The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1913-02-15

Au oNlNAhk Win IL NlaAu a. ~
swung on TO the rocky ledge that
payes the Valley OF the Desplaines.
contemplatively cut the n from a
fresh cigar and said:
But I'm not sure. after all. My
experience with the Bailey bill shook
my faidth In that proposition"
The two othe r men in the salon
looked up with startled eyes.
Baldwin had been driven over from
his Michigan Avenu home n caught
the Alton Limited when II made the
station stop at Twenty-third street.
where he boarded the last OF It's cur
tanned Pullmans. This coach Was the
political institution known to Illinois
craftsmanship as the Springfield
sleeper. and Baldwin n his two ON
panions. jennings. the secretary Of
state. n Denny Haley, a canal com
or its smoking compartment all to
themselves. Down by Dwight they
ha dfallen into a dcsultory discussion
OF the old question as to whether or
not every man has his price. The
question could hardly interest these
men long. for. after many years con
slant contemplation. under the gray
dome OF the state house. of the weak
nesses OF men. they had come To an
acceptance OF the doctrine now grown
frank enough TO have no lingering
faint OF cynicism. Jennings. indedd
sNsN NI1 S1hANNN ~ ~
claring:
All men air fer sale. an most OF
'em damn cheap"
And so the question might have
lapsed had It not been for Baldwin's
heterodoXy. That George r Baldwin
OF all men should doubt the first max
Inn OF their profession was beyond
comprehension. Though he played
his part In life with "A suite Of law
Offices in a skyscraper as n back
$3.50 ~. aA-ga... I.a4.-a- 80. -
bying bills through the legislature.
His friends. who were many. boosted
thathe always stood by them. right
or wrong. Which he did. indeed. and
as they were generally wrong. the
value OF such friendship. or his opin-
ions on PRACTICAL politics. could hard
ly be overestimated. The day had been
a hot n in Chicago. but now a cold
draft OF smoky air vas sucking
through the narrow windOW-screen. on
which the clnders hailed as the Lin
tied plunged southwark.
Smoke and dirt had long since he
grimed the dark and sweaty face OF
Jennings, who. with waistcOat opened
in the compfort dear to the Ely pt.an
was s%prawling his shanks on the
cushion opposite him. while Healy.
doomed by corpulence TO an attitude
more erect. sitting with his chubby
knee far apart. as the fat will. his
paunch resting on the edge OF the
seat he filed now and Their brushed
a fat palm I've his red scalp and
sighed. as he puhed his domestic
cigar. But Baldwin sat and smiled
showing his excellent teeth beneath
his reddish mustaChe. and visibly eX-
BANDED. They could hear. as an nu-
dertOne to their talking. the dull roll
OF the Pullman's paper wheels. aud
now n h they were Interrupted
by he whistles long and lonesome
not at a country rOad-croSsing. Ont
through the double windows. against
which Healy sometimes pressed his
forehead because the glass cooled d..
h dark fields wheeled past in an
endless belt Of darkness. ase where
an occasional bunch OF sparks from
the engine burrowed under The right
Oi-Way lease. and then. in the mo
mentary glow of light. they could
catch sight % a tossing plume OF corn
which told them they were out on the
prairies OF central Illinois.
When the train paused for the Big
Pour crossing ar Gardner. they heard
in the sudden food Of silence the snor
ing o, "a sensible i~arrplyiuc passen-
ger wAo had gone 10 bed Tho stri-
dfnt noise OF the CriClcfs and the
frogs outside was noted only as an
eject Of the silence. The three men
bad no thought Of retiring until they
reached Pontiac a. two O'Clock for
h lives they led were such that tho.
could not sleep until that hour. and
then not very we'll.
Baldwin had lighted his imported
cigar. the superior aroma az which.
p~erceptibl" even To an atmosphere
choked with cOal gases and the firas
o. the domestic cigars Jennings and
Itealy wer smoking. Indicated family
the height OF cultivation 20 which ho
had brought his appetifes whom Ion.
ninRs. feCking his ashes ON tho floor
q the salon just rs DO would have
oone on his W parlor carpet. said.
well. 20 on with tho -tory
baldwin settled his chin over rho
bre crayat with tho white polka dot d.
that was knotted over the immacufst.
collar collar. ~incrndulous men from
southern Illinois were sometime told
mat was actually made on the shirt
drew HIS creased trousers a little fur.
ther abov" tho tops 81 his patent
leather boots and BEGAN
one session there WA an old man
named henderson in ~" house. Rf1
had como up from Greene Courf..
henderson ~ Greene. rssryh0lv called
bin. to distinguish him from Tom
Henderson. ~ Emncham. lie Vas 4.
queer figure. was Henderson OF
Greene. tail and gaunt. with "a sfoop ia
HIS shoulders. Hr aiwa.s wor. 7,
hickory shirt. opened ~ 20 rod and
wrinklef throat. and his hair va az,
a stubblo bloached by harvest suns
The old man was a riddle % oyer.
body in Springfield that winter So
was always Boo Dis scat even OH Nfo1.
day evening" when ro ono eiso vr-
there Ho voted always with fs
party. and Do" voted cons. sfrr.i, as
well. Ike r. good country member
against HI fIe rfIrag0 lng.s Iat.11 rrl
he was 70 sI.ouf man. ulp stood apart
from DIE fellows. looking with f..
that po'rnl from under hts eI4.y..
sun burned brow. with 900 orpraea.rr
no ona could fsfi0m iIa novel mad.
a speech. Do never Introduced "a IIf
Doc never offered 90 r|esrIlfor. ha mover
even Dreren'd o. Trff ,r arf uhsp
~" speaker mad' Pol. r1um.ff.. as
eiFnmnrfs. lr placed ftr rf nam ora
the committee or Ii-frr.. r~rl.,ey
and science. and l1 civil s@nr..pe %.
form. ard Doc 800 u0f even il1l n
appointed
Tho Two Politician tH.rtf.f
AS Tor mH continue. I4.Igr. ..
never fppf. .Y Nlm. alI r... ...
70 who fI Tho ..f
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