Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-11-04


Banner began publishing insidlous lit
Tie paragraphs. ut is understood that
the rifles contemplate a change in the
captaincy. What has Brentwood done
that several capable 3officers should be
overlooked and the command rendered
to kicked out captain from the ar
N.Y. was the first specimen. The Ex-
aminer asked if the rifles expected to
add to their popularity by putting at
their head man who would have
slaughtered a score Of fellow citizens
BAT for the prompt and merciful inter-
rention OF local officials. The Exam
.ner was supporting the sheriff for re-
election, and this official well knew the
paragraph to be utterly unjust and UNI
true, but he couldn't quarrel with his
bread and butter, and it was best to
admit tacitly, now that the danger was
over, that he had actually intcrposed
in behalf of the strikers. At all events,
he did nothing to cause its correction.
The Brentwood Sun PopulisO said if
anything was needed to add to the con-
| tempt In which the rifles were held it
vas the rumor that they had tendered
the command to an eX-officer Of the ar
MY whose drunken folly was so near
to costing scores Of precious lives not
fortnight since. And Langdon, who
stood ready to devote valuable time
and energy to the public service, with
little hope of any reward whatever
read these insidious attacks with in
finite pain and sense of wrong and in
| Justice, against which he stood power
less. Other influences, too, were evil
IDENTIFY at work. The election, which
was to have taken place the first Mon
day in January, was postponed fort
night. Boniface, Eric's friend Of the
Brentwood, took him aside and advised
him to withdraw his name. The COM
mittee, on the contrary, had begged
him to stand pat" Meantime Lang
don continued drilling and instructing
the company, and two nights week
the armory was crowded with citizens
whose interest had bdbn aroused and
who came to look on. Veteran soldiers,
G. A. r. men, went away saying that
fellow knew his trade up to the han
die. Prominent business men looked
On silently and did good deal Of
thinking as they strolied homeward.
Newspaper reporters. previously in
structed, wrote scathing or satirical
paragraphs about martinez manner
isms, imported instructors, dismissed
drillmasters and the like, and Eric.
proud, sad, sensitive, would gladly
have given up and shut himself in his.
yooty den at the yards but for a letter.
from Melville, to whom he had sent all
the papers. "Stick to it, Langdon," he.
said. "rhe time will come when the
very papers that abuse you now will,
have to change their tune" This was
what the majors letter said, but not,
the majors hand. His eyes still felt
the force of that cruel blow, and Ethel
Grahame was his amanuensis. Il have
faith in your future" said he. $50
have l." in tiny letters wrote the aman-
uensis "E. CT
And SO, despite the warning of mine
host of the Brentwood, Langdon stood
for election the third Monday in Janu-
airy end was beaten 80 to 10. the sec
ond lieutenant and son OF Brentwood's
richest banker being the successful
competitor. "A Merited Rebuke," re-
ferring to Langdon, said The Sun; "A
Merited Promotion" referring to Per-
rigo junior, boy Of %, said The Ban
ner; "A Foregone Conclusion" said,
The Examiner. But it was noticeable
that the last two named refrained from
further active abuse Of Langdou. The
object of the magnates was accom-,
plished in comprising the defeat Of
what The Sun called his aspirations"
1 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 moment when.
Its triumph meant the birth Of reign
of terror in Brentwood. He alone had
stood between them and anarchy. They
bowed to the behest of the Seattle be-
cause 1t practically owned them. The
editor of The Banner met Langdon at
the Brentwood two days later, stopped,
| stammered and held out his hand.
''N1r. Langdon, my names Armstrong"
said he. I'm managing editor Of The
Banner, and l thought I'd like to say
to you that IL personally don't APP
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 it was
withdrawn. His lips quivered bit,
but his eyes never fiinched from their
gaze straight into those Of the journal
list.
II have no use whatever. for the
friendship Of man who will privately
assure Inc 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