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

barrel Then they broke into deep
mouthed roar of Baxter! BaxterP'
This air t no time to be a-bothertn'
you men with speechifying. You all
know me, Johnson Baxter, what has
served you. man and boy, since this
heah Barraclaw has come to be
white mans country, and you amt
never know'd me to turn my back on
friend in need, and, boys, when a
mans a-needin' a wife and luck is
dead agin him in the matter of her
pathy if you be ever a-goin' to ladle
it out, and I'll tell you right now,
Barnes Eldon heah is a-needin' your
sympathy terrible bad, which same he
will take in votes. Now, there's Jim
ingalls,; he's a-wantin' TO hold up the
hands of this heah county for the next
two years, and I'll agree you couldn't
give your vote to a better man, but
Ingalls,, he belongs down in st. Jean,
and 'cordin' to my understanding the
Barraclaw amt got no call to be a-tak-
in care of ST. Jean. Well pass on to
Jack Robinson. You all know Jack
well as l do, and it amt necessary
for me to be a-takin' up time a-throw-
in bokays in his direction. You know
his record same as | do, and some OF
you is a-backin' him, but me. johnson
Baxter, I'm backin' this heah unbroke
colt, Barnes Eldon, to- win. Boys,
amt another word to say. There's
barrel over there in the coffin house,
and it amt rainwater, an The rest
was drowned in a shout: ''Eldon! Ell
don's the squire's choice! He's the
man for Little Rocky'
The election judge leaned forward to
catch the last word, when the rattle Of
galloping hoofs down the South road
drew all eyes to the bent figure crouch
ed in ungainly fashion on the little
clay bank mare that plunged into the
midst Of the crowd straight up to the
squire, still perched upon the water
barrel.
johnson Baxter, you double dyed
scoundrel, come off that barrel and
we'll settle here and now! You've been
a-interferin' in my family, and now
Pm a-goin'> to have it outen your
hidev' Eldridge tumbled out Of the
saddle and stood shaking his fist up at
the squire, who surveyed him with
twinkling eyes.
Whats it all about, Hal? Seems
like you be carryin' leetle mite more
sail n usual. Hold him, boys!" as
Eldridge's hand flashed toward his
hip. THAT amt no way for a white
man to be actin up. let alone a hus-
band and father, in this heah decent
and law abidin' community"
You! YOU EIdridge struggled
to free himself, but the squire's bench
men held him fast. Choking with pas
sion. he could only stammer out curses
Eldon, a little distance away, heard
the disturbance and pushed his way
to the squire, who reached down.
Come up here alongside of me, Barnes
Eldon God knows, boy, your daddy
let me in for heap of trouble when
he made me promise to keep an eye on
your uprisin's and downsittins. Now,
here's Hal Eldridge come here for the
spress purpose of maxim an end of
me, if he hadn't got so upset fore he
got good started Fellow citizens Of
the Barraclaw, SEEM as Hal amt like
~ to be able to make a satisfactory
explanation of this heah little affair.
me and Barnes II make clean breast
of it. We lowed that you men want
a-goin' right back on Jim Eldon's boy
old jim, who fit with Dad Price and
who risked his life dozen times for
your families in them dark days after
the war. We counted on your men,
cries bein' longer than brandin' iron
or mebbe the boundary of ST. jean"
A roar of laughter swept the crowd
and the squire grinncd as he resumed,
laying hand on Eldon's shoulder:
"As | was a-sayin' We WIS SO sure