The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1913-04-03

ter, sun!
| Colonel Strickland was laughing out
right What did | tell you?" he said
'"rhey haven't lost any time declaring
war, and somebody's paying good mon
ey for 1t too
Colonel Todhunter leaned out of the
carriage and spoke to the nearest
Strickland partisan. You run UP yon-
der at the head of that there band
he said. land tell Samson Meek to
come back here minute. | want to
see him."
Samson Meek. leader Of the Nineveh
brass band hurried back. He was so
buttoned up and padded in his gor-
geous drum majors uniform, topped
Off with gigantic fur shake. that the
sweat poured down his lank and hon
est Missouri face like rain.
Samson spoke Colonel Todhunter
ominously. 'if we run across that Ste.
i phen X. Yancey bugle and drum corps,
I want you to drown EN- out and keep
'em drowned out. sub. Do you under
stand?"
|
present. Colonel TOdhunter, Wen
smother 'em, 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
interrupted by no Steve Yancey and
Eph Tucker foolishness as long as I'm
In charge Of the welcome ceremonies,
sub"
| Then he turned to Colonel Bill Strick-
land. THAT settles it, subj he snort
ed. I'll be shot full o. holes if l don't
take the stump for you myself, Bill
Strickland. if they're startin' 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 pic
ture if dont!'
In full view of the parading crowd
Colonel Bill Strickland grasped Colonel
Todhunter's hand You cid war
horse he cried. I'D rather have you
stumping Missouri for me e. all the
state committee spelIbinGerS mat 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. Yancey Cam
| paign club at this juncture.
The encounter came later.
| It came at that tremendous moment
when Colonel Thurston r. Todhunter,
| majestic on the town hall stage. was
| Just reaching the fervid peroration Of
| q speech that was to close with the in
spring mention Of the name of the
| Honorable William J. Strickland as
| Missouri Democracy's sure choice for
governor.
1t was a premeditated blow at the
glory Of the Todhunter brand Of oras
tory, the cherished pride Of Colonel
Thurs T. Todhunters ardent soul.
| Entering the town hall and defiantly
marching up the main corridor to the
wide double doors that gave view OF
the Strickland meeting. the Nineveh
| bugle and drum corps, heading the
Stephen X. Yancey Campaign club.
awoke the resounding echoes.
Never it 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. 1t smote the ears as with
cataclysm mic bolts Of sound 1t stiled
the eloquence of Colonel Thurs T. Tod
hunter as if that mighty speaker 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 Jovtan
gesture Drive 'em away. Samson!"
he shouted You and Sim Birdsong.
| amt done YETI
And the gallant Samson Meek rose
to the occasion. With q mighty wave
of his baton he rallied his bandSmen
in close order behind him. Captain
Sim BirdsOng. no less dependable.
formed the Nineveh Light infantry in
line behind the band. There was a
magnificent flourish of Samson MecN's
silver knobbed rod Of office, a quick
command from Captain Sim Birdsong,
and then
The Nineveh brass band and the
Nineveh Light infantry deployed into
the corridor and charged upon the en-
envy.
1t was an assault sonorous and IT.
resistible. Its slogan was "Hail Co.
lumbar This gave the big horns an
almost unearthly opportunity. The
little fat fellow with the horn big
germ him. seemed resolved to obey
Colonel Todhunter's injunction and
blow himself inside out" His fell
lnuc fnIloua1 hiS ava rnpIn Tho 70