The Alaska citizen., 1910-08-29

Ntbb lS diNHtS S "tAllHS lNi N'lH'F Alil- to turn up. For ninetyniue out of every hundred. nothing ever does turn up worth mentioning. The practical world takes very little stock in The prospects of man who just waits for things to happen in stead of going after them But for that huudredth hobo-or perhaps he k the thuusaudth or the fen thous- andth h-Fate has played strange pranks Romance has adopted him for her own, and it would bring joy to the heart of such a man as Hugus Leroux to hear of some of his as tonishing experiences LerouN came over from France on a lecturetour six years ago. and fell in love with the American tramp. When he got him that caused no end of talk. The bohemian aspirations of our tramps. he declared We're one of the re- deemiug features of the American utIlitarian civilization He called them admirable rebels against a monotouous. aIl-pervadins mercanriI- ism
 IL is a pity that LerouX was here year too early to meet the mayor of Amesville. Ohio. They would have had much in common. There was no monotonous. allperyading mercantil- plain. ordinary hobo, and the fact that he was the chief executive of Amesvile could not be blamed upon any aspirations of his own. He was just as much surprised as was ey- erybody else when he was elected to that high office
 One March day in 1903. the man who was To become the mayor rode into the town on the trucks of a freight car In the freight yards he clambered out of his perch, stretched himself. lodged the kick of a passing brakeman with the agility born of long experience with railroad employees. viewed his sur roundiHgs with a critical eve. and decided that the town was q good place to rest i'll for a few days He took of the linen duster that he wore. rolled if up and put it in his pocket, and sauutcred up the main street When he came to saloon. he stopped and took a peek at the bar He was very thirsty, but there was not even penny in his rags.
 It happened that al that moment a man with a foaming schooner of beer in his hand was looking out into the street. He caught the long ing look of the tattered tramp, took pity on him. and invited him in for drink The seedy visitor fell in love with Amesville that very in stant All that day he hung about the saloon. The next day he was there, too, and the next.
 Gradually he came 10 be regarded as a fixture of the place. He man aged to raise enough money for food by doing odd jobs for the saloon keeper. He was genial soul and the customers liked him. In a few days he had become known to all the men about town. They enjoyed hearing him tell of his experiences on the road He had never been any thing but q hobo. he told them, and he had travelled all over the cOnti- nent AlonZo Weed was his name, ing Hello Alonzo!" or Have a drink, Alonzo?" forty times a day in that saloon.
 Everybody was busy al that time talking politics Election day was drawing near, and a mayor was to be chosen; but as a matter of fact scarcely one of Amesyille's 800 in habitants gave a thought to the may oralty; they were all too much in terested in the state campaign. Just before election some of the citizens got together and decided that it would be good joke to nominate AlonZo for mayor And sure enough, when the day came, AlonZo's name was the only one on the ticket for that office
 When this discovery was made consternation seized the more sob erminded element The leading cit iZens put their heads together in a hurry and decided that every respec- table voter should write in the name of F. w. Gibson, a reliable business man and church member, on his ballot
 But the jokers all voted for Alon- 20. And to the amaZement of the town, when the returns were count ed it was found that Gibson and the tramp were tied for the office. Each had received thirty-one votes.
 The two candidates met and agreed to let chance decide the winner They cut pack of cards. Gibson turned up a four of hearts; Alonzo a jack. The office was his. He was sworn in at once, according to law.