Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1900-02-09
Her Candidate.
9NatNO1oVosoV0NVaW

IL is a plcaeant conviction of old ago
that the affairs of the world are not
quite so important as they were a few
years ago and that the ability for con-
Quoting them Is going back instead Of
advancing. This commentary Is sug-
gcsted by tho experience that the old
political campaigner was relating to
some Of the legislative friends when
they met at tie hotel
81 don't suppose, " said the veteran.
THAT the like ever happened in Michi-
gan. before or since. There was a TO.
nance involved. some Of the greatest
men the nation ever produced took a
hand, a whole community was divided
by the bitterest fractional war. the ca
reer Of an ambitious congressman was
suddenly terminated. and yet the little
federal position involved was not worth
over 500 a month. If that much. 1t
wal a sort Of a bloodless political duel,
and | know of at least one participant
that would rather have stood up and
been shot at than to have lost.
''It 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 a lutter Of
excitement from center TO circumfer-
enc l think political interest is more
general in the country than in the city,
and In those days the individual was
more assertive, more p%ppreciative of
the supreme rights of citizenship, be-
cause he had not been suppressed by
machines. combines. rings and bosses as
ne 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 p~ostofice
were largely monopolized by the dis
putants, and some very old friendships
were strained to the uttermost.
81 was very much infatuated with
the pretty daughter Of my candidate.
Now that l can view the situation more
calmly. / realize that he was my candi-
dute because she was his daughter, but
wild horses couldn't have drawn such
a confession from me az the time. His
VREOIFht AhO hah a BAEbbJ dohAhNcAp
aud she. teC, had au 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
were regarded as among the most ef-
fective political herdsmen in that local
ity. You can understand how much
feeling could be stirred up with such
elements of discord. Farmers neglected
ShiRgs at home TO wrangle or listen ia
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.
tiol campaign we lad eYer gone
through.
"Eow. l was not alone in ny admi.
fation for tho daughter of my candidate.
There were others. and several Of them.
/ had never felt secure enough to ven.
ture a proposal and was passing through
a very trying period Of uncertainty.
One afternoon MS / was walking rapidly
by her house l 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'
Lovers think quickly, when capable
Of thinking at all Il should think he
would go under the circumstances. It's
his duty
Then | suppose father might as
we'll draw out. and there were tears in
her lovely eyes Oh. if were only a
manf
I'm thankful you're not. l laugh
ed. and there were two of us leaning on
the gate. I'm going to tell You some
thing that l have never confided to an
other person This was s~trictly true,
for ! had never thought Of it till that
minute. Please don't mention IL to a
living person. not even to your father.
for 1t might defeat all our plans. l &c
TO Washington tonight. Hattie. I have
everything ready. I'll take the train
from the eide opposite the platform. and
no n will be the wiser until some
time tomorrow. Did IL even enter that
Wise little head Of yours that I'd allow
Tom to get the start Of me or give you
anything TO cry Overf'
Her eyes sparkled, roses came to
her pale checks as II by magic, she
turned q glad face toward me and
well. who wouldn'ti In my eagerness ]
had perpetraied a regular schoolboy
smack. and n frightened robin darted
out Of the cherry tree over our headA
Keep in mind that we were leaning
over the same gate. II 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 80 little appar-
emit consideration that I did not place
much dependence upon his assistance.
! 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 pogition ! wal
trying TO have filed. but sven that win
not identify the town or the candidates
s@SB