The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1899-06-01
Her Candidate.
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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
II don't suppose. said the veteran,
'that the like ever happened in Michi-
gan. before or since. There was ro-
nance involved, some Of the greatest
men the nation ever produced took
hand, a whole community was divided
by the bitterest factional war, the ca
reer of an ambitious congressman was
suddenly terminated, and yet the little
federal position involved was not worth
over 500 month, if that much. It
was a sort of bloodless political duel,
and know of at least one participant
that would rather have stood up and
been shot at than to have lost.
cit was right out here in the country
where was raised and brought up.
There were only two prominent aspi-
rants for the little Office, but their rival
ry had stirred the town into hutter of
excitement from center to circumfer
ence. I think political interest is more
general in the country than in the city,
and in those days the individual was
more assertive, more appreciative of
the supreme rights of citizenship, be-
cause he had not been suppressed by
machines, combines, rings and bosses as
he is now. The churches were internally
divided on this issue, social bees were
turned into debating societies where
feeling ran high, the war was carried
into the local paper by heated CORE
spondents, the store and the postoffice
were largely monopolized by the dis
putants, and some very old friendships
were strained to the uttermost.
II was very much infatuated with
the pretty daughter of my candidate.
Now that can view the situation more
calmly, realize that he was my candi-
date because she was his daughter, but
wild horses couldn't have drawn such
q confession from me at the time. His
opponent also had a pretty daughter,
and she, too, had an admirer, who was
a stanch supporter Of her father in his
time Of political need. These two girls
were rival bellies, and Tom Harter and
I were regarded as among the most eff
fective political herdsmen in that local
ity. You can understand how much
feeling could be stirred up with such
elements of discord. Farmers neglected
things at home to wrangle or listen to
others wrangle. Some Of the women
quit speaking and said very unkind
things of each other The young people
were as distinctly divided as though
lined up in opposition at a spelling
school, and there was more genuine
temper displayed than in any presiden
tial campaign we lad ever gone
through.
Now, was not alone in my admi-
ration 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
a very trying period of uncertainty.
One afternoon as was walking rapidly
by her house found her leaning over
the gate and looking disconsolate enough
to cry. Tom Harter's going to Wash
ington tomorrow, she said abruptly.
You know what that means7' d
''Lovers think quickly, when capable
of thinking at ALL Il should think he
would go under the circumstances. It's
his duty.
i" Then I suppose father might as
well draw out. and there were tears in
her lovely eyes. oh, if I were only a
mani
I'm thankful YOU re not, laugh
ed, and there were two Of us leaning on
the gate. I'm going to tell you some
thing that have never confded to an
other person. This was strictly true,
for I had never thought of it till that
minute. please don't mention it to q
living person, not even to your father,
for it might defeat all our plans go
to Washington tonight, Hattie. I have
everything ready. III take the train
from the side opposite the platform, and
no one will be the wiser until some
time tomorrow. Did 1t ever enter that
wise little head Of yours that I'd allow
Tom to get the start of me or give you
Snything to cry overf'
''Her eyes sparkled, roses came to
her pale cheeks as if by magic, she
turned a glad face toward me and
well, who Wouldn't In my eagerness I
had perpetrated a regular schoolboy
smack, and frightened robin darted
out q the cherry tree over our heads.
Keep in mind that we were leaning
over the came gate. It was the first
time too.
'Well, went through to Washing
ton as fast as steam would carry me
and lost no time in hunting up the con-
gresham from my district. He promised
so much and did it with so little appar-
ent consideration that I did not place
much dependence upon his assistance.
I thought of the girl left at the gate,
took courage of love and went right to
the postmaster general There. that
comes of being rusty on politics did
not mean to tell what position was
trying to have filed. but even that will
not identify the town or the candidates