The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-09-13

future, generally chose to ally themselves
with success. and there could be no doubt
on which side success steadily. sat-
Once or twice the opposition received the
accession of a whole regiment of deserters
from the enemy. In one case 1t was the
man whom the Intangible force had ele-
waited to the gubernatorial chair and had
placed at the very door of the chamber
from which the power issued-a man whom
the automatic working of the machine
would have lifted UP into the seat of su-
preme power itself, in preparation for the
days when the always-present contingency
of death-recognized only by lawyers and
politicians-should leave a vacancy there.
This man got so close to the generator OF
intangible force that he thought he could
chain ii as men do the electric vibration
of molecules But when he undertook to
handle the wires close to the dynamo he
received a shock from which he did not
recover for years. The intangible force
hurled him out Of the Statehouse, threw
him two hundred miles into his dusty. neg
lected, musty law office. locked the door
and kept him there. He Immediately began
to help the opposition, and the men whom
Governor Joined him-except those who
looked back of the Thanksgiving gifts to
the neuraxion' moving the hand These
continued their faith In the intangible
force-and it was not faith without works.
Such accessions made the opposition feel
cheerful for a time. but its general mental
attitude was that of forlorn hope full of
bravery and despair. Success in politics
corresponds to right in other things, and
1t is as hard to keep a clear head when
unsuccessful in politics 1T is difficult to
plan well with guilty conscience In daily
life. So the opposition was as autocratic
in its own working in a circle around fall
ure as the Organization was machinelike
in its movements in the circle with success
for center.
Shacklett knew nearly all the leaders OF
both sides personally or professionally, but
knew none of them politically. That Is tc
say, he listened to them talk, understood
perfectly their feelings, rejoced with the
winner and sympathized with the loser
and was known by them all to be the only
man in the State with experience enough
to thoroughly sympathize with them all
as a piano string synchronizes with the
equally well that he was not in the least
affected by the magnetism of either organ
ization or opposition, because. as he had
to say every time he was interviewed now
he was absolutely out of politics and in.
tended to stay out Of both politics in gen.
eral and the contest between the organiza
ton and any opposition to 1t, 'if there il
any opposition, 1 really am not Informed
about the situation at ALL
The pendulum of fate swings true, regard
less of any attempt to cause it to swerve
but at each extreme of its arc il stops fol
an instant This is an observation that Il
automatic in the abstract and never utilized
in the concrete. Shacklett recognized the
pendulum that swung him from the char
acter of his father to the character of hi.
mother but like all other men, failed tC
perceive the much longer slower, steadiel
swing of the pendulum. the attachment Of
which is, in the nature Of things, abov,
human ken and human regulation.
Shacklett had a rather intimate acquaint
ance with Rev. Thomas Barnes, to whom
he was attracted because of the efforts o.
that good man to be a factor in polite.
and a consistent minister at the same time
plish results against men who were no
hampered by duties conscience, opinion.
| as to right and wrong, and such thing.
which ministers have and successful poll
| ticians have not. He was only little ove
thirty years old, tall, sufficiently angular
in form to make his clothes hang upon hin
| like lot of family dyeing upon a privat,
| bush, and with more strength of gestur,
| than grace of motion. His face and heat
were the most striking features in his ap
| pearance and the long black hair combe,
back from a high forehead, the pale fac,
with sharp nose and clear-cut features, ans
| the large mobile mouth with it's smooth
upper lip hanging wide under expansiv,
nostrils, all gave him the appearance of
| man who has courage, perseverance,
| good deal of tact, some scheming ability
and scholarly tastes not warped too mucl
out of shape by transcendental notions. Al
one or the other of these attributes cam
uppermost, there was much OF a change II
the status of the mind OF Mr. Barnes, an,
| this made him a puzzle to some people. an,
a constant source OF joy to Shacklett. Tn
latter thoroughly understood the minister
from his deeply religious nature, which
made him strain for the righteous thing