Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1914-09-01

agreement to sell the courthouse to them on demand at q stipulated figure. Thereupon Wallingford gave them two more drinks and a cigar and excused himself. immediately afterward hold Ing another important conference and making visit to the bank. From there he rushed to the county audi tors office. where he displayed his certified check to Charley Jackson and his uuvcringly interested colleagues. deposited his check with his sealed hid and smoked q quiet cigar while he waited the few minutes between then and 1 o'clock, at which time, the bids were to be opened,
 Strangely enough. Wallngford ell : countcred no opposition from nr. Nlaik- ems church. which did not put in q bid at all, but there were three other offers higher than his own. it transpireG st 11:05. However, there was some question as to the certification of one of the checks, and one of the offers was not made ill the exact form pre- scribed, and the third one was not ad- dressed to the proper authority, so Wal lingfurd, not it ali to his surprise, but somewhat to his relief. for he had sus pcctcd a trick of some sort even at the last, was announced as the lucky con testaut
 Wallingford, attended by the happy 31 i.r, int lad atnt tn the citys elite and recherche millhands, clerks and ward workers, walked across the hall to the county ,recordcl's office, where Courthouse square was duly and formally deedcd and transferred to J Rufus Wallnsford, his heirs, admins tratolS and assigns forever
 "'rle buyer huysa drink" proclaim ed Charley Jackson jovinlly, skipping the lucky purchaser with affectionate proprictorship upon the broad back "Wal!ingford. bet that's the first time you ever owned d courthouse"
 "lt is," admitted Wallingford, chuck ling. Get off of my property" And he bundled them into his automobile and rushed them to barroom that they were not in the habit of patroniz ing. He ordered and paid for q gen {. nrous array of bottles; then, eXcusine himself for a few minutes, he rushed back to the courthouse, where, while frantic suboflicials telephoned wildly but vainly, to; all Charley .Jacksoh'> usual haunts,, the courthouse fanciel duly. formally and firmly deeded anG transferred Courthouse square to thu Rev. Maikem's church., it's heirs. ad ninistrators and assigns forever. .&@1lc ccstatic Blackie Daw was the most interested witness to this com mendable transaction, and to him Wal lngford delivered the good deed.
 Hustle right down with this and get the balance of the money" he crisp !y directed Meanwhile I'll go up tC the hotel and settle our bill. Then TT meet you iu the back room of that delirium tremens factory across from the depot It won't be safe to stay ii this town when our nplift work Is known
 What's the matter with this towr that you want to leave it so quick| demanded Hackie. You're not afraid of that bunch of pillers hope. They're afraid to kill you for fear that they might lose the election. I'm going td stay and go to church tomorrow Why Jim, they're arranging a special serv ice on account of this. and you'll ncvel hear such music in a thousand years on Broadway. l look for them tC burst the pipe organ"
 Excuse me" laughed Wallingford with q shake of his head. "l don't like Josef;s cooking any more. Hurry on with that document. We want that $l73,OO0 We may need it to get out of jail"
 Rlackie. already started, stopped ab ruptly, "'fhcre isn't anything they could pinch us for. is there. Jim? wouldn't like to he arrested in this town
 Rest easy" chuckled Wallngford ''The only thing they could turn tho key on uS for would be general prin ciples, and we haven't many of them. There's no way they could invali date this deed, is there, or make it look shady? l wouldn't like that in this