Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1900-01-30

time had just been taken into business
with his father. He was Just beginning
to feel the exhilarating pressure OF
large affairs on shoulders 30 young and
strong that they welcomed rather than
flinched from burdens, and he was in
the first blaze Of young mans enthu-
siasm for municipal reform. He had
spent days running about the town
marshaling the languid and reluctant
forces of the decent citizens" against
q certain paving contract Of the alder
mans, and when the alderman was too
strong for him in the council had defed
him in his own ward.
Therefore McGinnis had been elected
by rather more than the usual majority,
and that was how IL came to pass that
Door Billy Hunter all night was haunt
ed by snatches Of his own speeches
against the arbiter Of the Eighth ward
and tortured his brain trying. in the
clumsy fashion Of a man used to ex-
press himself by action only, to explain
those fatal jokes and criticisms
Before Harry had finished his break
fast next morning the workingman was
ut the house, and the young reformer
did not keep him waiting. II was bare
ly half past that Sunday morning
when Harry was seen by the neighbors
driving his fathers light surrey and
the fast gray horses, with Billy Hunter
on the back seat, at q rattling pace
down the hill.
They went first to Tommy Fitzmau-
rice's. Tommy at the period Of which /
am writing was a ward politician and,
in spite of Harry's fiery eloquence and
his own affection for Harry. quite con-
tent with his moral lot Now, although
he Joined the two at once. he gave
Harry the corner Of wet blanket in
his greeting.
"I'll tell you, said he, with rather
shamefaced expression, ~ don't know
which way Mac is going. hope he
looks at the strike the way / do, and
that's the way you do, but I'm under
too big obligations to Mac to fight him
in this and risk his job. and that's the
truth"
"But have you considered what mis-
chief hopeless strike like this will
work." began Harry eagerly.
"I haven't slept two winks this night
considering nothing else, growled
Tommy, "but | amt fixed to fight
Mac, and don't want TO either"
"And what will Mac dor" said Har-
~. biting off useless argument at his
cigar end, biting it hard.
THAT l can't say" Tommy an
swered. ~ was there right after the
meeting last night He wasn't home.
I left word that I'd be over this morn
ing. but when / went over before
breakfast hs was gone; left word he
would see Inc this afternoon. ! sat
down and wrote him all about the thing
and told him | was on the chase after
him and il didn't catch him would he
come over to pas for a talk. guess he
will. but wen try running him down
first, because the committee may do
more mischief than even Mac can undo
| il we wait They said he had gone TO
Meyers. The son was after him with a
story Of his mother being dead. "
The Meyers were not Meyers really,
but some unpronounceable Russian
name Of which the first two syllables
ran into some simi'itude to Meyer, and
Meyers they had been chiistened by
their gentle acquaintance. The father
was very old. and the family was sup
ported by a son who dealt in junk and
rags. They were not popular in the
Eighth ward because they were dirty.
| II one considered. there was no especial
reason why they should be clean-a
feeble, old woman. deformed by rheu-
matism, the only person to care for an
old. old man, and son who lived by
collecting and sorting rubbish. But no
one did consider.
"And l guess. said Tommy medita-
lively. ''that the alderman is about the
only person in the world who ever gives
them civil word, and he does 1t from
habit. without knowing.
All this time Billy was listening with
q mind distraught, warily coming the
ugly possibilities Of the future, wishing
that he had not been so fool hasty as to
mad Alderman McGinnis" and strug-
Cling after a way out of these troubles
| that should not be through favors asked.
81 never asked anybody to give me
nothing" he thought, cept only Mr..
Matthews, at the store, to wait month
for the grocery bill when ma was SO
sick" He looked at the two young fel-
lows on the front seat, well dressed and
prosperous. much they care, he
| groaned in his heart, and for the first
| time in all his hardworking. self deny
ing life he was stung by the grudgina
envy Of the poor against the rich and
felt the desolateness Of the humble man.
Then he caught turn Of Harry Loss
ing's stern, young profile, and he re
membered Fitzmaurice's wakeful night,
and his honest conscience smote him.
81 guess they amt 30 easy about it,
after all. :" thought he. II do believe