Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1913-08-02

Leland, the windows of which looked
down on Sixth street. a short. fat man
was pacing the floor
Hell" he would say. why the
devil doesn't he come"
The little man was William Grigsby,
and he was the encouragement OF the
state OF Illinois. He had come down
from the 10 Dayiess hills. to serve a
term in the house. and been nominated
for the Office he now held by the gov
ernor. John Chatham. John Chatham
was his political creator. and the two
men had once been friends. The ad-
ministration had begun tremendously
enough. but before two of the four
years of its political life had expired
there was a split, and factions had
formed There had been fierce fight
for the control of the state central
committee that year and the struggle
/ had been carried into the state conven-
ton. which nominated a state treas
urer. a superintendent of public in
struction. and trustees Of the univer-
sity of Illinois In one faction were
/ the governor, the auditor of public ac-
counts and. of course. his appointees.
the Acknowledgement, the railroad and
warehouse commissioners and the
| trustees of the state institutions. In
/ the other were the attorney general
and the secretary of state, Jennings.
| Lockhart, the state treasurer. had
been neutral. He was everybody's
| friend.
candidate. for governor. In opposition
to his cid friend. John Chatham. the
man who had made him.
The encouragement continued to
smoke and pace the floor. and swear.
After a while he consulted his watch
again. and then gave the old-fashioned
brass bell-pull a vigorous jerk. Pres
emily a negro boy came bearing pre-
sumptive pitcher of water. the tinkfing
of the ice heralding his approach. The
encouragement would have welcomed
ice water In the morning. but now he
seized II from the black boys hand.
set it down with splash on his wash
stand. and shouted:
go and tell Jim to mix me a COM
modore."
Just as the boy reached the door, It
opened and tall man entered. The
tall man seeing the boy, looked at
Grigsby.
"What'll you have, HANK" said the
Encouragement.
"A little whisky"
Bring Mr. Jennings some whisky"
ordered the encouragement.
Bourbon, boy" added Mr.. Jennings
The boy withdrew.
The Encouragement paused before
the fire. and looked up into the face
of the secretary of state.
well Hank" he said. 81 began to
fear you hadn't got my message.
Heard the news?"
What news?"
why" replied the attorney general
haven't you heard? Jim Lockhart's
dead"
THE hell he is" responded Jen-
nings. 81 hadn't heerd airy word
Wnen q ne de-!
This afternoon"
SUDDEN"
Rather"
What was ailin' Of him."
The encouragement smiled, a pecu-
liar. mirthless smile.
The secretary of state ceased to
rock.
'You don't reckon now"
That's 1t. exactly"
II didn't know it'd got that bad.
What'd they give out fer the cause?"
"Oh. heart failure, | suppose"
Beats hell, don't it,"
The secretary of state was silent.
Presently he spoke again in an alb
stracted way:
well. Jim as a devil of a good fel.
Ter; as good as you'd meet up 18th in
coon's age. An I reckon when it
come to a showdown, he as our
friend. If the boys 'p'ints an investi-
gatin' oommittee-Jim as al'ays lee
tie too free 18th the stuff"
Hank. | didn't send for you to-
night to hold memorial services over
Jim Lockhart. There's something more
important than that-there's some
thing damned important, and 1t con-
Germs me-" Il
Your
Eyes. me. I'm In this thing just
twenty thousand dollars"
"The hell you are."
thousand-dollars."
Grigsby sank into a chair
"Borrowed?" asked Jennings.
Yes"
Public funds?"
we'll don't know. Course"
Him Lockhart didn't have no pri- |
vate fortune-'ithout 1t as the in
trust"
We'll. suppose 1t was"
"Anthin' to show fer it?"
Il gave him three notes-one for |
ten. two for five thousand each"
We'll. you're a bigger damn fool |
than | gave you credit fer bein'."
The encouragement, clutching his
fingers into his hair. rested his elbows |
on his short knees, and bowed his !
head. And with the governorship
just in plain sight. too" he groaned.
Well 1t wasn't so damn plain" said
Jennings.