The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1913-04-03
n \ 4 ~ ~, !
Colonel
TODHUNTER +;
of Missouri
By RIPLEY D. SAUNDERS :
Copyright. 1911, by the Bobbs-Msr-
rill Company
Copyright. 1911, by the Bobbs- Msr-
rill Company.
OOOOOoOoOoOO -
CHAPTER III.

eoseeeossS0ooo
CHAPTER III.
"For Governor, William J. Strickland
Of Nineveh."
MEL TODHUNTER's
heart swelled with an unseltish
~ prldefulness.
The favorite old Mississippi
steamer, Gray Eagle, now in full view
from where he stood at the Nineveh
landing, was bringing homeward tho
Hon. William J. Strickland Of Nineveh.
at last an avowed candidate for the
Missouri.
Colonel Todhunter himself had or
gained the public reception at this
very moment awaiting the most distin
guished Of Nineveh's citizens. III be
shot full o. holes, suh," he said to Dick
Cantrill. editor and proprietor Of the
Nineveh Weekly Blade, IF we don't
show the people Of this here state what
old Bill Stricklands home folks think
of him, anyway. TIL amt nothin' more
helpful to a candidate than provin
that them as knows the most about
him has the least against him. subj"
what about Squire fuckers opposi-
ton, colonel?" asked Dick Cantri!l.
That's better'n his Endorsement,
subj retorted Colonel Todhunter
Long as I've known Bill Strickland
if l knew old Eph Tucker was sup
portin' him I'd be against him on sus.
picion, sub, blamed if l wouldn't"
knowing the speaker better than be
knew himself. Dick Cantriil laughed.
Colonel Todhunter and Colonel Strick-
land were friends from boyhOOd.
Friendship was something in the ma
ture of religion with Colonel Tod
hunter. In his simple creed he did not
simply "like" his friends He loved
them with trustful steadfastness that
knew no limitations Of loyalty or of
potential sacrifice.
"Barrin' his wife and children, subj
"a mans friends is all that's worth
while in this here world Of our'n. And
his old friends. them that was young
with him when he was maxim as many
different kinds of a fool Of himself as
the law allows-well. sub. tn amt no
price can be set on 'em. neither gold
j, nor. rubies nor Jasper nor frankincense
land myrrh, as the good book says, subj
Colonel Todhunter had been vastly
impatient for the return of the Hon.
William J. Strickland. When the
Gray Eagle rounded the bend in the
river two miles below Nineveh and
walked the Missouri echoes with the
mellow tunefulness of her famous bari
tone whistle the colone's face became
splendidly illumined.
There he comes, folks!" he cried.
There comes old Bill Strickland, the
man we're a-goin' to nominate and
elect governor of Mizzoorah! All
ready, now? Hip, hip. hooray!"
A mighty cheer rose from the crowd
assembled on the Nineveh wharf boat
and smote afar the ears Of Colonel
Bill Strickland where he stood beside
Captain Beverly Leigh on the Gray
Eagles upper deck. The candidates
eyes twinkled as they met those of the
weatherbeaten riyerman.
That's old Thurs I. Todhunter's do
ing, Bev," he spoke. I'm bet he's got
nigh about all the male population OF
Nineveh rallyin' around him at that
landing. The old rascal"'
Once more the cheering from Nine
web threats rose as the Gray Eagle
neared the landing, and the Hon. Will
liam ]. Strickland waved his hand to-
ward the waiting multitude. 1t in
creased in volume as he made his way
downward until he stood pictorially
framed in at the farther end of the
lowered gangplank. 1t was great
moment for Nineyeh.