Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-03-19

= in the enthusiastic future Alexander himself.
 The Bancrofts were in exceedingly moderate circumsta nces but of good family. The widowed mother had the best blood of the land in her veins, but had married a poor man and had been left with a very modest income. She was one of those women who hold their youth well-indeed she looked more the sister to Helen than the mother. And ambition filled her whole being. She sighed continually for the life she had known as a girl when her fathers home was the rendezvous for the clever and the great.
 "Oh, Alex, mamma has new beau," exclaimed Helen as they all three sat in the parlor, clapping her hands in de- light.
 Hush, child, don't be foolish,'' said Mrs. Bancroft, flushing slightly.
 .'But she has, persisted Helen, her eyes dancing with mischief. "She met MT. Hepworth-the politician, you know, at the Dodds reception last Thursday evening and they discovered that they were old schoolmates and he just devoted himself to her the entire evening. And he called last evening and stayed ever so long"
 The widow protested and the topic passed. But it left an indelible inn pression on Alexis mind. During the bantering he had been struck by a big idea-so big that he dared not attempt to entertain it until in the quiet of his chamber. | He gathered himself suf- fciently, however, to say some exceed ingly complimentary things about John Hepworth and to drop a sngges- tion that he was likely to be governor or senator within a short time. Then he went home and thought it all out.
 ''The very thing" he chuckIed, slap ping his thin knee with his thin hand and cackling with his thin voice. Even as Eve proved Adams down. fall and Delilah, Samson's, even as woman has ever proved tempter and the ruin of man, so woman shall tear down Big John" to the end that out of the ruin shall come the opportunity of Alexander Hannibal Spike.'' His reasoning was thus: Big John" is all-powerfu1 as a wire-pu1ler and an orga anizer. He has not strong mag netic qualities and is disliked by the people as "boss." If he can be in duced to come out in the open and run for an elective office it will be easy to rally the opposition and defeat him and his power will be broken. Then his machine will go to pieces and in the re- adjustment Alexander Hannibal Spike sees his opportunity.
 So, insidiously and persistently. Spike poured honeyed insinuations into the widow Bancroft's ear. He showed her how Hepworth held abso- 1ute power over his party and could be nominated for governor at the next convention by the turn of his hand. He suggested to her mind insidiously but clearly, the picture of herself pre- siding over the governors mansion He urged nothing and advised nothing definitely, but artfully put the bait before her.
 The result was that John Hepworth, bachelor and aged 50, surprised and shocked his political friends by marry ing the widow Bancroft, that fall. Soon after he began to feel of his friends and political associates as to the ad- visa bility of his taking the nominat tion for governor. And they, being quick to discover the direction of his mind, patted him on the back and said Ger tainly, John, of course; who else is 50 we'll entitled to it; you have done the wheel-horse work all these years; of course you should round out your career with the governorship." And the wave started and grew until it car ried every ything before it-even "Big John's" usually clear and cold judg ment.
 So John Hepworth was nominated and Alexander Hannibal Spike nearly broke his thin leg skipping it in glee with his thin hand on the night after 1t was decided. At once mighty howl went up from the reform" press and the independent" press and all the people who had tried in vain to shake Hepworth's hold on the party all these years.
 It was close year and Hepworth made matters worse by losing his tenn per, not being used to being the object of attack himself There was no man. ager to take his place and altogether it was bad campaign-and Hepworth lost. It was the first defeat his party had suffered in the state for quarter of century. His organization was hopelessly broken and he had not the heart to gatherit together again. Alexander Hannibal Spike did not go to the legislature but took an active and unselfish part in framing the new organization and two years later he was nominated and elected to con- gress, and just before the session he was quietly married at the home of Mir. and Mrs. John Hepworth, and he and Helen spent their honeymoon at the national capital.
 And John Hepworth never smelt mouse.
 The Carriers Fault. . Old Lady-Your paper hasn't been delivered at my house for three days. Editor-What? You haven't re-