Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-02-10

an outraged Here am I, a gentleman
who keeps his hounds and settlers and
pointers in kennels and under control
yet he would make me pay q ridicu-
lous fee for the privilege merely be-
cause some -shiftless farmer In some
corner OF his county keeps q hungry
mongrel that breaks into somebody's
flock of Sheep
Anne's imitation of her fathers blus.
tering manner was 50 clever that John
laughed in spite OF his grief at making
an enemy Of that important person.
Anne laughed a NttlS, too, but soon
looked serious.
But today, when he found that the
dog law was coming up for final con-
sideration tomorrow" continued Anne,
"he said: II John Warren lets that
bill come to its third reading he
needn't show his face here again, and
want you to understand, Anne, that
I'd rather you'd be less friendly with
him than you have been Of late You
see, It's love me, love my dogs with
daddy, but he makes so few requests
of me, John, that I can't hurt him by
seeming to disregard his wishes. !
think we'd better 60 back to the ball
room now"
John reluctantly acquiesced, and
they returned to the ballroom with
heavy hearts for that very day tho
law had been laid down to him by
three Of his most influential constftu-
ents who were owners Of large sheep
ranches and had suffered great losses
from ravaging dogs, and his only path
to congress lay by way Of the approx
al of these constituents and the votes
they could command.
He returned to the library to try to
think of some way out, but, happen
ing to look up at the austere portraits
OF dead and gone statesmen, he SEEM
ed to meet sneering glances from their
piercing eyes-sneers because he hest
tated to do the bidding of his con-
stituency in order to favor a single in
dividual.
Then he thought Of Anne dancing
around this minute with some other
man and looking her lovliest in pale
pink tulle with knots Of blue here and
there, and he felt that chance to
win her was worth any sacrifice. But
in his desk that minute there reposed
numerous petitions to be presented
next morning urging the passage Of
house bill BIT, otherwise known as
the dog bill, and in the visitors gal
lery there would be delegation Of
ranchmen who would pass the sen:
tence of political death upon John
Warren if he let that bill fail to come
up for it's third reading and final pas.
sage.
| When the next mornings session
opened, things went on with smooth
ness that provoked John Warren, for
it brought nearer and nearer the time
when he would have to take his stand
on the dog bill. His ranchmen consti-
tuents were in the visitors gallery
and Annes father was also there. The
regular order of petitions, memorials,
circumstances and resolutions went
the usual tiresome round, while mem
bers busted themselves with reading
their morning mail. John set himself
to accept the inevitable and went care
fully over the notes for his speech
which was to close the arguments on
house bill 317. Just as the speaker
was ready to call Third reading Of
|
young man presented an Official look
ing paper to the doorkeeper, who
arose at once, assuming his full official
authority to interrupt the regular Or
der Of business In deep voice that
fairly echoed with self Importance,
he announced: "A message from his
excellency, the governor"
The message was duly passed on to
the reading clerk, whose ringing voice
electrified the whole assembly as he
read: I'm the hope of averting what
might become a serious menace to
the public health l, Jason Brooks Ian.
caster, governor Of this state, do here
by urge speedy recess of the legsila-
Iture for the full three days period
lpermitted by law, SO that precautions
may be taken to prevent the spread of
the disease of smallpox, of which five
well developed cases have been Off.
lcially reported this day among the
Iclerical force of the legislature.
Great confusion followed the read.
ling of the message, and there was no
disposition on anybody's part to delay
q motion to adjourn. John Warren
was informed by a clerk that his pri
vate secretary was one of the five
sent to quarantine that morning. No
body knew how the disease had been
contracted by any of its victims. Hen
ry Madison lost no time in getting out
of town with his daughter, fearing a
quarantine would be declared. Three
days later. at their country home, he
startled Anne out Of a deep reverie
as he came into the library with the
morning paper In his hand.