The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-01-20

| From the tim, he was a poor homesteade
on prairie claim until now, when he wa.
at the head of a great wholesale house
| both dignity and fear were unknown quail
ties in the composition OF John Criggle.
Now they came to him unbid1en.
| He had telegraphed to Mark Wayne tina
| ne was in the race. Boosters and ''heel
ers'' had poured in upon him since the au
| thcritative announcement of his candidacy
and had taken up all his time. in long
| vague, indefinite conversations in which
The caller invariably insisted that some
member of the legislature was off, anC
should be fixed, and could be fixed by the
caller Then why had not the caller avoid.
ed the call and gone straightway TO fix the
| legislator who was "of?" At first Orig
gle asked this question of himself without
arriving at a satisfactory answer. But
| as ne grew in politics the answer came I'M
| hidden. The caller could fix the member
and would, but he called for the purpose OF
letting the probable senator know that ne
had been of obliging service to him.
For instance Jackson of Blue county
called on him and started in, in this way:
Mr. Criggle," he said. Our member
Bolts is off, / have reason to believe ne
is against you"
81 am sorry TO hear that said Criggle.
Eyes, / was too. But I came here to
assure you that l would fix MIN all right.
He is under obligations TO me-a little bust
ness matter-you un5erstand-little thing
aoout-well. 1 will not explain it to you
but 1 can fix him and 1 viii do it.
Criggie thanked him warmly. The next
day after jackson, came Willoughby also
of Blue county, who spoke thus:
"Mr. Criggle, can be of service to you.
Our member of the legislature is not for
you, fear. Have you heard anything"
Criggle's first impulse was to say that
he had heard from Jackson yesterday. But
IL flashed into his mind that perhaps this
man and Jackson were not friends. To
reveal Jackson's visit or to show that he
had even remembered Jackson's converse
ton might cool Willoughby. 1t was strange
for him not to speak openly. But he was
growing, politically.
Haven't heard thing" he replied.
'Wer he is against you and must be
brought around. What could you do with
him?''
II don't know what I could do. Mr.. Will
oughby."
well I'll tell you. am distantly related
TO him. I'll go home and talk to him and
let you know"
Thank you, Mr.. Willoughby. I'll remem-
Der it,
The next day came telegram from Will
oughby reading: 1--WE seen him and have
brought him around. Congratulations.
AS Criggle read the wire the member
from Blue county, Bolts, walked in. Orig
gle tucked the message away and shook
him by the hand.
"Mr. Criggle,'' said Bolts, at just drop
ped in 10 say you could count on me.
have been for you since your name was
first mentioned.
Crigsle's impulse was to tell Bolts Of the
of jackson and the CONVEX
sation and message of 1Villoughby Bit
he was growing in politics. He said HI
stead:
Il knew it all along. old man. I counted
On you before / consented to enter the
race. You are one of my best friends"
When Bolts had gone, Criggle sat down
TO figure out who had lied. Did Jackson
or Willoughby or Bolts? He might have
been able TO tell which, had he simply taken
one of the three men into his confidence
and told him the conversation of the other
two. But this would not have been poll
tics.
This sort of thing kept up for two weeks
and Criggle found his whole nature chang
ed. Some men were deceiying him and
some men were not, but he could not To- |
cate and parcel the deceivers out from the |
others. 1t would not have been politics |
20 voice the least suspicion: and he owed !
[ to himself not 10 allow too enthusiastic |
;redulity TO lead him into a trap. And so |
,ame reticence; the smile for the reply; the |
yrunt which might be either dissent or con- |
irmat:on; and the empty phrases of gratif1- |
,ation and thanks. And with reticence |
anne solitude. the solitude of mind which |
rowns or all counsel and conceals every
hing.
And so Criggle took on dignity!
And another thing came into the mans
lature. He had been a man of affairs.
Re knew his employees as Jack and John
md Ned and Bill. They worked for him
md received their pay. II they did their
work. We'll there was an increase in pay
md promotion; if not they were dismissed.
Cow they began TO loom over him ike
yrants. On what subtle thread might not
lis senatorial ambitions hang? One of
bese men might have an influence through
one chain of mountaineering or con-
ansuinity which would give him the one
oe which would elect. The great power
t the people seized his mind and humbled
i'm. What a great tyrant it had become
nd how offense TO one of the infnitesmaI
nj ha I
ncan his political ruin. His empty smile
nd affected voice OF joviality was extend
4 to all his employees as it was to the peo-
lie whom he met on the streets-people he
isliked being treated with an apprehen-
we in'partiality with those he did ike.
He added IF you please to orders in an
mpty. hearty manner which surprised but
leased his men. He tipped his hat
undred times where formerly he had tip
ed 1t once The women did not have
otes, it was true. The legislature which
as &c elect him was already elected. But
he women's influence. Night not a smile
nd a pleasant nod be the dust speck
hitch would turn the scales in his favor:
On the other hand might not a single
nemy, the enemy made SO by a single
'own. a single careless word. be able in
IS place in the great mass 10 say the dis
pprovinS word to some one who would
AIRY it somewhere else. to be banded
bout and reaching the legislator az last.
lace the single dust speck which would
i'm the scales against him.
To all. save one. CTiggle became cow
I'd. This was the office boy Ned-and he ;
as not man or woman-iust freckle-
iced lad Of ten.
Here was one particle % the stupendous
hole before whom Criggle did rot quail
ne ill-feeling and erossness which ne stiff
in others presence, found vent on the !