Ottumwa tri-weekly courier., 1909-11-23

AS he stood framed in the doorway
| his face was slowly disclosed to them,
and there appeared to be humorous
! twinkle in his eyes. Before any one
spoke, he broke out in hearty laugh.
Then a cry rose piercingly in the
quiet room--a cry of amazement from
the lips of Jerry Dangerfield, who had
taken step forward.
"Oh. papa." she cried.
"The Governor!" roared Colonel
Daubenspeck, leaping across the
table.
| ITS Governor Dangerf1eld!" shouted
| half a dozen men in chorus.
At this moment Mrs. Atchison ana
Miss Barbara Osborne stole softly
in and ranged themselves at the back
of the room.
The governor of North Carolina
alone seemed to derive any pleasure
| from the confusion and astonlshment
caused by his appearance. He crossed
| to the table and took his daughters
| hand.
Jerry, what part do you play III
| these amateur theatricals? 2
Jerry rose thrusting her handker-
chief into her sleeve, and her lips
trembled slightly, though whether with
mirth or some somberer emotion IL
would be difficult to say. The room at
once gave her attention, seeing that
she was about to speak.
| papa, before these people l am
ashamed to confess that during your
absence from the seat of government
| took it upon myself to fill your Of
fee to the best of my ability, finding
that many important matters We're
pressing and that you had gone into
exile without leaving your address be-
hind made Mr.. Ardmore, the gentle
man on my left in the pearl-gray suit
and lavender tie. first private secre-
4 tary, and then, when occasion requir-
ed, acting governor, though in reality
he did nothing without my entire ap,
proval. | am happy to say that moth
ing has been neglected and your repu
tation as a great statesman and
friend of the people has not suffered
at our hands. We arrested Mr. Apple
weight, and landed him in the Mingo
county jail as joke on Governor Os
borne to appease the demands of the
i press and the Woman's Civic League
Of Raleigh. The copies of our cores
pondence on this and other matters
will tell you the story more complete
i ly. And as for Governor Osborne,
4 have taught him lesson in etiquette
that should obtain between governors
that he is not likely to forget. Yor
will find that we have not hesitatec
to grant pardons, and we have filed
in one instance, the office of justice
of the peace, made vacant by resigna
ton. The key to your desk, papa |!
behind the clock on the mantel II
your private room"
Ladies and gentlemen" began the
governor of North Carolina, laying ;
hand upon the table, and with ths
other seizing the lapel of his rough
brown coat-a pose made familiar b,
all his photographic jails o
North Caralina are more uncomfort
able than | had believed them to be
and l have taken slight cold whicl
compels me to be briefer than thi
, interesting occasion demands. Yo1
have witnessed here an exhibition o
, filial devotion that has, | am sure
touched us all. 1t is we'll worth Will
{ for me to have suffered arrest and i'm
! prisonment to realize the depth o
: my daughters love, and the jealous
with which she has safeguarded m
) private and public honor"
He felt for handkerchief an
: touched it gently to his eyes; but Co
t Inns declared afterward that Governo
| Dangerfeld was exactly like hi
| daughter and that one never could b
7 sure that his mirth was genuine
81 was aware only yesterday whe
t I saw a newspaper for the first tim
4 in week, that political capital wa
: being made of MY absence from Ra
i eigh; and that my dear friend, tn
| governor of South Carolina, also, wa
l being called to account for f1inchin
3 in the face of imperative duty
! "You friend, Governor" cried Art
e more, unable to restrain himself.
3 Certainly, Mr.. Ardmore," continue
d Governor Dangerfeld. THAT angr
|, parting of ours at New Orleans wa
J. all for effect to get space in the new