The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1911-03-16
CY. WHITTAKER's PLACE

big talk that's been made. All right,
then! move you, sir, that Captain
Cyrus Whitaker be appointed com
mittee Of one 10 go to Washin' ton. If
he wants to. or anywhere else, and see
that we get the appropriation. And IL
we don't get 1t the blame's his! There.
nowr'
There was roar of laughter. This
was exactly the sort of tit for tar
humor that appeals 10 Yankee
crowd The motion was seconded half
a dozen times. Moderator Knowles
grinned and shook his head.
"a jokes a joke" he said. land we
meetin' is supposed to be for business.
not fun, So
Question. Question! It's been sec.
onded! We've got to vote on itP'
shouted a chorus.
Don't you think-seems to me that
amt in order" began the moderator.
bur Captain Cy rose to his feet The
grim smile had returned to his face.
and he looked at the joyous assem-
blage with almost his old expression
of appreciative alertness.
Never mind the vote" he said 81
realize that Brother Leonard has rath-
er got one on me. so TO speak All
right: won't dodge. I'll be commit
tee of one on the harbor grab. and if
nothin comes of ii I'll take my share
of kicks Gentlemen. l appreciate your
truStfulness in my ability"
This brief speech was huge sue
cess. If for moment the pendulum of
public favor had swung toward Simp
son. his trumping of the latter's lead
ing card pushed it back again. The
moderator had some difficulty In re-
storing order to he hilarious meeting
Then Mr.. Myrick was accorded the
privilege of the floor. iu spite OF Tads
protests, and proceeded to nominate
Cyrus Whitaker for the school com
mittee
Josiah Dmick seconded the cap
tain's nomination. Then Mr. Simpson
stepped to the front and. after visit
full glance at the door began TO speak.
"Feller citizens" be said. lit is my
privilege TO put in nomination for
school committee man whose name
stands for all that's good and clean
and progressive in this township. But
afore | do it I'm goin' 10 ask you to
let me say word or two concernin'
somethin' that bears right on this mat
ter and which. believe. every one
of you ought to know. It's sOmethiu'
that most of you don't know, and it'll
be a surprise. big surprise.
.Feier Bayporters." went on Tad.
there's one thing we've all agree on.
no matter who we've meant to vote
for-that is. that member of our
school committee should be an up
right, honest man, one tit morally TO
look out for our dear children Amt
that so? Well. then. ask you this:
Would you consider man fit for that
Job who deliberately came between a
father and his child, who piZened the
mind of that child against his own
parent and when that parent come to
claim that child first tried 70 buy him
off and then turned him out of the !
house? Yes, and offered violence to
him and done it! Is that the kind ,
of man we want to honor or to look
out for our own children's schoolin'? !
Mr. Simpson undoubtedly meant to
cause a sensation by his opening re-
marks. He certainly did so. The cap
MI
again.
Gentlemen" continued the speaker.
'last night | had an experience that l
shan't forget as long as live met
a poor man. poor. lame man who'd
been away out west and got hurt bad.
Folks thought he was dead. His wife
thought so and died grievin' for iin.
She left little baby girl, only seven
or eight year old When this man
come back. well again. but poor, to look
up his family he found his wife had
passed away and the child had been
sent Off, just to get rid of her, to a
stranger in another town. Ihat
stranger fully meant TO send her off.
too: he said so dozens of times. \
good many of you folks right here
heard him say 1t. But he never sent
her He kept her Why? Well, that's
he question. | shan't answer it
lint accusin' nobody All say is.
what's easy enough for any of you to
prove. and that is that it come to light
The child had property belongin' TO her
property. land. wuth money!.
He paused once more and drew his
sleeve across his forehead Most of
lis hearers were silent now. on tiptoe
If expectation.
This man. be proclaimed. this
ather. mournin' for his dead wife and
ongin' for his child. comes 10 the
own where he was to find and take