Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1913-08-09

"Bell,'
mol
Bell, of course, was on the other
side, and was standing back with
George Herrick. keeping their fellows
in line and cheering up the reformers
from the Municipal league but we
knew his vote would have its effect on
Berry, so l pulled the speakers coat
tail, and 'Zeke leaned over and whis-
pered hoarsely to the clerk. Hen OBJ
served a heightened pause and then
began to call more slowly. Berry
was the next name.
Berry, Hen drawled.
There was no reply.
Berry
There was no reply.
Hen looked at Berry, and the pol
troon sat there with his eyes cast
down, rolling his cigar around and
around in his mouth, tearing up his
little flakes of paper, and swinging
from side to side in his chair. Then
Hen called the next name:
Briggs,'
"'No,' he voted, and Berry looked
up for the first time since the bill had
come over from the senate. 'Zeke
raped fercely with his gavel. and
Hen paused. Then 'Zeke said sharply:
1.-The chair is compelled again to
call the attention of gentlemen to rule
three, which prohibits smoking in the
hall of the house. The chair dislikes
to be compelled to repeat this admoni-
ton so frequently. and trusts that
gentlemen will observe the injunction
without additional suggestion. The
clerk will proceed with the calling OF
the roll And he smashed the bro
ken sounding board again with his
gavel. We needed time. Some of the
members laughed, but that only gave
'Zeke a chance to gain more time by
rapping for order. We feared the ef-
feet, however, on discipline. Then he
called Brisbane, one of our fellows,
and he didn't vote. ! grew uneasy.
and Judge Hardin was squirming there
beside me on the lounge. When
thought of Berry I grew mad, and
wondered IL We could save the bill
without him. At that instant my eye
happened to light upon Henderson OF
Greene. He was standing under the
gallery Just as he had been standing
all evening. He seemed not to have
moved. He had his hands clasped
awkwardly behind him. and was chew
ing his tobacco contemplatively. And
here was my chance! thought Of the
pathetic biography in the house direc
tory. | thought of his wife as I had
seen the poor old thing going around
town with him the week before.
thought of the way he had worked and
toiled for her and all those children
and how little life held for him. II
could get him for the bill in Berry's
place, the Chicago people, I knew
would be liberal with him. and he
could go back home better OF in g
financial way than when he came
And so l motioned to Burke, and
when he came up told him to ash
the gentleman from Greene to NEE
me at once In the speakers room. ant
/ retired to await him. Presently, IL
his clumsy way, he shuffled in. HI
came close up to me, and when had
given the poor devil a cigar he ben
over to hear what I might say.
asked him how he was going to vot'
on the bill, and he said he though
he would vote against it. inasmuch al
the governor had said 1t was a bal
piece Of legislation. Well. there wa
no time to discuss that phase of tn
question.
"Look. here. comrade,' said, 'thi
is a bisthat concerns Chicago alon'
it does not affect and cannot affec
your constituents one way or the 9th
er, can it?'
mo he said; reckon not
They don't even know down Il
Greene county that there is such bill
do they?'
Reckon not he said, 1eastways
hain't herd airy one say nothin' 'bou
it.
"'Of course you haven't, said. an
what's more. you never will. Nov
see here | said. I'll be quite fran
with you. for | like you'-he cast
strange. siding glance al me. di!
trustful. like all farmers-for Xix
you said. and ] want TO do some
thing for you. The men who are pr'
noting this legislation have exactl
enough votes to pass it over the go'
ernor's veto, and it's going to pas