Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1913-08-28
NO. a..

are called, these ten will vote for the
bill, and on the verifcation, you'll see
others tumbling into the band-Wagon.
Now, your vote is not needed, as you
see, and cast for the bill or against it,
can have no appreciable effect upon
the result. The bill will pass without
your vote, and cannot defeat it, for
the hundred and two will stand firm
in the end. One of them however-it
Is Berry, don't mind telling you-is
trying, at the last minute, to force us
into raising his price. You can take
his place, you can have his price Of
the easy money with his raise added
II you will go out there and vote for
the bill
HE stood looking at the floor, rum.
mating.
"T know, Henderson, continued,
that you are poor man, that you
have a large family, that you have to
work hard for living You are 60.
Ing home tomorrow, maybe not to
come back here any more, and you
can 60, If you wish, with three thou.
sand dollars clean cold cash in your
pocket. What do you say?"
"The old man turned his face away
and began to tumble with his horny
fingers at his chin. His hand trembled
as with a palsy. We could hear the
roll call going on outside
"'Hear them? / said. It's nearly
UP to you-what do you say?'
"The old mans lips quivered and
t. An od In, h
beard He opened his lips to speak.
but his jaw moved helplessly And
we heard Hens voice back there In
the house calling-callng so that you
could have heard him over In the Le
land barroom:
'Geisbach!'
"'No!'
"'He is one of those who will
change I, said.
"'Giger'
There was no response. He'll be
all right when they call the abseutees.'
l said.
"'Gordon!'
"Non
'Griesheimeri'
AYE
"'Hear them" I asked. The HIS
came next, and the old man, still fumb'
ling with his chin, and without turn.
ing his head, began to talk:
Baldwin, he said, you're right.
am poor man. | have a wife an
eight children. Tomorrow I'm goin'
back home, an on Monday I'm gon' to
hunt a job-hunt job in the harves'
field. I've worked all my life. l
'spect to work hard all my life. I'll
keep on huntin' jobs in the harves
fields. III probably die in the poor
house. I'll be buried In the potter's'
field God knows what'll become OF
that woman and them children
"He nodded his head as In assent
to an indisputable proposition, and his
eyes widened as If In fright. They
were looking down the barren years
before him, and felt in that moment
glad of my power to brighten them.
Hallen!' we heard Hen call.
"Non
Henderson of Efingham.
"'Aye!'
THE old man Strengthened out his
long, lank figure, and then suddenly
he turned and looked me in the eyes.
"'But Baldwin he said, 4 come here
last January an honest man, and to-
morrow I'm goin back, back to oil
Greene, back to my people, back tc
that woman an them children, an
Baldwin'-he gulped the word-'Bald
win, I'm goin' back an honest man.
Henderson of Greene! Hen!
voice called, and the old man stalkeG
into the corridor and thundered MOI
in a trumpet note"
The lobbyist ceased. The train haI
stopped at Chenoa, and they coulI
hear the breathing of the engine,
breathing as living thing when 1t
rests. The noise ceased presently,
and the silence of the wide country
night ensued. They heard only tha
notes that came from the throats Ct
frogs and the stridulent drumming tt
the cicadae. Baldwin looked at tn,
two politicians, expecting some CON-.
ment. The oscitant Healy looked out
of the window, into the vast darknes j
brooding over the prairie town. Je;r
nings sat meditatively pulling at his
moist mustache, an expression OF per.
plexity in his countenance, tho
wrinkles of increasing concentration
of mind gathering In his brow. Pres.
emily without word, he rose and left
the compartment. When he returned
he was treading in his stockings, his
coat and waistcoat and collar had
been removed, his suspenders mere
hanging at his hips. He was evidently
preparing for his berth. Baldw!l.
meanwhile, had pressed button, AID
sent Gentry, the aged porter, now in
on the seat beside him his pajamas,
and a travellers case filled with silver
toilet articles. Jennings lifted hts
own big valise to his knees, and from
its depths drew a bottle, wrapped
heavily in a newspaper. He held one
of the heavy little glasses under the
faucet of the water cooler and allowed
the water to trickle into 1t. Then peel
ing back the paper from his bottle, he
took long pull from It's naked ne (.
and passed 1t to Baldwin. AS he did
so his brows still knotted in perpleX-
ity, he asked:
"What'd you say that feller's name
was?"
Henderson"
Henderson of Greene, eh?"
"Yes."
Jennings threw back his head and
tilted the water, deadly cold from the