The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1913-06-12
Colonel Todhunter of
Missouri.
Continued from Preceding Page

be any hard feelings unless you insist
on it Anyway. we might as well get
| the whole thing thrashed out right
now. as long as we've got started"
I'll see If can't make you change
your tune before I'm done with you.
sir!' And old fuckers cold little eyes
narrowed yenomously. You're talk
ing mighty big now, Dick Cantriil but
the Yancey administrator have the
last say. my young gamecockr
THE Yancey administration be hang
cdr replied Dick Cantrill, and then
he laughed and settled back in his
chair But, shucks. squire. | can't
talk to you like | could to a younger
man. Let's go easy. You're for Yam
cey, and I'm for Strickland. and that's
all there is to It. Every mans got
right TO his own opinion in free
country, squire"
Very well. sir, very well. If you
will have it that way" retorted old
Eph Tucker but you're backing
loser. Dick Cantrill. and you're going
to suffer for it. Stephen K. Yancey
will snow Bill Strickland under so
deep that Bills friends III never be
able to dig him out, sirr'
Dick Cantrill stretched his arms
above his head such being the case.
squire" he replied. lit don't make any
difference TO you Yancey people what
me and the Blade see fit to do, so you
can just keep your shirt on"
Old TucI~ar oIa tha amnSad
speaker.
At this moment fourth figure was
added to the group. 1t was that of
Lycurgus Quivey, the schoolmaster of
Nineveh. a gaunt and homely repre-
sentative of rustic learning with a
face pathetic in its meek usefulness.
"Well, well. Lycurgusp' cried Dick
Cantrill cordially. Pm glad to see
you. Blest if | hadn't begun to fear
the Blade wasn't going to have poem
from you this week. And that would
never do, siri'
Lycurgus Quivey cleared his throat
nervously. 81 reckon you'll be surpris-
ed. Mr. Cantrill.'' he said at last. ''but
the truth is I've written a political
poem this time. | know Colonel Strick-
land so well. sir, and | like him so
much that l thought I'd write Strick
land campaign song. 1t might do some
good at mass meetings and barbecues
and such things, it seemed to me-"
Old Eph Tucker snorted and glared
at the embarrassed speaker. Colonel
Todhunter beamed his approval. Dick
Cantrill's sense of humor reveled in
the situation.
Bully for you, Lycurgusp' he ex-
claimed. That's Just fine! You bet
the Blade will print your campaign
song. And, by George. sir. come to
think of it. here's Squire Tucker doing
his level best to convert me to the Yam
cey cause. I'll just read your poem to
him and see if it won't bring him over
to the Strickland sideI'
At this old Eph fuckers wrath ex-
ploded.
You won't do anything of the sortr'
he CALCULATED You and your fool
poets can go it alone supporting Bill
Strickland. It's about all the support
he'll geti''
Then he turned on Lycurgus Quivey. |
LAS for you, Mr.. Schoolteacher." he |
snarled, IF writin' campaign poetry |
for Bill Strickland is the best you can |
do I'll see If we can't get you more |
time for it by gettin' you out of the |
Nineveh school. sir. | can do it too. |
I'm chairman of the school board. and |
III hist you out of your job without |
lettin' any grass grow under my feet!'
mo. you won't. squire spoke Dick |
Cantrill quietly. His steady eyes held |
those of old Eph Tucker with a dis
tinct menace
Squire" Dick continued. II know |
you just we'll enough to know that !
you're willing to make that threat |
good. Don't you dare do it. sir. This !
man is a worthy man in his place, and /
outside of his working hours he's priv
iliged to write poetry to whoever
and whatever he pleases and to make
his own choice in politics. sir. | give
you a piece Of advice. Squire Tucker.
Don't you lift finger to get Lycurgus
Quivey fired. sir. If you do it'll be
the worse for you"
Old Eph Tucker glared at the speak
er. '.What'll you do, Dick Cantrill?
That's mighty big talk to come off Of
such a little stomach. sir What'll you
DO if see fit to teach Lycurgus Quiyey
to mind his own business?"
"What'll I ao?" repeated Dick Can
trill. his eyes flashing. III skin you
alive, Squire Tucker; that's what I'll
do. I'll fay you from head to heels,
sir. and then I'll hang your hide out
here in front of the Blade Office so the
people of Nineveh can see just what a
skunk you are, sir. If you're
going to make personal fight on this
nan because he backs William j.
for governor of Missouri I'll
make the same sort of a fight from the
side of that proposition.
And you'll be the first man I'll make 1t
IN. squire. I've got the material to do
I with, and you know it. You know
rour own record You won't last a
minute if the Blade goes out after your
calp. Squire Tucker. You'll shrivel
~, ,,,;,l,a, tbon q dry ooh Ion I'm baIl |