The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1911-05-18

was MS sole relaxation. Other strate-
slsts played chess. He preferred the
political pawn TO the bits of carved
WOOD or ivory, and his board was an
entire State.
Now he saw the end of it all. I'm
less on an early ballot he could swing
the doubtful delegates into tho RaiIoY
ranks, there would be a stamDede 70
Foster. II he could arrange to STAN
pede some of the Foster delegates IN
Bailey, the uncertain delegates wouId
PROBABLY follow the lead of the de-
serters.
AS for the hundredth time his eve
ran down the column. his hands
cllnched nervously. His glance rested
Tor moment on Crosby county with
its eleven votes.
Crosby county stood committed IN
Foster. Could Woodham induce them
10 change it would mean a difference
OF twenty-five votes for Bailey-the
eleVen votes added and the eleven ia
ken away from the Foster adherents
Inc mead OF the Crosby delegation
was howard Graves. The others would
vote as ne voted And only a few
uays before Graves had asked con-
sent TO marry Marian WOODLAND
Al the time WoOdham had refused
because Graves was a young attorney
sum struggling for recognition AT the
Dar' while Woodham was ambitious
LOT MS daughter Now he drew a
sheet OF paper toward him and wrote
rapidly for moment. Then he tbruet
the sheet into an envelope and called
for messenger.
An hour later Howard Graves. rest
ING IN his room at the hotel for the
battle of the morrow. received Tho
mlSsiNe and read il a dozen times no
fore he placed it in his pocket.
II was dlplomatically worded II
ana not openly bride, but suggested
that the writer had learned thar ne
was mistaken as to Graves politicaI
Affiliations. If it were true as he
now had reason to believe. thar Graves
and the Crosby delegation were in
reahtN supporters of the Bailey boom
he begged to withdraw his oppositjon
10 the match Graves had suggested.
Graves was still uncertain when he
went into the convention hall the fol-
lowing morning. From his place in
the Skeene county delegation Wood
nam nodded pleasantly to him. and
win a glance directed the young at
torney's gaze into the galleries.
Ihese ran about the four sides of
the hall and directly above the chair
mans desk sat Marian Woodham. She
had come down in answer to her
fathers telegram the night before. and
they entered the convention hall be-
fore he had explained to her the rea-
son he had sent for her.
You keep your eye on Graves and
he will vote right" had been her
fathers admonition. Your wedding
present will be that house on Maple |
street and you can furnish it as YOU
like. Ill take your husband into the
firm, too"
1t was heavy bride The house !
alone was worth $4,000, and a part |
nershlp with Woodham, Gala & C-eagh |
woN Eave Graves weary struggle !
II waSNcarcely to be wondered at that /
her face was white and wan as she /
leaned over the balcony rail and tried T.
to smile at Graves.
She heard as in a dream the prelimi- |
mares. The State chairman placed |
BalIeys name in nomination and her
father seconded it, asking that the ,
nomination be made unanimous There /
was derlsive boot from the opposi- +
tlon at this, and some one nominated
Dudley Foster, and someone else made
the seconding speech. There were no
other nominations, and the chairman
of the convention directed that the
balloting begin.
1T was the custom in the convention
for the spokesman of each delegation
to announce the vote when the name
of his county was called, and the life
less voice of the clerk began.
From the first il was apparent that
the contest would be close. and as
Crosby county was called there was