Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1909-12-04
b.rreI. rb,n tbey broke Into a deep

barrel. Then they broke Into a deep
mouthed roar OF "Baxterl Baxterw
"This amt nO time to be a-botherin'
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 a
white mans country. and you ain't
never know'd me to turn my back on
q friend In need. and. boys, when a
mans a-needin' a wife and luck Is
aead agin him In the matter OF her
daddy, that's the time for your sym
patty If you be ever a-goin' to ladle
1t 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 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 | do. and 1t 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, Fm 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 1t aln't rainwater. an The rest
was drowned In shout "Eldon. FL
don's the squire's choice! He's the
man for Little RockI'
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 or that barrel and
we'll settle here and now! You've been
a-interferin' in my family. and now
I'm a-goin' TO have 1t outen your
hide!' Eldridge tumbled out of the
saddle and stood shaking his fist up at
the squire. who surveyed him with
twinklfng eyes.
| whats 1t all about, Hal? Seems
| like you be carryin' leetle mite more
sail N usual. Hold him, boys" as
Eldridge's hand flashed toward bis
hip. THAT amt no way for white
man to be actin up. let alone hus-
band and father, in this heah decent
| and law abidin' community"
/ You. YOU Eldridge 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 downsittin's. Now
here's Hal Eldridge come here for the
'spress purpose of maxim an end OF
me. IL 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 satisfactory
explanation of this heah little affair,
me and Barnes II make clean breas
of It, We lowed that you men want
a-goin' right back on Jim Eldon's boy
old Jim. who it with Dad Price and
who risked his life a dozen times fol
your families In them dark days after
1.-The war. We counted on your mem
cries bein' longer than brandin' iron
or mebbe the boundary of st. Jean
A roar of laughter swept the crowd
and the squire grinned as he resumed
laying hand on Eidon's shoulder
"As i was a-sayin'. we was so sure