The Detroit times., 1911-12-08
- COLONEL -
~ IODHUNTER H.
@/MSSOLzI N'T'
Dr RlptN D. SAUNDERS
CeyyiEst MERRILL cmpany
VI lNlf1Ct ~ ONUNUlIrO.
CopyriEst. 1871, Tie Bobhs- Merrill Company

round here at the head of the Stephen
X. Yancey Campaign Club! You look
a-here. Bill Strickland! II them fellows
has had the impudence TO turn out on
parade when we're a-welcomin' you
home to Nineveh, I'd sick our boys on
10 EN- as sure as ms names Thurs L.
Todhunter, subj"
Colone! Strickland was laughing
outright What did | tell you?" he
said. THEY haven't lost any time de-
clarlng war. and somebody's paying
good money for IL. too!
Colonel Todhunter leaned out OF the
carriage and spoke TO the nearest
Strickland partizan. you run up
yonder at the head OF that-there
band he said, and tell Samson
Meek to come back here a minute. |
want TO see him.
Samson Meek, leader of The Nine
veh brass band hurried back He
was so buttoned up and padded In his
gorgeous drum-major's uniform. top
ped off with a gigantic fur shake, that
the sweat poured down his lank and
honest Missouri face like rain.
Samson" spoke Colonel Todhun-
ter ominously. III we run across that
Stephen X Yancey bugle and drum
corps, | want you TO drown EN- out
and keep EN- drowned out. sub. Do
you understand"
Samson Meek brought his baton to
a present. Colonel Todhunter, well
smother EN-, sub. just been waiting
for the chance"
Then you 60 back and tell your
horn-tooters what's expected OF EN-,
subj commanded Colonel Todhunter.
Especially that little fat fellow with
the horn bigger'n he is. Tell him to
blow himself inside out This-here
Strickland parade amt a-goin to be
inteT sy 40 Steve Yancey and
Eph Tucker foolishness as long as I'm
in charge or the ceremonies, subj"
Then he turned to Colonel Bill
Strickland. That settles 1t, subj" he
snorted. "I'll be shot full o. holas II
I don't take the stump for you my
self, Bill Strickland, IL they're start
in the fight right in your own town,
sub, the fust minute you come home,
sub. I'll make imperial Mizzoorah
howl for William J. Strickland. TOO,
sub; hang my picture IL | don't"
In full view of the parading crowd
Colonel Bill Strickland grasped Col
onel Todhunter's hand you old war
horse" he cried. I'D rather have you
stumping Missouri for me than all the
state committee spellbinders that ever
breathed the breath of life! Bully for
you. Thurs! Well fight 'em to the last
ditch" Great was the cheering at
this incident.
But the Strickland parade did not
encounter the Nineveh bugle and
drum corps and the Stephen x. Yam
cey Campaign Club at this juncture.
The encounter came later.
II came at that tremendous moment
when Colonel Tnurston T. Todhunter,
majestic on the town hall stage, was
just reaching the fervid peroration OF
n speech that was to close with the
inspiring mention of the name OF the
Honorable william J. Strickland as
Missouri Democracy's sure choice for
governor.
II was a premeditated blow at the
glory OF the Todhunter brand Of ora
tory. the cherished pride of Colonel
Thurs T. Todhnnter's ardent soul.
Entering the town hall and defiant
ly marching up the main corridor TO
the wide double doors that gave a
view of the Strickland meeting, the
Nineveh bugle and drum corps, head
ing the Stephen X. Yancey Campaign
Club, awoke the resounding echoes.
Never, ii would seem, had earth
heard such clamor of trumpet and
tambour.
1t crashed into and through the
town hall assembly room 1t rose to
the roof and came laundering back
into the aisles II smote the ears as
with cataclysmic bolts of sound. IL
stilled the eloouence of Colonel Thurs
T Todhunter as If that mighty speak
er were an infant lifting voice against
the voice of elemental chaos.
And Colonel Todhunter paused,
crestfallen.
Then the lust of righteous battle
famed from his indignant eyes He
waved his right hand with a'Jovian
gesture. Drive 'em away. Samson"
he shouted You and Sim Birdsong.
j amt done yeti"
And the gallant Samson Meek rose
to the occasion. With mighty wave
of his baton he rallied his bandsmen
in close order behind him. Captain
Sim Birdsong. no less dependable,
lOTU0td the NtDtNtu SlkHt
line behind the band. There, was a
magnificent flourish of Samson Meek's
sHver-knobbed rod OF office. quick
command from Captain Sim Birdsong,
and then
The Nineveh brass band and the
Nineveh Light Infantry deployed into
the corridor and charged the enemy.
1t was an assault sonorous and ire
sistible. It's slogan was Hail Column
bia!" This gave the big horns an al
most unearthy opportunity. The lit
tie fat fellow with the horn blgger'n
rim" seemed resolved to obey Colonel
Todhunter's injunction and blow
himself inside out" His fellows fol-
lowed his example. The resultant
cyclone of wind-clamor wiped out the
Nineveh bugle and drum corps as IL
il had not been. Triumph shone on
the face of Drum-Major Samson Meek,
truculently waving his glittering
baton.
But an ominous cry rose from his
front Rush 'em, boys. Make a
rough-house'
Even az the Strickland forces lean
ed forward for. countering rush into
combat. however, resolute figure
spring In between the battle lines. IL