Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1900-01-18
BY
F.. B. TRACY.

Copyright October 1899.
stances are such that nothing short of q
complete wedding out Of the men and
influences which have made this office
such u stencil ill the nostrils OF the peu-
pie OF the county will suffice. We ough,
to have clean sweep OF the Offices, and
to that end we seek the aid and support
OF all fair-mnded and honest voters.
SO far as my acts in this campaign and
afterward, are concerned, l hope to
merit the appreciation OF this party and
this convention, which represents, am
sure, the best sentiments oil the county,
".This speech was applauded by the
delegates; but there was frightened ex-
preston ontheir faces on account of the
blunt reference to the factional differences.
land yet they all unused as they rode
home that night, she told the truth
These two fractional leaders have kept
the party and the wholecounty rent with
quarrels, and neighbors are at deadly
enmity simply because OF an old fight,
the origin Of which none remembers.
1t is shame, no doubt of that
1t had long been puzzle to the good
people OF the county and town why Ned
Cushman came there. 1T was iavorite
saying that no one came there who was
not poor or who had not made failure
i'll all other places; and when one, more
bold than the rest, limited this to Cush-
man, ne laughed and replied, "WelI, put
me down in both classes"
Sensitiveness had driven Cushman from
| tn, Nall
parents, when he was just entering the
high school had left the care OF the fam
lily estate TO an old friend OF his fathers.
ms man became involved in the witch
cry OF speculation. The result was the
usual one, and the crash revealed to Ned
then in the midst OF his senior year at
Harvard, that he must work for liv-
ing. After commencement he began to
search for employment and soon found
out the limitations of his acquaintance
and the impetency of his educat ton. But
the family name at last became All open
sesame to one firm, and fairly re.
munerative position was offered to him.
There was nothing false unhealthy, or
morbid about hia views on the changed
conditions and he accepted his lot with
thanksgiving and without grumbling.
He was willing to grub it, he told him
self, and his intelligence and industry
were obtaining adequate recognition
, when an incident occurred which changed
his LIES plans.
There was q beautiful home, just one
block from his own, which was more like
salon than any other in Boston. The
receptions held there We're Ned's delight.
His mother and father had liked to see
N..I thov 60, +1,o g
the old families" and We're entirely cor
dial and friendly. But one Sunday morn
ing his eyes CHANGED to stray to the
Herald's society column and he read an
account OF the first evening OF the season
at Mrs. Winslow's. This fact struck him
as odd, and he unused, THAT is queer; l
must have forgotten about it, Then
his brows contracted, and the thought
came to him, Can it be possible that |
was not invited?' But search over
his letters revealed NO such card. He
tried to Danish the matter from his mind
and to believe that it had been an over
sight or a fault of the mails. But when
second and third reception of the
season came, he was forced to face the
fact that he had been ignored DELHI
erately. He began to notice other
things, trivial in themselves, but sjgniti-
cant. The boys at the club were not as
cordial as they had once been; the girls
with whom he had boated, danced and
played tennis for years seemed distant
when he met them on the street or in
the foyer; and some fellows, distinctly
beneath him in the old social scale, and
who had been very respectful 10 him
while he was wealthy, now greeted him
with disgusting familiarity in the lunch
rooms which he was compelled to
frequent. The combination OF these
trif1ing Sights was too much for Cush-
man. Guileless and wholly pure as he
knew himself to be, the position in which
he was placed made him feel as if he had
committed some crime and had been
ostraciscd for it. "Try as hard as am
able, can never regain the place which
| have lost by suddenly becoming poor.''
he mourned.
''And | certainly do not want to re-
gain any position OF prominence in such
a cursedly venal atmosphere as this. |
am going to get out OF it. l shall 90
West, ard begin all over again." he
cried to himself in burst OF rage and
with new determination. For while
he was willing TO admit that his action
looked cowardly, he felt that in the
West he might become self-reliant and
independent man, something he now
knew was impossible for him in Boston.
Much speculation was made at the
club when his departure became known;
but in few weeks his old acquaintance
ceased to wonder. and he was never
except annually, when it was
seen that he had kept his name on the
rolls oil the club. Just for fathers
sake" he told himself: she would not
like to see the old name left off that list.
and iii keep it there"
The struggle which Ned Cushman
underwent in conquering the soil aud
the ways OF Dakota was long, pirpous.
and cruel one; but the victory was very
sweet. The work was hard and terribly
menotonous, and the heart-sickness at
times seemed intolerable Bnt, little by
little, the prairie land lost oil the sense
OF fiatness. which appalled, his soul at
the beginning, and it at last became
very beautiful and inspiring. AS it
stretched away for miles on all sides,
without tho rise Or fall OF foot, itseem.
ed to him as placid, as restful and as
soul calming as the sea. 1t had no lag
ged points, no sublime contrasts; but it
rave To him fine Sense of euuol;tv ,,nn, |