Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1901-07-24


object of the mognates was accom-
piished in comprising the defeat of
what The Sun called his Aspirations"
Down in their hearts both editors and
magnates realized that Langdon was a
wronged and injured man. 1t wouldn't
do to say so, of course, yet he had
checked that mob at a moment when
Its triumph meant the birth Of a reign
of terror in Brentwood. He alone had
stood between them and anarchy. They
bowed to the behest of the Seattle be-
cause it practically owned them. The
editor of The Banner met Langdon at
the brentwood two days later, stopped,
stammered and held out his hand.
MI. Langdon, my names Armstrong"
said he. I'm managing editor of The
Banner, and thought I'd like to say
to you that II personally don't ap-
prove of the attitude my paper has had
to assume in your case. suppose you
know the papers have to carry out GER
tain lines of policy and sometimes at
tack men whom the editors would
much rather befriend.'
Langdon turned very white. His
hand naturally had been extended to
accept that of the stranger-it is the
American fashion = but now 1t was
withdrawn. His lips quivered bit,
but his eyes never flinched from their
gaze straight into those Of the Journals
| list.
II have no use whatever for the
friendship of man who will privately
assure me Of his good WILL" said he,
"and publicly defame me-" Then he
turned his back on him and walked,
away.
Boniface saw the whole thing and
| gasped. Sherwood, clerk at the desk,
and Bingham, Brentwoods mayor,
were also witnesses, and the story
| spread. Here was man who not only
wasn't afraid of mob, but even dared
the press, and the man who can do
that in this land of freedom takes his
life in his hands,
you've cooked your goose" said
Boniface sadly, for he had grown to
like Langdon more than little and to
feel for him deeply In his loneliness.
you've made an enemy of the most
powerful newspaper man west of Oma-
ha."
But he hadn't. Armstrong was poor;
he was the servant of the stockholders
and they Of the Seattle; he couldn't af-
ford to throw up his job and see his
wife and children suffer, but he had a
conscience. He knew that Langdon
was right and The Banner wrong. He
was cut to the quick by Langdon's con-
tempt, but the man in him overcame
the sense of indignity, and, putting
himself in Langdon's place and asking
himself what he would have felt and
said, he went back to his office raging,
not at Langdon, but at fate He had
seen much Of Melville during that Off
GERS brief stay; he knew his reputa-
ton and the story of his spotless life
and soldierly career; he knew of Mel
ville's sympathy for Langdon and had
heard Melville's high encomium of
Langdon as an officer and gentleman;
he was filed with admiration of Lang
don's conduct at the time Of the riots
and had then referred to him in terms
OF unstinted praise; but, that danger
ended, The Banner had to return to the
paths Of policy dictated by Its owners.
He actually thought that his assurance
of personal liking for Langdon ought
to compensate for the harsh things
said Of him in The Banner and was
stung when it didn't. But at heart he
could not but admire Langdon for his
square, straightforward response. 1t
was revelation, an eye opener. 1t
set him to thinking of the other side,
not the paper side, of the question, and
then he wished that he had that month
to live over again. There should be no
more abuse of Langdon in The Banner
If he could help 1t.
And SO there was certain reaction
in favor of Langdon. Some Of the rifles
resigned their warrants, secured their
discharges and then set to work to
raise another company for Langdon to
drill. The men We're easily found.
Seventy stalwart young fellows sign
ed the petition and brought 1t to Lang
don to add his name. Then 1t went to
the governor. There were vacancies In
the regiment. A company was muster
ed in at Neosha; another, made up
mainly of farmer boys, at Gunnison
Junction. But some strange, occult in
duence seemed against the would be
Brentwood Light guard. The petition
hung fire. State Senator Suplee and
Representative Carter said that they
would see to it that the Light guard
was duly admitted, but they didn't.
Meantime the rifles prospered, us a So
cial organization at least; took in u
number Of honorary members at $50
apiece, got swell" uniform, gave n
series Of most successful dancing par
ties and what they termed exhibition
drills, where the clockwork precision
with which some 80 of their number
executed the loadings and firings
unison evoked tumultuous applaus,
1t prompted the rifles to issue chal-
lenge to all Corners west of the Mis-
sissippi and east Of the mountains to
compete for valuable prize at the Ex-
position building in April, the anniver-
sary of their muster in, and the next
thing the rifles knew Eric Langdon
was going down to Gunnison twice a
week to coach the Gunnison Grays,
Company *, Fourth Nebraska, and
Brentwood, which had refused to ayail
Itself Of his services, was properly
scnndalized that he should tender them
elsewhere. The Sun couldn't say much
now, because 1t was down on the rifles
anyhow ana catered to the farmers;
The Banner wouldn't say much, be-
cause Armstrong was ashamed of
what he had said, and this happened
to be a matter that didn't bother the
Seattle. But The Examiner, which had
done what 1t could to make Langdon
friendless in his new position at the
yards, now duly and frequently ex-
pressed its adherence of the man who
could turn traitor to his own people
and work against the best interests Of
the community in whose midst he had
found home and the livelihood denied
him elsewhere. Appeals were written
to Claiming to compel his subordinate
To, nt,. IL