The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-08-27

on their first visit to Springfield would |
know exactly what 10 do. Il comes by in |
tuition TO these last. If you want TO sit |
out at the bow you'll have to bring my |
cloak from the cabin
II wonder If you here appreciate this,
he said. after they were settled two
camp chairs by the forward rail. I'm
thoroughly practical and have no more
poetry in my soul than 1 have knowledge
of marine engines. but 1 don't wonder that
the other savages that are gone now en-
joyed this. 1 believe that if 1 lived here
I'd be out on the river every evening. I've
been watching the way they run steam
boat, and it's interesting. Now, when
railroad train wants to go from one place
to another il goes as nearly in a straight
line as possible but steamboat reminds
me Of a rabbit-his tracks in the snow
show that ne went first TO the right about
a rod. and then to the left about ten feet,
and then went forward piece, and finally
he gets to his destination after crossing
from one side of the lane to the other in
Vulnerable times That's the way a steam
boat seems to do it. 1t crosses over toward
one shore and then puts back as if 1t had
seen a dog; then hurries across the other
way again, and only once in while goes
straight up or down stream in the direction
OF its port of landing"
as that all you noticed?" the girl said,
with such genuine interest in her voice that
Shacklett who never missed such things,
was at sea worse than ever.
NO" he said; 1--WE an idea that the
steamboat acts like rabbit for very good
reasons. I've seen men do the same thing
since 1 came to Springfield. Come to think
of it. your steamboat ought to be admitted
on the floor Of the third house, for it acts
just like a lobbyist. too. in the way it gets
at the object of all it's putting, and Wheel
ing. and meandering. 1 think I'll
The girl interrupted him very quietly,
| but in tone that showed Shacklett that
she had some object in view more interest
| ing than his entertainment. Tell me-"
she said, sis all we hear about the corrup-
| ton in the Legislature true? Is the only
way to get bill through to hold it out in
| one hand and your purse in the other?"
NO" he replied. "Only the other day 1
| got four votes for bill and never thought
of offering a cent. Indeed, it would have
| been dangerous to do So
| While they were talking the boat had
been making a crossing toward river COM
mission light that looked like switch lamp
far down a railroad track. The deeper
| strip of darkness eastward had become
darker yet, then its upper border had be-
| come more and more defined, and at last
! became distinct from the sky. Later it
took on a ragged contour and finally
| showed as a solid mass of bluff and forest
reaching up a hundred feet and more from
! the edge of the water. At first it had been
intangible as the semi-darkness on the
river. but as the boat approached 1t became
| gradually more and more solidified, until
ii stood out part of the primeval rock
which remained the shore, because the
Mississippi, after ages of effort. had failed
to cut it away. The boat was going di-
rectly toward point that stood up higher
than any other part of the bluff, and
| Shacklett attempted to change the topic
| by saying that it seemed to be the proud
est part of all Illinois.
cit is the best part" replied the girl, ''for
it is where l live. And down there on that
| other place, where there are not so many
| trees, is where Warsaw wants the new
asylum to be placed. 1 haven't heard much
else talked Of lately, for father has his
heart set on selling that land to the State.
He's been in Springfield for weeks during
the past winter. and is going to take me
with him the next time. I've already seen
enough Of politics to be glad my father or
brothers are not immersed in it. They say
he could win easily If he would spend a
little money, but, of course. he won't do
that, and 1 suppose he'll fail-or, rather,
l did suppose so. If it is so easy to get
votes you found it L don't see why we
can't get the half dozen more that we need.
But perhaps it's because we've not such
skillful men for use as you are"
81 don't know much about women L"
Shacklett said, but I've been told their
long suit is fattery. I've also been told
that their next characteristic is to disbe-
lieve in the sincerity of men. So I'll not
tell you how sorry 1 am. but simply tell
you that the four votes 1 got were for an
other town for that same asylum and that
I'm enlisted on the other side and am going
to get the other five it needs"
Most men would have been careful to
keep me from finding that out" she said,
and just then Miss Mckee came up and
began TO talk about the coming concert