The Tupelo journal., 1911-08-04
THE
|BRIBE

lcopyrisht. 1917. By Associated Literary Prsss

IHeHlDeT VI tH0 legislature uuu
drawn him into the group of legis-
l~ators, newspaper men and lobbyists
that surrounded her, and she had
asked him to take her up to the gall
lery to watch the meeting Of the
house of representatives.
"Youi are not a political woman,
are you?" he asked.
"No."
"1'm glad" There was a warmth
in his voice and a deepening of his
tone that made the speech a person.
atty. From his square, clean
shaven chin to his closely cropped
hair the red color suddenly flashed.
"For a moment, when | first saw
you, l feared you might be a lobby
list and-well, / knew | was going
to like you awfully well and | want
ed you to be-just a charming, beau
tiful girl"
81 don't know anything about lob
bying. | am interested, of course,
in the work of the legislature, but
/ know really nothing about it.
There is but one political matter
which I understand, and / care a
great deal about it. l hope the state
will locate its new home for the aged
and infirm at Greenville."
"Why Greenville?" he asked,
quickly.
"Greenville is my home. It is a
large mining and manufacturing
city. Three-fourths of the popula-
ton work in the mines and factories.
They are poor people and many Of
them are too old and too i'll to work.
But they have always lived in Green
vile; old people do not uproot cas-
lily, and in order to remain there they
totter about, old men and women,
doing the little tasks that hardly
suffice to feed them-unwilling to go
to the state homes in other cities, too
proud to go to the poorhouse. Mr..
Eversman, there is nothing on earth
SO pitiable as an old man or woman
who bears on age-bent shoulders the
bitter burden of poverty, loneliness
and home longing"
"And you art so much for the
people Of Greenville ?"
can old man, broken"
She stopped suddenly. Whether it
was a resolution to say no more or a
sob that had arisen in her throat
and choked her voice Eversman
could not determine. He was re-
membering joyfully that he was
chairman of the committee of legis-
lators appointed to decide the site
Of the new home for aged and infirm
and that he had the power to give to
the old people of Greenville a home
in their own community. !
A week later the chairman of the
committee called to order a meeting.
"Mr. Chairman" began a young
member of the Legislature Gan init
mate friend of Eversman), eve
have in the last week visited each
proposed site, and have inquired
carefully into the merits of the vari-
GUS places offered. We are now as
sembled to vote for the location we
think most suitable. / desire to cast
my vote for Greenville and | move
we make the selection unanimous"
Another member was on his feet
seconding the motion.
~ object! l object" Numbered
a legislator who had listened to a
voice Of gold which had advised him
to vote for a location which was not
Greenvllle.
"The motion is before the commit
tee" ruled the chairman. sThose in
favor of building the new home at
Greenville signify by saying aye.
Those opposed, no. Three in favor
Of Greenville. Three opposed. In
. tie the chair casts the deciding
vote. The chair votes for Green
vile. Greenville will have the new
state home"
"And | tell you, Don Eversman,"
shouted an angry voice, Esthat you're
a BLACKBOARD, a high-handed politi-
cal thief. You we're bribed into Civ
ing Greenville the plum. That good
looking daughter Of old Jim Vim
cents has been down here coaxing
you into planting the home at,
Greenyille because the site chosen
there is an old mud hole belonging
to her father for which the state will
~ fcrfrpo Yn,,,uo hoor