The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-03-20

It was a brave and honest face that
showed itself in Colonel Bill Strick
lands private Office, but somewhat dis
mayed at thought of an impending
ordeal.
"Fn just be eternally whipsawed if
you amt a-tryin' to make a round peg
fit into a square hole, Billv' he protest
ed earnestly, something like awe of
his surroundings stamped upon his sun
burned features. '1'm wiIIin' to do
most anything in the world for you,
and you know it. But when you turn
me loose in a big town like this and ex-
pect me to behave like anything
more'n a wall eyed pillow horse with his
tail full O. cockleburs I'll be everlast-
in'ly condemned if you amt maxim a
mighty serious mistake, suh!''
Nonsense, Thurs!'' laughed Colonel
Strickland. I'm counting on you for
some st. Louis speeches that'n be
worth their weight in gold, my friend
We need you here, sir-a man that
talks old fashioned American Democ-
racy straight from the shoulder. City
politicians have forgotten what the
real Democratic doctrine is, Thurs, and
we've got to revive it in the peoples
hearts if we expect 'em to vote right.
That's why I want you to help me
open my st. Louis campaign. You've
got to do it, ThursT'
Colonel Todhunter gazed at his friend
pensively. ''BiI,'' he said, I'm a-goin'
to do it, as you well know. I'd strip
| the shirt off'n my back and head per-
cession wavin' it for a Strickland BAN
ner if you asked me to, whether L
thought it was the best thing to do. I'M
der the circumstances or not. But 1
bid you remember, Bill, that I warned
you in time. It'll be your fault If you
have occasion to regret havin' brought
me in from the pasture and stacked
me up against these here bang tailed
| city thoroughbreds, suhr'
''I'Ee take the chances, old fellow"
said the candidate, his eyes twinkling-
''You Just oblige me now for old
friendships sake and I'll be RESPONSE
Bile for everything that happens after
ward I amt the least bit afraid
'I'Il eat my hat if I don't wish I
could say the same, subj" calculated
Colonel Eodhunter, a vehement panic
in his tone FI'm skeered to the mar
row, sub, because Pm out O. my baiH-
wick and up against a proposition that
don't know any more about N hog
knows about a holiday, sub. And
you're a-goin' to discover, sub, before
we get through with this piece OF fool
ishness that I had mighty good rea-
sons for bein' skeered too"
"Shucks, you old warhorser' laughed
4 Colonel Bill Strickland. "Onces you
get into the fight you'll warm up like
a two-year-oId and show these ST.
Louis folks what a real Missouri Dem
ocrat is. You're going to make the
hit OF your life,- STRIP
''Maybe j am and maybe I amt.
Bill Strickland" quoth Colonel Tod
hunter moodily. But all I ask at the
finish is that you'll remember it
| want me that made the prediction,
| sub. I'm natural born eptimist,
sub, but that don't necessarily mean
that I'm a natural born jackass at all
times and under all circumstances and
on all subjects, as some folks seem
to think, suh!'
And in this frame of mind Colonel
Todhunter returned into the general
| headquarters offices and was intro
duced to his Nineveh friends St
Louis hackers and campaign staff.
A quiet young. newspaper man who
happened to be drifting through the
rooms seemed instantly impressed by
Colonel Todhunter's picturesque per
] sonal1ty He studied the colonel in
tently, a growing appreciation in his
thoughtful and latently humorous
| eyes.
After exchanging a few words with
this new addition to the Strickland
forces the journalist went into one of
the private telephone booths at the
end of the reception room and called
up his paper. Then he came back to
Colonel Todhunter, engaging him in
conversation. A few minutes later a
second man casually appeared and IN
obtrusiveIy stationed himself where he
had a good front view of the colonel
who was being deity led into political
dissertation BIZ his new acquaintance
| CTo be Continued.)