The Washington herald., 1915-04-11
OLD PAP PLNKHAM
He Tells of the Communal Town of Jericho.

equal to anything Henry Clay evel
got off, but he's made a thunderin' big
pint in favor of the roosterites.
was ag'in the rooster when 1 come
here, but I've almost changed my mind
Let us hear from Silas Bebee."
Silas was one who wanted the p'ints
of the compass put up. He was born
in Jericho when the town had bu,
around fur fifty years. The only way
he could tell north from south or east
from west was to make black spot
on Uncle Jim Green's barn door. and
he never went to the back end Of his
cornfield without gittin' lost and hav-
in to whistle to his wife. His speech
had allus allied Jericho and what
would allus keep her down was the
want of KNOWN the compass pints.
ed around. Half the folks in town
couldn't go huckleberryin' without
getting lost and wandering around all
night. Hogs and dogs walked around
and every time there was a lawsuit
most of the witnesses said west fur
east. An emblem of innocence would
tb all r 81 and sotb would be
beaten by compass points.
'tSilas has made a purity good speech
and purity good Pint, says the Dea-
rooster and leaning to his side. Though
I've lived in Jericho fur twenty-five
years. 1 can't make out vet whether
my pig-pen is on the north or west
that Elisha Taylor has sunthin' to
spring on. this meeting and we are
ready to hear it."
growth of the town hall fur six long
years, and he had had his eyes on the
tower day and night He had looked
at 1t from the street and from the
l.. NOD al Of
it in MONDAY and squinted at it at
midnight and had come to one unal-
terable conclusion-he wanted the fig
ure of gilt angel to finish OF that
Printing upwards, same as on a grave
stone he saw in Buffalo. The angel
would signify the goodness of Jer-
icho. and strangers would no longer
couldn't git a glass of beer or find
anybody to take a hand at poker. Her
pointing upward would be an object
lesson to the Sunday school children,
and the sight of her would calm the
feelings of man about to lick his
wife.
Elisha sot down. and the Deacon said
that no pint had been made. He was
Deacon of the church and good
man. but he'd never consent to hoist
She might pint upward or downward
or any other way. but angels didn't
belong on towers. He called upon Bev-
erly Jones for his views. and Beverly
favor of the American eagle. II a
rooster signified grit and independ-
ence, an eagle siGnified all that and
for liberty. freedom and equal rights.
1t was the emblem of a glorious re-
public. Its wings sheltered the help
less as well as the strong, and its
soft cooling lulled the infant to sleep.
while its scream sent the father to
the field of battle to fight. fur the
grandest principles of mankind; 1t
was rattling speech. full OF red-hot
that Daniel Webster never approached
1t in his palmiest days. II didn't eff
feet the others for the gilt ball. the
angel. and each one declared he'd
fight to the bitter end.
AS compromise. Jim Shorely. who
didn't care what they put up. moved
who was going to move away and had
lost all interest moved for monkey.
but they was hooted down and every
body began TO IAN his eib 6Ws aT Thnra
was every sign that the meeting would
break up in a free fight, when there
comes fash and an awful clap Of
walked in to get out of the
storm Deacon Spooner appealed to
him to save the honor of Jericho by
about harmony. ana lIlSn
looked around and replied:
LAS 1 understand it. this crowd is
divided as to what shall ornament the
top of the. city hall tower"
And you've bin jawin' and speech
ing fur the last three hours without
settling on anything? WAL ] don't
see no use of any more being said"
But what's your idea, Lish?" asks
the Deacon.
my idea is that that first thunder
bolt knocked your blamed old tower
into Continental cooked hat, and
that you can save your breath to pick
up the slivcrs fur kindling wood"
And the crowd rushed out and found