Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1913-06-03
NUMBER %

he brought his horse to halt.
where in the world have you been
till this hour Of the night. LOttie- May"
he asked. 81 was on my way to town
after you What have you been doin'.
girlT'
Lottie- May stood shamefaced. "Why.
granddaddy.' she replied nervously. II
Just stayed to the political meetin'.
that's all. There was to be brass
band there and speakin' and all that.
and just couldn't come away till 1t
was oyer.'
The old man kept his accusing eyes
on the girls face for moment. Then
he turned and looked searchIngly first
Mt STAN Tucker and then mt Tom
Strickland Tom felt sudden and
overwhelming sense of shame and self
reproach and pity for the good old man
whose dread. harried eyes were so SON.
berly bent OIL him.
There was moment Of silence.
well. seem all there was to see." old
Rafe DOggett resumed then. what did
you do after that. girl? How comes 1t
that you're here on the road with STAIN
Tucker. facin' Tom Strickland like
there'd been n quarrel: Tell me the
truth
Lottie-May Doggett flashed n quick
appeal of her eyes mt Tom Strickland.
II was plainly mute and desperate
entreaty for his forbcarance with what
ever she was about to say.
Then. "Why. granddnddy." she made
answer, "Stam offered to escort me
home. and we met Tom OH the way.
and we just all three stopped to talk
for minute-that's all. QuarrcIin':
STAN and Tom wasn't thinkin' OF su''h
a thing; that's the truth. cross my
heart. please. SIR
The girls voice trembled with fear
of her grim old grandfather, to whom
her mothers memory remained but rs
meaning lifelong disgrace and humil-
iution. The old man seemed not en-
tirely satisfied with her explanation.
He sat silent. still studying the group
confronting him. Then he sighed.
"Well, Lottie-Muy." he spoke at last.
"since STAN wants to escort you home
he can still do 1t. reckon. But you
both better come along with me In the
wagon There amt no sense In yonr
wulkin' now"
Lottie- Mays frightened eyes were
pleading with STAN and Tom to abide
by her story and comply with her
grandfather's wishes
"AIl right, Mr.. Doggett." spoke STAN
finally. I'll be specially glad for Lot
tie-May to ride reckon she's pretty
tired by now. so ri just see her home
that way. along with you"
Tom Strickland stood silent AZ Lot
tie May was lifted into the wagon by
STAN Tucker. who mounted 10 the scat
beside her. Old Rafe Doggctt cluclied
to his horse.
Good night. Tom" cried the girl
Good night. Lottie-May.' replied
Tom. Good night. Mr.. Doggctt!'
The next moment they We're gone.
And Tom Strickland. shamed to the
soul at thought Of what he had seen la
old Rafe Doggett's worn and wasted
face. made his own way homeward
The Hon. William J. Strickland AMI
Colonel Tudhuntcr were parting COM
pany for few days after final con
ference concerning preliminary cam
paigu plans
"rll have to get back to st l.oI!s
and see how things are starting "I 1t
my headquarters there" said Coioarl
Strickland Then it'll be necessafT TO
take Il run across the state ana cSf%j'
lish headquarters in Kansas City. r'ght
under Steve Yancey's nose. III want
you to make n few speeches for me In
/ ST Louis about next week. Thurs. Old
fellow. And don't forget-I'm going
to hold you to your promise to stump
the state FOR me-"
81 amt sorgettin'." responded Colo
mel Todhunter. "I'm cooked and primed
for a campaign that'll bring every Old
time Democrat in MiZzoorah out o the
brush and set 'em to whoopin Things
up for YOU to beat the band. sub The
almighty dollar amt the only thing
| that talks I'm this here state yet-not by
a jugful-and I'm a-goin' to prove II.
Bill"
ITS what we've got to beat. though"
commented the candidate "rhinss
ain't like they used to be In Missouri
politics. my friend"
That's why we got so many o them
professional politicians and so few real
statesmen nowadays" replied the 9th.
er. "But. all the same. the people OF
Mizzoorah's honest. II the politicians
amt, aid this here new primary laws
a.goin' to give 'em their best chance to
name their own choice for governor.
sub"
ut will, II there's no crooked work
at the polls" said Colonel Strickland.
"I'm afraid Of the cities for that rea-
son."
Colonel Todhunter nodded his head
emphatically. "I'Il Just be jig whitfield
| II all the corruption In American poll
| tics don't seem to come from the big
| towns, sub. 1t looks like It's plumb
natural for cities to be sinful. It's been
| that way ever since Sodom and Go
morrah, sub DO you reckon the Old
Marster up above couldn't ha' found
| ten honest men among the shepherds
watchin' their fiocks and the husband
men tillin' their fields In the country?
He couldn't ha' missed 6ndin' 'eln
'less'n he'd struck bunch Of 'em like
| old Eph Tucker here In Nineveh. subj!
Then. after reflective pause: 1.-THE
trouble with old Eph Tucker. sub. Is
that he's got 80 he can't see anything
but money. amt talkin' against
money in Its rIghtful proportion to the
rest of life. | like to have It as well
| as the next mali, and sometimes need
! It mighty bad. too. but I'll be struck
| timber jawed II 1t amt plumb foolish
to plug up your eyes with 1t. sub. 1t
don't cost cent to see the beauty and
| goodness O. this here world, sub. noe
a cent. and II you miss seein' 1t, you
miss seein' the whole show. That's
too big a price to pay for the privilege
| Of lookin' Mt dollar instead. sub"
The Hon. william J. Strickland con.
templated Colonel Todhunter with a
smile on his grim lips.
'@Thurs," he said. II don't know any