Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1914-02-20
could not help it. Among the Van Har,s

could not help it. Among the Van Harto
there was no accounting for Rube.
And when RUDE came back to towE
the women knew it was near time to
take in house plants and let the chill
dren sc for hazelnuts. and resume the
lapsed work Of the Shakespeare club.
With Rube watch for a nip of frost
But now spring. and Uncle Michigan
spading up Mr.. Curran's garden. dis.
putting with his housekeeper while they
knelt in the black damp earth over q
package of seeds magnanimously dis
tributed by the Honorable James S.
Hall. M. c. Their voices came to the
editor at his desk. Jim Minis had gone
to the blind tiger In the haymow OF
Carmichael's livery stable; and Aleck.
the press boy had stolen off to Sin
creek to see If 1t was yet good bullhead
fishing.
If I'm going to congress-" murmured
the editor, Il must fire this spring fever
and scold everybody into working" He
was watching Janet Vance tie her
team OF colts to the county yard hitch
ing rail, her trim, blue figure against
the young elm green. She looked at
her watch decisively. 1t was early for
a county officer to be down town. She
came across the street with her direct
and springy step and to the News door.
The editor took his feet off h desk
and waved his hand lastly.
Janet, let's go fishing. Let's get Old
Mowry's wagon and take Aunt Abby
Wiley, that's what you've always
done the first spring weather.. But
this year-now-"
Don't finish 1t. Now-congress-"
II drove in behind your back lot"
she went on calmly. and see that
size of that pile Of beer bottles in your
alley. Just suppose you'd bought
books all your life instead of beer?"
Janet" Curran smiled at her, e
never had a place to put the books all
my life. But there's always been a
place for beer"
She looked at him in her old despair.
hand at her, don't scold. I'm up-Tm
anything! But the weather. Janet!
Can't a fellow sit once in a while over
his pipe-and watch you through the
smoke, perhaps-and dream?"
She shook her head. II know" he
went on lugubriously. THE problem
with the new woman is, will she ever
let a man go fishing?"
She smiled but continued her direct
ness: TOR Purcell, of Earlville, is
going to a the active management
VA yOAA StbAAlELASA SO1IlLlCI. lH0
committee of the Progressive league
decided on HIM"
He shrugged. Up the cliff back OF
his shop the bluebirds were calling.
The committee Of the nascent Pro-
gressive league-and Janet-had kept
Mr.. Curran plugging rather steadily
all winter. He had addressed farmers
institutes and gone to state confer
ences of the progressive, had met Gov
ernor Delroy and the men of the state
Observation-Disclosures around the
circle" as he put-and had also gone
among the men of his own county.
lodge meetings. church fairs. district
visits from school they had taken long
drives to lonely precints where they
had discussed farm problems from
Arne's new angles, and Wiley had told
the me simply and frankly that he
wanted them to vote for him in the
primary.
Il don't know any other politics." he
assured Janet.
You don't need to. Tho county
crowd knows now our candidacy is
not a joke I hear Judge Van Hart
mas written Congressman Hall that
Wiley" ~
Wiley opened a benign eye. "Appar-
emily. tanner n Rice and Boydston
are organizing this Retail Merchants
association, the secret motive Of which
held from the News. That's one angle
OF the fight. Janet, 1 shan't have an
advertiser left except the undertaken
and he van me to take it out in
trade"
BE serious. wiley!" she retorted-
squirrel skin cap in the window.
April, Mr.. Wiley. and dewherries air
ripe down in Louisiany!"
"And the hooking birds are singing
in the c~anebrakes. Uncle MIGHT"
And If the ole house boat wasn't
done stuck hard and fast up yere-
and if my little girl hadn't done gone
off in the show bushes, I'd"
Uncle Mich!" roared the candidate.
pounding the desk-"shut up. or ri
never get to congress-! Blue birds up
Eagle point! Bullhead fishing! Aunt
Abby sowing lettuce! Get out of her
with it all! Take April with your"
Uncle Michigan" smiled Miss
Vance. were trying to talk business.
Now you know that business and Mr..
Wiley
.Fine!" cried the candidate-"Uncls
Old Mich took off his cap. "Miss
Vance. l know what gets Mr.. WILEY.
Done been my little girl"
Miss Vance was impassive, MI. Cur
ran amiably eyasive. your little girl?
Mich. you old scoundrel, you haven't
a sign of title to her. Why don't Won
tell us all-who was Aurelie. to begin
with. and who was Captain Tinkie-
toes? 1t isn't right to wink and grin
when people ask you about her-peo-
pie never know what to b~elieve!"
Reckon decent people believe onlv
what's "ood-and the others don;t
count. But my little girl come of bet
ter stock than those hir h,,o. -. rYsSn.
street" -
well, who?"
Then Uncle Michigan did his abom-