Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1900-07-28
CHAPTER XIII.

claimed Lottie, with indignant tears.
And she was still so angry about it
when Chester Sewall came in half an
hour later that she gave him q de-
tailed version of the interview, doubt
less meant to be truthful, but SO col
ored by her resentment hat he was
no less astonished than she at the
model John Latham having had such a
caller.
His interest in the matter, however,
was but slight and transitory. Neces-
sity had been steadily exercising n
compressive force upon him, center-
ing his thoughts in himself, until he
had become morose and Indifferent to
everything outside his w concerns.
Day after day he tramped about the
town seeking employment, and even
went hungry at times TO pay postage
upon the handfuls of letters with
which he replied TO ADVERTISEMENTS for
Help Wanted"-all without avail.
Everywhere he was met, when max
ing application for work such as he
deemed suited to his culture and ca
pacity, by the question, what eN-
perience have you had in this line?"
OF course he had had nom In that or
any other sort OF bread winning. Then
he would not suit at all PIE had even
condescended to argue upon several
occasions that the particular work
proposed was so simple he could mas
ter its requirements within an hour,
but the result was the same. He had
no experience" and hat settled IT.
But the cruelest thing, as it seemed
to him, was that when he sought en-
ployment at coarse, manual labor his
1a-a. -l>als.- 49, N - a
ners and educated speech, all caused
him to be viewed with suspicion and
rejected.
The title of the translated Russian
novel upon q news stand caught his
eye, "The Superfuous Man" 1t chung
to his mind waking and sleeping. He
recognized it as himself. Yes, he was
"thc superfluous man." and there was
no place in the world for him because
he had never had experience" in any
thing. The only thing left for him APP
parently, he thought, was death, for
one needs no experience to die. While
he was maintaining this seemingly
hopeless struggle for existence the
trinkets In the little box that had
been his mothers were becoming
fewer and fewer, and those now left
were of insignificant value. Parting
with each little object he drew from
the diminishing pile was n new pain,
for these, left until the last, were the
ones his mother used TO wear most.
But he had to eat and have shelter.
They were his only remaining re-
source, and one by one they went to
the pawnshop, whence he did not hope
ever to reclaim them. So one evil day
chased another in monotonus success
sion, each with it's weight of care and
gloom and woe.
Thinking over these and more
things hat were all his own, Chester
speedily grew weary of the chatter of
the sewing girl, became m~onosyllabic
in his replies and finally seated him
self by the window in sullen silence,
hearing her voice as he would have
heard the twitter of n canary had n
been in the room, but no more.
He was waiting for her to go away.
The past twenty-four hours had
been very eventful ones for him.
Yielding at last to the pressure of adj
yersity, he had the morning before
put his pride in his empty pocket and
bgone to ask from the boss the APP
pointmept Irma had solicited for him.
Mr.. Pratt received him with cour-
tesy, tinged, however, as he fancied,
with offensive condescension, remem-
bered him quite well and, more eX-
traordinory yet in n politician, re-
membered his promise. Those who
knew Mr.. Pratt best averred That the
bower anchors Of his boss-ship were
his strange faculty for remembering
his promises and his no less wonder
full talent in seeming to keep them
withoue doing so. incidentally he
stirred Chester's bile, without intent
thereto, however, by inquiring:
What experience have you had in
practical politics, Mr.. kewall?"
Controlling himself as well as he
could, the Young man replied politely,
but with emphasis:
None whatever, Mr.. Pratt. The
only experience of any kind that |
have had has been in the attainment
of the knowledge that l have had no
experience whatever in anything. Ed
ucation, j learn, does not count as eX-
perience. / doubt if | have had ex-
p%erience enough to enable me to drive
"a horse car"
The politician opened his eyes wide
in surprise at the applicants enigmat-
ical disavowal of experience, but CON
fined his speech to replying imper-
turbly:
"Oh, well, experience is very ncces-
sary TO enable one to drive a horse
car we'll"
That literal acceptance of his words
effectually silenced the young man,
and MI. Pratt went on:
with your education, natural tai
ent and social advantages, it stands
to reason you would no doubt be of
great service to the party and attain
for yourself distinction and proper
tomato fortune-when you had ex
perience. You see for yourself that
the party would not be justified in
comforting any very prominent posi-
ton upon a wholly inexperienced
man, however s,lperlative his genius
might be. Doing so would awaken
too many %jealousies and involve too
much risk of grave interests. Be-
sides, until you have had some expert
ence, there is no telling how your tai
ents could best be utilized. Your ex-
cellent education is a good foundation
for success"
Il believe l may claim to have a
pretty thorough acquaintance with
the political history of Greece and
Rome
"Ah, indeed. Well that is a great
deal. You can hardly appreciate the
Importance of that knowl-
edge until you come to apply it in
practical politics.
There was not a twinkle In fha Il