St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1911-03-01

By JOSEPH C. LINCOLN
Copyright. 1908. by D. Appleton 8 Co.

body can say he isn't and tell the
truth
No one could truthfully speak i'll of
AIonzo Snow-that was fact. He
lived at the lower end of the village,
was well to do, a leading cranberry
grower and very prominent in the
church. A mild, easy going person was
Mr.. Snow, with an almost too keen
fear of doing the wrong thing and
therefore prone to be guided by the
opinion of others. He was distinctly
not a politician.
'Then what ails your" asked Asaph
holly.
"Why, nothin' maybe, only I'm al
ways suspicious when Tad pats Prov
idence on the back. I generally figure
that l can see through a doughnut
when there's a light behind the hole.
Who is Lonzo's best friend in this
town? Who does he chum with most
of anybodyT
'Why, Darius Ellis, I guess. You
know it."
"Um-hum. And Darius is on the
committee-why
1'Well, s'pose cause Heman Atkins
thought he'd be a good Teller to have
there. But
eyes, and Lonzo's pew in church
is right under the Atkins memorial
window The light from it makes a
kind of halo round his bald head every
Sunday"
"Well, what Of it? Heman nor no
body else could buy LonZo Snow"
But there are some things you get
/ without buyin'-the measles, for in
stance And the one that's catchin'
'em don't know he's in danger till the
speckles break out. Fellers, this COM
mittee voted in Phoebe Dawes by just
two votes to one, and one of the two
was Lem Myrick. Darius was against
her. Now, with Tad and his Prov
idence putin in Lonzo Snow and
Heman Atkins settin' behind the
screen workin' his normal school
music box SOS they can hear the tune
well, Phoebe may stay this term out,
but how about the next?"
"Hey? Why, I don't know"
"From what I hear, this Phoebe
Dawes, for all her pesky down east
stubbornness, is teachin' pretty well,
and, anyhow, she's one little woman
against Tad Simpson and Heman At
kins and-and Tad's special brand of
| Providence. She deserves a fair
shake, and, by the big dipper, she's
goin' to have it! Look here, you two
how would look on the school COM
mittee?''
"You?' repeated the pair in concert.
''You?"
eyes, me. I amt a Solomon for
wisdom, but carlate I'd be as near
the top of the barrel as Darius Ellis
and only one or two layers under
Eben Salters or Lonzo Snow. I'm
candidate. see|
''But-but, Whit" gasped the town
clerk, "are you popular enough? Could
you get elected?''
ct don't know, but I can find out.
You and Bailey IL vote for me, won't
your"
course we will, but
Cali right. There's two votes. A
hundred and odd more'n put me in.
Here goes for politics and popularity.
I may be president yet; you can't tell.
And, say, this town meetin' won't be
dull, whichever way the cat jumps
This last was safe prophecy. All
dullness disappeared from Bayport the
moment it became known that Cap
tain Cyrus Whitaker was ''out'' for
the school committee. The captain
began his e1ectioneering at once. That
very afternoon he called upon three
people-Eben Salters, Josiah Dimick
and Lemuel Myrick.
Captain Salters was chairman of Sc
Iectmen as well as chairman of the
committee He was a hard headed old
salt, who had made money in the
Australian packet service. He had
common sense, independence and con-
siderable influence in the town. Next
to Congressman Atkins he was per-
haps our leading citizen. And, more
than all, he was not afraid, when he
thought it necessary, to oppose the
great Heman.
"Well," he said refectively after
listening to Captain Cys brief state
ment of his candidacy, ST cal1ate I'll
stand in with you, Cy. amt got any
thing against Lonzo, -but-wen,
consarn it, maybe that's the trouble;
maybe he's so darned good it makes
me jealous. Anyhow, I'll do what I
can for you"
Joe Dimick laughed aloud He was
an iconoclast, seldom went to church
and was entirely lacking in reverence;
also he really liked the captain
''Ho, hop he crowed. 'fWhit, do
you realize that you're undermine
this towns constitution? Oh, sartin,
I'm with you, if it's only to see the
fur fly! I do love a scrap"
With Lem Myrick Captain Cy's pol
Icy was different. He gently reminded
that gentleman of the painting con-
tract, intfmated that other favors might
be forthcoming and then as a clincher
spoke Of Tad Simpsons comment
when Mr.. Myrick voted for Phoebe
! Dawes.