The Duluth rip-saw. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1917-19??, 1918-10-05

mere ~ Once. lou arc uOCilAAS Oup
a spittoon cleaner, anyway"
Cooking around, inoffensive Hell.
mer Johnson, a sovereign citizen OF
St. Louis county, in the auditorial
chamber on public business, saw the
angry, distorted, threatening face Of
his autocratic majesty, Kong Odin,
the usurper.
Just at that moment, clerk Hansen
handed Johnson the desired order.
Without replying to Halden's abusive
and insulting words, the crippled
juror quietly left the auditors office
and converted the modest scrap OF
paper into $40 in lawful money Of
the realm, in the treasurer's office,
after which the harmless citizen
started for the elevator.
But, catching sight of Kong Odin
in the outer auditorial chamber,
Johnson took the liberty of entering
! and, in timid, courteous manner, say
ing:
"Mr. Halden, I wish to speak to
you a minute. What reason had you
for addressing me that way a few
minutes ago?"
The mighty monarch of the court
house glared at Helmer Johnson like
a royal Bengal tiger in Barnum &
Bailey's circus. Royal anger con-
vulsed his kingly countenance. His
classically crooked legs quivered in
unison with his voice as he wickedly
cursed and then roared:
Don't you know I know you come
up here to find out things about me
and then tell them around town:
When you get outside, I'll smash
your face.
That was a frank admission that
there were things that could be
found out" in the auditors office.
With saddened face and heavy
heart, poor Helmer Johnson turned
from the royal presence and passed
down and out OF the marble-lined
courthouse, which once belonged to
the people but which some fear now
belongs to Kong Odin by virtue of
adverse possession.
, Poor, sick, crippled Helmer John
son was crushed beyond recovery.
| He was born In the Land Of the Mid
night sun, a fellow countryman Of
i the Odin Halden who once caught
! Goldfish, when a peasant lad, for the
king Of Scandinavia. When a mere
lad, Helmer' babe his parents fare
we'll and came to America, where he
had heard that every man was
king in his own right, even If he was
; not lucky enough to grab a court
house and have the Welcome" sign
put on the doormat when he called
; at the noble Wolvin building.
! For many years, Kong Odin was
the boyhood idol of Helmer johnson.
/, Fifteen years before, he had rooted
and boosted In the ranks Of the G.,
0. P. to help make Odin Halden audi
tor Of the great state of Minnesota.
He worked early, late and with every
ounce Of strength and skill he pos
sessed. When Haldin was rejected
/ by great majority of Minnesota's
| republicans, in convention assembled,
! Helmer Johnson wep bitter tears in
sorrow and regret over the defeat of
! his beau ideal, as city attorney Sam
uelson might say.
After all that personal worship,
faithfulness, and devotion, surly,
grouchy and touchy as result of
habits of living, the slipping of polit-
ical ground from under the royal
| auditorial feet, and giving way to his
natural. selfish, boorish instincts,
Odin Halden. usurping king of the
. courthouse, "bawled out" cursed
and threatened to smash the face"
of poor, sick, crippled Helmer john
son.
! Today, with nervous haste, despair
gnawing at his heart AMI his lined
face looking like the painting of
! Napoleon Before the Battle Of
: Waterloo" Odin Halden appeals to
the voters Of st. Louis county for
"just one more term"
Today, poor, sick, crippled Helmer
Johnson is lowering between life and
death at Nopeming, a victim of tuber-
culosis. Odin Halden's ingratitude
, and angry words broke his sick heart.
Crushed to earth by the cruel treat
ment from the ideal of his boyhood
days, he gave up the fight for health
and strength. There he is, out in
that miserable death-house, weakly
but patiently awaiting the end.
II the citizens of St. Louis county
vote to Danish King Halden from the
peoples courthouse, which he usurps
and strives to hold against the best
interests Of the public, may their &C
tion not be Balm of Gilead for the
. bruised heart Of poor, sick, crippled
Helmer Johnson, as he awaits the
ferryman at the Dark River, II his
departure for that Far Country be
delayed until after Tuesday, No.
vember 5?
BANK CHANGES AT TOWER.
] H. C. Kemp of Minneapolis IN.