has told me more than once that if ever we carried the House,
he was for me for Speaker above any man on earth." At which I
unhesitatingly placed Armstrong of La Salle in the same column with
Heise of Cook.

"Now, Hadlai," continued the Doctor, after a moment's pause, "there
is Cummins of Fulton; I helped elect Jim Chairman of the last State
Convention, and he has told me again and again that he hoped he
would live to see me Speaker, so I can count on Jim without doubt."

I at once placed Cummins in the column of honor with Heise and
Armstrong, and calmly awaited further instructions.

"Now, Hadlai, there is Moore of Adams; Alf got into trouble over
a bill he had in the last Legislature; he could neither get it out
of the committee, nor the committee to take any action, so he came
over to my seat terribly worried, and says he, 'Doctor, for
God's sake, get me out of this!' I did, Hadlai, and Alf was the
most grateful man you ever saw on earth, and told me then, 'Doctor,
I would get up at two o'clock at night to do you a favor.' I
can safely count on him."

It is needless to say that Moore of Adams rounded out the quartette
of faithful supporters.

"Now, Hadlai," remarked the Doctor, after contemplating with apparent
satisfaction the list I had handed him, "if you will give me
some paper and envelopes and a pen and some stamps, if you have
them handy, I will write to all of them now." The articles mentioned
were produced, the letters written, stamped, and duly mailed, and
the good Doctor departed in an exceedingly comfortable frame of
mind.

Time passes, as is its wont; but for some weeks I neither saw
nor heard from the Doctor. Meeting him on the street at length,
I at once inquired whether he had received replies to his letters.

"Come into the office, Hadlai, and I will explain." Pained to
observe that the tone and air of confidence so perceptible in
our last interview was lacking, I followed with some misgiving into
his office.

"Yes, Hadlai," he slowly began, "I have heard from all of them.
Heise of Cook [the familiar appellations of the former interview
were wanting] writes assuring me that there is no man living for
whom he entertains a more profound respect then for myself, Hadlai;
but that owing to unforseen complications arising in his county,
he has reluctantly consented _to allow his own name_ to be presented
to the caucus."

The name of Heise of Cook was immediately stricken from the head