The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1913-04-02
J Colonel
TODHUNTER
of Missouri
81 RIPLEY D. SAUNDERS
6opyFlgtTt. 1911. by the BObbs-NVerrIIl
Company
GC4-%f-nad

The other laughed. but shook his
head They've got too big a bulge on
us Everything's fixed now to steal the
St Louis and Kansas City vote for old
Steve Yancey, and that'll settle it. The
judges and clerks Of election are all
1ancey crooks, appointed before Bob
Peyton, the Yancey chairman of the
board of election commissioners in st.
Louis. took sick and died and Randolph
Carter was named to fill the vacancy,
and the st. Louis and Kansas City vote
Is what's going to beat me-"
Colonel Todhunter snorted indig-
nantIy. ga fight amt over till one side
or the others licked. suh?' he an
nouneed- and 1 amt licked till hCl-
Ter Null sub! TIL amt time now to
do no more on the stump, but Pm n
goin' to send out mighty big batch O.
kilograms to our best workers all over
the state and see if we can't make
things count the way they ought to
count. When 1 quit ightin' you'll either
see the worst whipped man you ever
saw in all your born days-or you'll be
the Democratic nominee for governor
of Aizzoorah, Bill Strickland!'
Colonel Strickland's weary eyes were
contemplating the speaker with
''I-gad. Thurs he said, Il never
thought I'd begrudge another man his
pluck, but I'm doing that with you
now, my friend. I'm too tired to fight
any longer, old fellow. That's the
truth of it. The campaigns over as
far as I'm concerned. l don't want to
hear anything more but the final re-
suits, and I'm going to write my
friends in st. Louis not to bother send
ing me anything but that. The truth
is, Thurs. this trouble of Toms has
taken something out of my spirit that
don't seem to come back
It'll come back, .Bin,' said Colonel
Todhunter stoutly. And you've been
standing the gait like a gamecock, sub.
You've done all man in your position
could ma done. and your friends will
do whatever fightin' remains to be
done You just take it easy, subj"
Tom Strickland entered the room.
He looked pale and worn, but happy,
and there was a steadier manliness in
his face.
Mothers asking for you and Colonel
Todhunter. father" he said. she
wants me to tell you that this isn't any
time to be talking politics"
Colonel Todhunter laughed. "Ain't
that just like woman, Bill?" he asked
"And Mrs. Strickland, for all she
knows, on the very edge of becomin'
the first lady of Mi7oorah. sub: I'll be
hamjiggedi Well. sub, 1 reckon the
good Lord who made 'em understands
'em, but it's a blamed sight more'n
do. Not even Mrs. Todhunter, suh!'
He chuckled. Then he added, Least
of all Mrs TOdhunter, suhI'
- n
Blade, Colonel Strickland's home or
gan. enterprisingly arranged for bull
letin service of election returns on the
night of the primary vote. and Colone'
Todhunter and the Hon. William ].
Strickland were among the first to ar
rive at the Blade Office that evening.
Dick himself. with Lycurgus Quivey
as his assistant. was to handle the bull
letins. the poet schoolmaster's most ar
duous assignment being that of keep
ing the Blade devil in swift action
between the newspaper plant and the
telegraph Office across the street. There
was a quite considerable gathering of
Nineveh's voters to hear what news
might come. and much speculation as
to the result was being voiced.
What do you think about it now,
BiIl?' asked Colonel Todhunter as the
Just the same as I've been saying
right along here lately" replied Colo
mel Strickland quietly. 'T'H go into
Kansas City and st. Louis consider
ably ahead of Yancey, and I'd carry st.
Louis on an honest count. Kansas City,
being Steve Yancey's home, will roll up
a big majority for him, even if they've
got to give the penitentiary a close
shave in doing it. Still, I'd stand
fighting chance if the St Louis crooks
didn't have a free hand-but they've
got it. and that's what's going to cook
my goose
well. then, givin' 'em st. Louis and
Kansas City both. what do you figure
your plurality in the statell have to be
to overcome thatT
81 reckon they won't dare to count
more'n 10000 plurality for Yancey in
St Louis-it would be too plain a show
ing of crooked work if they did-and
on that basis I'd need something like
$4,000 plurality in the state. Where am
j going to get ft?''
Colonel Todhunter looked dubious
"That certainly is saddlin' a mighty big
contract on MizzOorah, to Offset the
crooked count in st. Louis. But I'll just
be double whipsawed if we won't fight
'em to the last ditch. sub. No mans
licked till he says so himself. Why.
right on that point, sub. I knew an old
fellow over yonder in Galloway that
never got licked in his whole life; he
died f1ghtin to his last breath. like a
regular old Davy Crockett. subj"
The Hon. William J Strickland sn1il
ed I'm not throwing up the sponge
either" he responded. but the wisest
way is TO look facts straight in the
lace If you don't you simply build a
scsPs pare dise th9t'Il make you feel all
me worse If things don't turn out
right"
Colonel Todhunter chuckled- 'All
che same he commented 'I'u a1oin'