River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1913-08-07

"'Aye!
"'Evans!'
"No!'
'Finerty!'
"'Ayen
"F'itzmeyer!'
"'Aye!'
'Flanigan'
"'Ayen
"'Hear them?' l said It's nearly
up to you-what do you say?'
"The old mans lips quivered, and
his calloused fingers grated in his
beard. He opened his lips to speak,
but his jaw moved helplessly. And
we heard Hens voice back there In
the house calling -calling so that you
land barroom:
'Geisbach!'
"sNo!'
"'He is one of those who will
change | said.
"'Giger!'
There was no response. He'll be
all right when they call the absentees,
said.
"'Gordon!'
"'No!'
'Griesheimer.
"'Aye'
"'Hear them?" l 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 a poor man. | have a wife an
eight children. Tomorrow I'm goin'
back home, an on Monday I'm goin' to
hunt job-hunt job in the harves'
field. I've worked all my life.
'spect to work hard all my life. I'll
keep on huntin' jobs in the harves'
fields. I'll 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 l felt in that moment
glad Of my power to brighten them.
Hallen!' we heard Hen call.
"'No!'
Henderson of bingham.
"'Ayep
'The old man Strengthened out his
long, lank figure, and then suddenly
he turned and looked me in the eyes.
But Baldwin, he said, come here
last January an honest man, and to-
morrow I'm goin' back, back to OF
Greene, back to my people, back to
that woman an them children, an
Baldwin'-he gulped the word-'Bald-
win, I'm goin' back an honest man.
Henderson of Greene!' Hens
voice called. and the old man stalked
into the corridor and Numbered MOI
in trumpet note"
The lobbyist ceased. The train had
stopped at Chenoa, and they could
hear the breathing of the engine,
breathing as a living thing when 1t
rests. The noise ceased presently,
and the silence of the wide country
night ensued. They heard only the
notes that came from the threats of
frogs and the stridulent drumming of
the cicadae. Baldwin looked at the
two politicians, expecting some COM
ment.. The oscitant Healy looked out
of the window, into the vast darkness
brooding over the prairie town. Jen-
nings sat meditatively pulling at his
moist mustache, an expression of per-
plexity in his countenance, the
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 Baldwin,
meanwhile, had pressed button, and
sent Gentry the aged porter, now In
white jacket, for his bag, and laid out
on the seat beside him his pajamas,
and a travellers case filled with silver
toilet articles. Jennings lifted his
own big valise to his knees, and from
it's depths drew 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 it. Then reel
ing back the paper from his bottle, he
took a long pull from its naked neck,
and passed it 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, en-?
Yes"
Jennings threw back his head and
tilted the water, deadly cold from the
ice and tasting of smoke, into MS
throat. and when he rinsed his mouth,
he said, with the happy expression OIL
man who has resolved a doubt:
"Oah, yes. John Henderson OF
Greene. He lived out at Rabb's Cor
ners. Yes. that's him; the governor
'p'inted him public administrator OF
Greene county right after that Sos
sion"