The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1913-03-22
Copy right by the Bobbs- Merrill Coz


magnificent speech. l can see him
Jest as he stood there, a stoutish,
good-looking man, smooth-faced. his
eye straight ahead, and an alternate
that sat next mel was an alternate;
I've been an alternate four times; l
could have been delegate, but l
says, No. ADLER men than me are
wanting It.; I'm willing to fight in the
ranks But l wished | had a vote, a
free vote that day. l tell you. The
alternate near me, he says, You'll
hear something fine now; I've heard
him speak,"
You did, too, / guess"
I'VE could hear from the first min
ute. That kinder fixed our attention.
He had a mellow. rich kind Of voice
that melted into our ears. We found
ourselves listening and liking him
from the first sentence. At first he
was as quiet as a summer breeze, but
presently he began to warm up, and
the words flowed out like stream Of
jewels. 1t was electrifying; 1t was
thrilling, sir; 1t took US of our feet
before We knew 1t, and when he came
to the climax, those of us that weren't
yelling In the aisles were jumping up
and down on our chairs! ! know l
found myself prancing up and down
on my own hat on q chair, swinging
somebody else's hat and screaming at
the top Of my voice, with the tears
running down my cheeks. God! sir,
there were men there on their feet
cheering their throats out that had to
vote against Blaine afterward-had to,
because they were there instructed
no more free will than checked
trunk" The light died out of his
face. Eyes, sir, a great speech; never
SO great a speech, whoever made It;
but IT did no good, he wasn't nomi-
mated, and when We did nominate him
we were cheated out of our victory.
Well, we'll do better this day."
I'VE will that" said the other man.
heartily! Mckinley"
You'll excuse me"-the old man
struck in with a deprecating air, yet
under the apology. something fiercely
eager and anxious that glued the hear
er's eyes to his quivering old face
You'll excuse me. IL am q consid-
cradle of an invalid and / don't keep
the run Of things as used to. You
see. live with my daughter, and you
know how women folks are. fretting
lest things should make you sick, and
my girl she worries SO, me reading the
papers. Fact is / got shock once,
an awful shock"-he shivered involun-
tarily and his dim eyes clouded-"and
1t worried her seeing me read. Hadn't
ought to; 1t don't worry Jenny here.
who often gets me paper, quiet like (;
but you know how 1t is with women
It's easier giving them their head a
little-and SO don't see many papers,
and kinder dropped of. II seems
queer, but / don't exactly sense II
about this Mckinley. Is he running
against Blaine or jest for vice?"
The girl. under some feminine pre-.
text Of dropping and reaching for her
handkerchief, threw upward a glance
Of appeal at the interlocutor. Hur.
riedly she stepped into the converse
ton. my grandfather read false re
port about-about Mr.. Blaines sick
ness, and he was not well at the
time, and It brought on a bad attack.
II understand" said the listener
/ mill Mt
movement Of his eyes In the girls di
! rection.
But about Mckinley" the old mar
persisted.
Hes for vice-president," the CIR
announced, her eyes fixed on the hes
itating man from Canton. l have Otter
admired the. intrepid fashion In which
woman will put her conscience at {
moral hedge, while a man Of no fine
spiritual fiber will be straining hi
eyes to find q hole through which h,
can crawl.
Mckinley is not opposed to Blaine
Is he?" she asked the man.
"The Republican party has no name
that is more loved than that Of Jane,
G. Blaine" said the man. gravely.
That's so. that's SOL" the old parti
san assented eagerly; ito my mint
he's the logical candidate"
The Canton man nodded, and asked
II he had ever seen Blaine.
Once, only once. / was on a dele
| cation sent to wait on him and asl
him to our town to speak-he was II
Cincinnati. held out my hand wher
my turn came. and the chairman near
ly knocked the breath out of me By
saying, Here's the man gave more tc
our campaign fund and worked harde,
than any man In the county, and We
all worked hard for you, too Well
Mr.. Blaine looked at me. You know
the intent way he looks. He has the
most wonderful eyes; look right al
you and seem to bore into you like 9
gimlet. felt as II he was lookine
right down into my soul. and l tell
you l was glad, for l choked up so
couldn't find word. not a word, and !
was ready and fluent enough In those
days, too. can tell you; but / stood
there filling up. and squeezed his hand
and gulped and got red. like a fool
But he understood. 7 have heard OF
your loyalty to Republican principles,
Mr.. Painter. says he. In that beautiful
voice Of his that was like a violin;
and I burst in couldn't help it-Tt
amt loyalty to Republican principles,
it's to you l said that right out. And
he smiled, and said he, Well, that's
wrong, but It isn't for me to quarrel
with You there. Mr. Painter and then