Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1899-05-05
| The Candidates Daughter /

IT is pleasant conviction of old age
that the affairs of the world are not
quite sooimportant as they were few
years ago and that the ability for con-
Quoting 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.
II don't suppose said the veteran,
that the like ever happened in Mich
igan, before or since. There was
romance involved, some of the greatest
tnen the nation ever produced took
hand, 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 500 month, if that much.
1t was a sort of bloodless political
duel, and I know of at least one par
sicipa3lt that would rather have stood
up and been shot at than to have lost.
N'It 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
fiutter of excitement from center to
circumference. [ think political inter-
est is more general in the country than
in the city, and in those days the in
dividual was more assertive, more APP
preciative of the supreme rights of cit
izenship, because he 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 were turned into debating
societies where feeling ran high, the
war was carried into the local paper
by heated correspondents, the store and
the post office were largely monopolized
by the disputants, and some very old
friendships were strained to the utter
most.
81 was very much infatuated with
the pretty daughter of my candidate.
Now that can view the situation more
calmly I realize that he was my can
didate because she was his daughter
but wild horses couldn't have drawn
such n confession from me at the time.
His opponent also had a pretty daugh-
ter, and she, too, had an admirer, who
Nas Il stanch supporter of her father
IN his time of political need. These two
girls were rival bellies, and Tom Harter
and l were regarded as among the
most effective political herdsmen in
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
10 listen to others wrangle. Some of
the women quit speaking and said very
1Inkind things of each other. The
young people were as distinctly di-
vided as though lined up in opposition
at 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-
ton 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 I'M
certainty. One afternoon as was walk
ing rapidly by her house 1 found her
leaning over the gate and looking dis
consulate enough to cry. Tom Harter's
going to Washington Tomorrow she
said abruptly. You know what that
means?
Lovers think quickly, when capable
of thinking at all. 4 should think he
would go, under the circumstances. It's
his duty
Then I suppose father might as
well draw OUT and there were tears
IN her lovely eyes. %, if were only a
mani
I'm thankful yea re not laughed
and there were two of us leaning on
the gate. I'm going to tell you some
thing that have never confided to an
ether person. This was strictly true
for 1 had never thought of it till that
1ninute Please don't mention it to q
diving person, not even to your father
for it might defeat all our plans. gs
20 Washington tonight, Hattie. Ihavs
everything ready. I'll take the trair
from the side opposite the platform
and no one will be the wiser until some
time tomorrow. Did it ever enter tina
wise little headsof yours that I'd ALLOW
Tom to get the start of me or give yol
anything to cry over?'
Her eyes sparkled, roses came to hel
pale cheeks as if by magic, she turned
glad face toward me and-well, wht
wouldn't? In my eagerness had per
petrated a regular schoolboy smack ant
, frightened robin darted out of thu
sherry tree over our heads. Keep il
mind that we were leaning over thu
same gate. 1t was the first time, too
"Well, went through to Washington