The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1901-10-25
A STROKE OF POLICY.
By LUCY FOSTER MADISON.

And Martin Craig, president of a new line
of railroad connecting the western towns
of Oklahoma with Guthrie, glared at the
young fellow before him ~fiercely.
you are mistaken, sir, in supposing that
I came for any such purpose" returned
Sam Hunter, coldly. you refused your
consent to the marriage, and as Gilmore, 1
mean Miss Craig, declines to marry without
it, there is nothing more to be said. l came
in behalf of the citizens of Cherokee"
what do they want?" questioned the
president, sharply.
cit is the same grievance concerning which
you have been approached before, sir. l
have been sent to lay the matter fully be-
fore YOU"
"Humph! Idon't think much of their adj
vocate," grunted the other. State your
case briefly. | am in a hurry"
CAS- you are aware, Mr.. Craig, Your rail
road is more than a mile from the town.
You know the condition of the roads. The
drayage will be heavy, and freight is already
taxed to the Utmost limit, to say nothing of
the Inconvenience to which our citizens will
be put. Now, we know that you have re-
fused to consider this matter, but we ask
you to look at it from our standpoint. There
has been no such discrimination made
A6ulhSU II CGIS toN1 III VIC lllS III
brief, sir, we desire that you run a spur to
Cherokee"
"You desire me to build a spur to your
town, do you%" sneered the other. well,
go back to your fellow-townsmen and tell
them / won't do it. That railroad was
built for my convenience, not theirs. 1t
doesn't make any difference to me whether
it suits them or not. They can use it or let
IL alone. Ii they want to be close to the road
let them move the town down to the depot.
You know the old adage: If the mountain
won't come to Mohammed, then Moham-
med will go to the mountain
you mean cried the young man.
"Just what l say" returned the senior
man, crushingly. Boston, the real estate
man, has the plot in charge. 1t is already
laid out in lots, and if your people don't
take them, others will. We're going to have
a town there all right"
But that would mean ruin to Cherokee"
exclaimed Hunter, disIaayed. You know
that we depend upon the trade of the In
dams and the farmers, and two towns
couldn't be supported. They would be sure
to go to the new place
Certainly. Just our own supposition to
a dot. | am glad that you see il so clearly"
Mr.. Craig smiled blandly as he saw the dis
comfiture of the young lawyer. You may
tell your people for me that Boston will let
them in on the ground floor"
cit is outrageous cried young Hunter,
with flashing eyes. Il see through your
scheme, Mr.. Craig. At last l understand
why you have declined to listen to all of our
pleadings. But 1 tell you, sir, that this in
famous design shall not succeed. As sure as
there is a God in Heaven, I'll find some way
to thwart it,"
"Do that" said the president, affably,
''and you may marry my daughter"
do you mean that::' cried young Hun
ter, wheeling upon him.
81 do. If you are sharp enough to save
your town from having to move down to
my road you can nave Gilmore. But don't
lie awake nights on account of your future
happiness. You'll never do it. As well
think OF bringing the moon to the earth as
to try to beat me. 1t takes a smart man tc
get ahead of Martin Craig
THAT may be-" responded Sam, starting
for the door, "but we will see if you have not
found him. Good day."
He strobe out of the building with so much
resolution in his manner that for the mo
ment Martin Craig was impressed with the
idea that he would accomplish his purpose
Then he reused himself with an eXclama'
ton.
"Pshaw! He is a young simpleton, and
I am a fool to give the affair a SECOND
thought. Cherokee will soon see that there
is nothing else for it to do but to move
down. He rubbed his hands in anticipa
tory delight and then returned to his duties
Feeling ran high in Cherokee when San
Hunter reported the result of his mission
Meeting after meeting of Indignation wa:
held, and various plans We're proposed t.
Illustrate the railroads scheme, but none
seemed available. There seemed to be bu
the one thing before them: to buy the lot!
and move the town rather than have a new
town that would absorb their trade. Blu
young Hunte" begged them to wait.
"He will give me his daughter if l car
circumvent him." he said, earnestly. lie
me have a little longer, boys"
As he was a great favorite, and the ide;
of getting ahead of Craig very pleasing, tn
citizens consented to delay purchasing thu
and night. At last he summoned the pee
ple together in solemn conclsve. After
long consultation with them he disappeared
from Cherokee.
A few weeks after his interview with Pres
0lule gam o.
fore that individual.
well" said the president, urbanely
chow goes it, my young friend? Have yo1
come to tell me when the town will NOV
over?"
'We are not going to move" returned
Sam, coolly.
"You are not, Ell? Then what the dew
are you going to do"
"Stay where we are" Were Sam.
"Then l shall start my own town lmme
diately," cried the president, irately.
Pardon me, Mr.. Craig, but do not thin
that you will" said the young man, politely
"You don't, Ell? Maybe you will be kin
enough to tell me Why"
with great pleasure. You cannot star
your town because the citizens of Cherokee
own every foot of ground in the site. An
we won't move our town because we don
want to-
"What?" calculated the president, spring
ing from his chair. what do you mean?"
"Just what l say" returned Sam, smi
ingly. cat my suggestion, the people c
Cherokee decided that they would rattle