The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1913-03-21
Copyright BY the Bobbs Merrill CO..
a stery Of the Republican Convention Ohio man o,
of 1895. certod cid. ,

certed side glance at the girl whose
eyes were imploring him.
|. I've been Blaine man ever since
( he was run the time Bob Ingersol
|. nominated him." said the old man
!, who sighed as if relieved. 81 was al
that convention and heard the
!. speech"
e All. that was a speech to hear,
/ said man behind, and two or three
/. men edged their heads nearer.
The old Republican Strengthened
his bent shoulders, his winterstung
features softened and warmed at the
J manifestation of interest, his voice
sank to the confidential undertone of
the narrator.
You're right, sir, right; it was a
magnificent speech. l can see him
jest as he stood there, stoutish,
good-looking man, smooth-faced, his
eye straight ahead, and an alternate
that sat next mel was an alternate;
I've been an alternate four times;
could have been a delegate, but
says, No, ADLER men than me are
wanting it; I'm willing to fight in the
ranks But | wished I had a vote, a
free vote that day. tell you. The
alternate near me, he says, You'll
hear something fine now; I've heard
him speak,"
You did. too, | guess"
! I'VE could hear from the first min.
ute. That kinder fixed our attention.
He had a mellow, rich kind of voice
that melted into our ears. We found
ourselves listening and liking him
from the first sentence. At first he
was as quiet as summer breeze, but
presently he began to warm I'D, and
the words flowed out like stream of
jewels. 1t was electrifying; it was
thrilling, sir; it took us off our feet
before we knew it, and when he came
to the climax, those of us that weren't
yelling In the aisles were jumping up
and down on our chairs! l know |
found myself prancing up and down
on my own hat on a chair, swinging
somebody else's hat and screaming at
the top of my voice, with the tears
running down my cheeks. God! sir.
there were men there on their feet
cheering their Threats out that had to
vote against Blaine afterward-had to,
because they were there instructed
no more free will than checked |
trunk!" The light died out of his
face. Yes. sir, a ggeatssReseh;.psgax.L
so great u speech, whoever made it;
but it did no good, he wasn't nomi.
mated, and when We did dominate him
we were cheated out of our victory.
Well, We'll do better this day."
1--WE will that" said tie other man,
heartily! Mckinley"
You'll excuse me"-the old man
struck in with deprecating air, yet
under the apology som hing fiercely
eager and anxious that glued the hear.
ers eyes to his quivering old face
you'll excuse me. II am a consid.
cradle OF IN invalid and l don't keep
the run of things as l used to. You
see, live with my daughter, and you
know how women folks are, fretting
lest things should make you sick, and
my girl she worries so, me reading the
papers. Fact is got a shock once,
an awful shock"-he shivered involun.
tarily and his dim eyes clouded-"and
it worried her seeing me read. Hadn't
ought to; it don't worry Jenny here,
who often gets me paper, quiet like:
but you know how it is with women
it's easier giving them their head a
little-and so don't see many papers,
and I kinder dropped off. It seems
queer, but l don't exactly sense 1t
about this Mckinley. Is he running
against Blaine or jest for vice?"
The girl, under some feminine pre-
text OF dropping and reaching for her
handkerchief, threw upward a glance
OF appeal at the interlocutor. Hur-
riedly she stepped into the converse.
ton. my grandfather read false re-
port about-about Mr.. Blaine's sick.
ness, and he was not well at the
time, and 1t brought on bad attack"
Il understand" said the listener,
with grave nod of his head and
movement Of his eyes in the girls di.
rection.
But about Mckinley" the old man
persisted.
Hes for vice-president," the girl
announced, her eyes fixed on the hes
itating man from Canton. have often
admired the intrepid fashion in which
a woman will put her conscience at q
moral hedge, while man of no finer
spiritual fiber will be straining his
eyes to find hole through which he
can crawl.
Mckinley is not opposed to Blaine.
is he?" she asked the man. Il
The Republican party has no name
that is more loved than that Of James
G. Blaine" said the man, gravely.
That's so, that's sol" the old parti.
san assented eagerly: ito my mind
he's the logical candidate" |,
The Canton man nodded, and asked
II he had ever seen Blaine. Il
Once, only once. l was on dele
cation sent to wait on him and ask
him to our town to speak--he was in ,
Cincinnati. l held out my hand when :
my turn came, and the chairman near.