stayed
long. ~
Coffee and cakes formed Mr.. Todd's
breakfast at the beanery around the
corner, for his appetite was no more
lusty than his purse. When the man
at the next stool laid down the Morn
ing Times, Mr.. Todd spread it out
against the catsup bottle and began
reading political news. The full
ticket and plans of the Independents
caught his eye and he read on, idly: