"What's up, Anderson?" called out Mort Fryback, the hardware dealer, wavering on one leg while he reached frantically behind him for his crutch. Mort was always looking for excitement. He hadn't had any to speak of since the day he created the greatest furor the town had experienced in years by losing one of his legs under an extremely heavy kitchen stove. "Is there a fire?" shouted Mr. Brubaker, the druggist, half a block away. * * * * * Mr. Jones, proprietor of the _Banner_ Job Printing office, obligingly produced the "galley-proof" of the account of the People's Convention, prepared by his "city editor," Harry Squires, for the ensuing issue of the weekly. Mr. Squires himself emerged from the press-room, and sarcastically offered his condolences to Anderson Crow. "Well, here's a pretty howdy-do, Anderson," he said, elevating his eye-shade to a position that established a green halo over a perfectly pink pate. "Howdy-do," responded Anderson, with unaccustomed politeness. He was staring hard at the dirty strip of paper which he held to the light. "Didn't I _tell_ you?" exclaimed Alf Reesling triumphantly. "There she is, right before your eyes." Mr. Reesling employed the proper gender in making this assertion. "She" was right before the eyes of every one who cared to look. Anderson slowly read off the "ticket." His voice cracked deplorably as he pronounced the last of the six names that smote him where he had never been smitten before. Clerk--Henry Wimpelmeyer Justice of the Peace--William Kiser Selectman, First District--Otto Schultz Selectman, Second District--Conrad Blank Selectman, Third District--Christopher Columbus Callahan Marshal--Minnie Stitzenberg. A long silence followed the last syllable in Minnie's name, broken at last by Marshal Crow, who turned upon Harry Squires and demanded: "What do you mean, Harry Squires, by belittlin' a woman's name in your paper like this? She c'n sue for libel. You got no right to make fun of a respectable, hard-workin' woman, even though she did make a derned fool of herself gittin' up that pertition to have me removed from office." "Well, that's what she's still trying to do," said Harry. "What say?" "I say she's still trying to remove you from office. She's going to get your hide, Anderson, for arresting her when she tried to make that Suffrage speech in front of the town hall last fall." "I had a right to arrest her. She was obstructin' the public thoroughfare." "That's all right, but she said she had as much right to block the street as you had. You made speeches all over the place." "Yes, but I made 'em in good American English, an' she spoke half the time in German. How in thunder was I to know what she was sayin'? She might 'a' been sayin' somethin' ag'in the United States Government, fer all I knew." "Well, anyhow, she's going to get your scalp for it, if it's in woman's power to do it."