St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1899-05-13
The Candidates Daughter 1
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IT rs a pleasant conviction of old age
that the affairs OF the world are not
quite SO important as they were few
years ago and that the ability for con-
ducting them is going back instead of
advancing. This commentary is sug-
gested by the experience that the old
political campaigner was, relating TO
some Of the legislative friends when
they met at the hotel.
Il don't suppose, said the veteran.
s.that the like ever happened in Mich
igan, before or since. There was
romance involved, some of the greatest
men the nation ever produced took a
hand, a whole community was divided
by the bitterest factional war, the
career of an ambitious congressman
was suddenly terminated, and yet the
little federal position involved was not
worth over 800 a month, If that mucIs
1t was a sort of bloodless political
duel, and / know of at least one par
ticipant that would rather have stood
up and been shot at than to have lost.
1T was right out here in the coun-
try where I was raised and brought up.
There were only two prominent aspir-
ants for the little office, but their
rivalry had stirred the town into a.
fiutter of excitement from center to
circumference. 1 think political inter
est is more general in the country than
IN the city, and in those days the in
dividnal was more assertive, more ap-
preciative of the supreme rights of cit
iZenship, becanseshe had not been sup.
pressed by machines, combines, rings
and bosses as he is now. The churches
were internally divided on this issue,
social bees We're turned into debating
societies where feeling ran high, the
war was carried into the local paper
by heated CORES pondents, the store and
the post Office were largely monopolized
by the disputants, and some very old
friendships were strained to the utter
most.
was very much infatuated with
the pretty daughter of my candidate.
Vow that can view the situation more
calmly realize that he was my can
didate because she was his daughter,
but wild horses couldn't have drawn
such confession from me at the time.
His opponent also had pretty daugh-.
ter, and she, too, had an admirer, who
was stanch supporter of her father
in his time Of political neetls These two
girls were rival bellies, and Tom Harter
and I were regarded as among the
most effective political herdsmen in
y that locality. You can understand how
much feeling could be stirred up with
such elements of discord Farmers
neglected things at home to wrangle or
to listen to others wraRgle. Some Of
the women quit speaking and said very
unlSind things of each other. The
young people were as distinctly di-
vided as though lined up in opposition
at "a spelling school, and there was more
genuine temper displayed than in any
presidential campaign we had ever gone
through.
Now, was not alone in my admira-
tion for the daughter of my candidate.
There were others, and several of them.
[ had never felt secure enough to ven
ture proposal. and was passing
through very trying period of un-
certainty. One afternoon as I was walk
ing rapidly by her house found her
leaning over the gate and looking dis
cunsolate enough to cry. sTomHarteris
going to Washington tomorrow she.
said abruptly. You know what that
means?'
s'Lovers think quick when CAPABLE
of thinking at all. I should think he
would go, under the circumstances. It's
his duty
& sThen / suppose father might s.
well draw out, and there were tears
ain her lovely eyes. %, if I were only 9
mani
Z. sFm thankful yo4're not, Ilaughed,
and there svere twoeof US leanirg on.
the gate. I'm going To ten YOU some
thing that T4lraVe never confded to an
other person. This was strictly true,
for j had never thoughtsof II till that.
minute. Please don't mention it TO
living person, not even to your father,
Tor it might defeat all our plans. Ego
to Washington tonight, Hattie. have
everything ready. I'll take the train
from the side opposite the platform.
md no one viii be the wiser until some
time tomorrow. Did 1t eyer enter that
wise little head of yours that I'd allow
Tom to get the start of me or give you
anything to cry overg
Her eyes sparlxled, roses came TO her
naie cheeks as If by magic, she turned q
yzad face toward roe and-welE who
wouldn't III NY gerness had per-
petratesi 4 regular spflooiboy srnaek and
4 frightened robin darted out of the
cherry tree over oar heads, Keep in
mind fl,et ssss sgs Te lsaning & ayer tie:
& 81 10 ffisss siisse, too.
ST ssss trough to yyashing gton