The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1909-11-18

''Barnes Eldon, have you gone plum
crazy? You know | can't afford it,
with my crop al at skies and sevens
and the niggers wantin' the earth in
two week ratiOnS."
Its one or the other of u.s. persist
ed Eldon. You know, squire, we've
only got to post your name, and Jim
crop for all 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 1863, 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 limit?'
1.-TWO years. squire cheerfully re-
sponded Eldon.
"That amt no answer to my ques-
tion'' 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 it, boy. There's some
woman at the bottom of this
Eldon grinned. Il reckon | will
have to make a confdant of you.
squire. Ever since Jessie Eldridge
and / 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
Brantley has the money, and he has
record but the money makes anything
go with the old man. Jessie won't
| hear to word of it, and the old man
| has been leading her life of it for
! the last year. She says if get elect
ed she will marry me rlaIt away, dad
dy or no daddy. We VISIT TO show old
man Eldridge tina. Dick Brantley's
not the only man in this part of the
world that can make a living for his
daughter. That's why, squire"
Thought so. Well, Jessie's mighty
nice little GAL You've got more
sense'n L give you credit for, Barnes,
and I'll think it over Hal Eldridge
always was ready to sell out for
hea's hide and taller. Been a-huntin'
lately?"
Eldon took the hint. mot much |
haven't. ingalls, and Robinson amt
putting in time on deer and bear
He laughed easily, shifting his six
feet of stalwart 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 a 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
busy man. with no time for your
blame foolishness; sides, | want you
to understand this heah county amt
no boys football. l amt a-goin' one
step, and you might as well drop that
fool talk
Eldon sprang into the saddle. Then
it'll have to be me. I'm young, but
I've got a clean record on cows" And
before the squire could get in pro-
test he had disappeared down the
south road in a cloud of dust.
"Well. I'll be- And the squire
mopped his face energetically Then
his eyes began to twinkle, and he
broke into a huge laugh. ITS go,
and a 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
Barraclaw, 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. 1t had its be-
| ginning in an old feud between the
| two candidates that had more than
once occasioned bloodshed Neither
| of them was there. but there were
plenty of their supporters on the
| ground and wave Of excitement
went through the men as a rumor
spread and gained ground that the
| Judge of the election had been threat
ened by the opposition-that he would
be shot if he attempted to serve.
The Barraclaw being the largest
township in the county and therefore
the most important rallying 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
give both ingalls, and Eldon a stiff
fight Mcpherson, the threatened judge,
rode in on the stroke of the clock and
dismounted amid general hush All
eyes followed him as he strobe through
the doorway and took his seat, Win
chester across his lap.
By II o'clock the crowd had increaS-