The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1913-07-17
NUMBER 90.

didates think we're too simple to think
ont An l don't know us they're far
wrong" he added thoughtfuily.
When John left. however. Criswell
shook hands with him cordially. II
guess Ill vote for ye-this time. I
can't swaller the hull ticket. though
stomach wouldn't stand it, Ye look
like ye'd he yer own man. I.eastways,
I'll chance IT.
And John replied. troubled. 81 won't
regard that as promise. I'm not
sure that You ought to vote for me-"
Another day he met one Sykes. hill
farmer. little. wiZened fellow who
looked as though he had worn himself
out in the struggle to wiring living
out Of the steep slopes.
II amt voting" he said
"WeIl." John laughed cheerfully. III
I can't get a vote I'll be content with
information. Will you tell me why
you won't vote?"
well. If We will have it. Jim Sheeian
nominated ye. If ye'd been the right
kind o man he wouldn't "a had nothin'
to do with ye. Anybody he's fer. I'm
against rec'lect when he come to
Plumville. nothin' but drinkin' bum.
An now he's got rich. buildin' bad
streets an roads an taxin' me heavy
to pay fer it while 1t keeps me scratch
in to get the intrust on my mortgage.
How do l know he's crooked? I don't
know-I feel it. An know that no
one gets the nomination less'n he says
So Or Murchell-an' they're tarred
with the same stick"
Johns face was grave. "Then you
ought to vote the opposition ticket. I'd
rather you'd do that than not vote at
ALL
The momentary flicker of passion
died down. "Whats the useT' was the
reply. duly given. However vote
some feller like Sheehan gifts on top"
John sought counsel from his father.
But to the judge Caesars wife--that il
to say. his party and all things thereto
appertaining-was above suspicion: not
so the motives of him who raised a
| question So he took his trouble to
Ri Cranshawe. the office visitor to
whom Johns Difference had attracted
Shechan's attention. big man. kindly.
shrewd. with wisdom in the raw. He
listened sympathetically as John
poured out his tale
Its like what Sykes says. 1t amt
what we know-its what we feel.
When Jim Sheehan gifts public con-
tract, we feel there's somethin crook
ed about it. When man gifts a nomi-
nation. we feel that he's made some
kind o. deal with Shechan When we
put up man on our own hook an
he's nominated-which amt often-we
find he's gone over to Sheehan. An
that amt feel. it's know. Jim Shce-
hans represented: we amt. It ain't
rightr'
"Then why don't yon get together
and fight?"
We've got to i've" Cranshawe ans
werel simply. I'VE don't lay by money
fast enough to keep US without work.
in. We amt got the time ncr the
trainin' to make good fight against
him. We've got no leader" His eyes.
through the bushy brows. rested with
an almost wistfnl light on the trOn-
bled countenance before him. An
it'd take n large sized man fer the
job"
John just then felt very small.
: He went to Plumvlle. an ugly,
) grlmy. bustling. growing hive of work
ers, with it's drones too. He had the
; key to interpret what he saw. He
r was permitted to go through the mills
and meet the men: he came out with
E hands blackened from much contact
7 with their hands and IN the smut he
t felt sort Of pride. What he had read
: on the farmers brown faces he saw
on their red. scorched ones-the dull
l. eyed suspicion of those used to tiattery
d before election and neglect afterward.
; Under the careful ciceronage of Shce-
n hans lieutenants he was led into 20
: litical club and saloon. where he shook
+ hands with many more men. who gnz.
t zled vast quantities Of liqnor and
: sneered openly at his abstinence. TIC
was told that here he would meet
h linen who counted" he did meet such
n men--brutish things. moral idiots
II chinless creatures bound together by
q the cohesive force Of common Interest
b --plunder. This army never slept
could always be relied upon.
q "What self centered beast ! hav'
% beenv' he cried within himself. "Ai
q this rottenness under my nose. and
IA have never perceived it." A great fe,,
\ came upon him-fear of the responsi
Il bility of that into which he felt him
Il self being carried.
|" And there was another thing tina
deepened those twin creases betwee
= his eyes.
- One morning very sleek high steI
~ ~ ping cob drawing very elegant tra
!" halted before his office. Il circnmstanc
'e 0f which you may be sure New Che
'N sea took prompt and interested notice.
II why. hellor' he exclaimed. extent
. ing his hand to the visitor. This
~ finer
She observed him hesitatingly. ''
'e is Mr., Dunmeade. isn't it? Yet | thin
'S should have recognized you an,
WUcTe. 1Ou UuSeu .uu'
7'' though it has been long time since
last saw you. Aren't you ashamed I
eu having neglected me so long?" she Co
:" ciuded Indignantly
"Well. You see Katherine he gri
-. ned. Iamely explanatory. 1--WE been o
: campaigning
"Yau might at least have come to
- mort your progress to an interested
constituent Are you aware that y