Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1914-09-25

the paper IN his big INST and manned
II into the waste basket
"Ail right Sally Johnson" he mu4-
tered vindictively; 'then it's war"
Later IN the day he dictated a bris-
ding statement to the Herald the op-
position evening paper. When the ed
itor Of the Bsnner read that statement
blaSonod on the front page OF the eur
rilous sheet be gurgled JoyOuslyi
"Bullyi An right. Lucy Wlthers;
you shall have all the eight you want"
Prom being one OF the most popular
Of the chief magistrates Of his states
cities withers became n OF the most
hated and despised The few that
stuck TO him were impelled to loyalty
only by the patronage be bestowed.
Among the latter Dennis Finnegan.
the janitor Of the city hall was the
most outspoken. For tw~enty-eiRht
days OF each month Except February.
when II was only twenty-siu Finnegan
was the best janitor the city hal ever
had. but for the other days OF the
month-the two or three Immediately
following pay day-hs was the worst
possible. In fact on these days he
was no janitor at all except for the
empty title.
Thus. IN the heat of the light when
the Banner was roaring ia loudest
we find Finnegan descanting to an at
tentvs audience In Schlegels saloon
on the wOeful state Of d%ilapidat1on TO
which this shameless administration
had allowed the rope on the city hall
fagstaR to sink.
"Ye're taxpayers an yers citizens"
he declared rhetOricaily. AN ye have
the right to know, an I'm a free man
an a friend Of the peepul. even II !
am q janitor. That rope. gents, Is go
in to the devil. 1 done my duty by
the peepul Of the city; l asked Fred
Withers for a new rope. An what
does he say. fellows an citizensi BE
says there amt no preparation"
He paused to empty his glass and
resumed sarcasticaliy:
TIL bet a new hat II the trolley
company or the gas company OF amy
Of them other robbers wanted some
thin he'd fall all over himself tryin' to
ind 4 way to-get It It's q shame.
gents, the way he knuckles down to
them Wall street. New YORK. inter
ests and neglects that there rope. II
allus vas a good rope until Withers
started mOnkeyin' with them money
barrenA Wan Of these fne days
thePeu be a lot Of trouble about this
same rope: you see II It don't"
Too ~fOrceful to bend. Withers kept
mp the uneven battle until something
had to break Something did break in
tho stiffness Of q night-his health.
The next day the mayor left PHI
lingsby.
The true reaBon-a sudden nervous
breakdOwn-waS announced as the
cause OF the mayors departure. but
the ensuing editorial in the Banner
came nearer vOicing the general opin-
ION held by the community.
II announced that WltherB was pre-
tending illness and had gone east really
for the purpose Of consulting his Wall
street masters and learn how he might
further serve them.
The next day the Banner printed a
dispatch from AsbuFy Park announcing
that the mayor OF Pnlingsby. accom-
panied by his wife, two daughters and
his private secretary. was stopping at
one OF the most fashionable and ex-
pensive hotels at that resort. and EN-
other sizzling editorial appeared. round
ly ~condemning the mayors ~Ostentatious
display.
The following day the mother OF the
mayors private secretary received a
letter from her son advising her con-
~adentiaIy that MIR. Withers was a very
Eick man and would have to stay in
Asbury Park for some time. The old
lady told not a soul except her bosom
friend. the wife Of the editor Of the
Banner.
The latter Indy kept the news a pro-
found and guilty secret from every
ono except her husband, to whom she
went for consolation But the latter
snorted contemptuOusly when he heard
the tldings and commanded his wife
to tell no one else OF this palpable plot
to create sympathy.
The morning after the editors wife
had appraised her husband Of the al
legged alarming state OF MIR. Withers'
health Dennis Finnegan got up bright
and early 20 make an attempt to raise
the city hall dag.
He pHlied ut the rope. Suddenly he
felt that the rope would pull no more
and. with a satisfied grunt at the &C
com~pilshment OF this duty. he fastened
It's end and went forth on his Joyous
rounds.
When Galdorf Johnson reached the
square that morning he found a large
assemblage Of nlingsby's best citizen
ship and its clerks and Stenographera
gathered in the park. each craning his
or her neck and gazing skyward Fol-
lowing the direction OF Pnlingsby'H
concentrated stare. the editor looked
up at the city hall tower. and his hor.
rihed eyes fell on the naG. II new 81
half mast
Good heavensf" he gasDed invOlun-
tarily. "He's deadF'
afNUhot. Ao.NYs tnOue..N q haharHaah.