The Aberdeen Democrat. (Aberdeen, South Dakota) 1???-1909, 1903-07-03
A CRUCIAL TEST
By r CLASS
yKyHEN Duncan TAYLOR was com

course at the end of the Freshman
year he was bitterly disappointed
From his boyhood he had looked for.
ward to a political career with all the
enthusiasm of his ardent nature. He
had gone in for political economy
and all the allied studies and his head
WI filed with ideas and ideals. lie
knew hat his father was not wealthy
but had supposed that his business
was on a sound basis and would
stand for his education and a start in
the law.
Hence it came as much of a
shock to him as to the rest of the
family and the outside world to learn
after the sudden death of his father
that the business was badly involved
and only by the closest and most
faithful and intelligent application
could the entire property be saved
from being swept away. Being the
only male member of the family of
mature years, this task manifestlv
fell on him. In any event there was
no money available for his further
education.
So bravely and without complain he
bade farewell to college and his
dreams and took up the family bur
den. Being a young man of %intelli-
gence and industry he was fairly well
equipped for the work and although
his heart was not in it he succeeded
IN preventing a crash and got the
business in shape where it yielded an
economical livinr for tho f,,,;i,, ,,J
tended toward the up grade.
Of course he did not lose his inter
est in politics-the leopard does not
change his spots, but his vision was
changed from congress, the senate
and the presidency to the closer du-
ties of good citizenship and partici-
patton i'll ward and precinct organiza-
ton.
It was not long before he became a
thorn and "a to the gang who
controlled his party in the city and
county. When he first surprised the
managers of the Organization" by
heading an Independent delegation
from his ward in the county conven-
ton and fighting the prearranged
slate, they laughed at him and were
satisfied by the victory of their slate.
But when he attacked their methods
and plans by persistent talk with peo-
pie with whom he came in contact
n by communication to the papers
as well, they became uneasy and
when a year later he cleaned them
out again in the ward in an open
fight in which they used all their re-
sources, and headed another indie
pendent delegation which was Joined
by Others in two other wards they
became alarmed and realized that he
must be dealt with as a positive fac
tor.
In the meantime a new factor had
come into Duncan's life. He fell in
o Y n when a man of his temper
ament falls in love it is d serious
matter. He was practically alone in
his family. His mother and sisters
had always esteemed themselves in
comfortable circumstances and the
truth SC suddenly thrust upon them
at the fathers death had been hard
to realize. The rigid insist
ed upon by Duncan when he under
took the task of reestablishing the
business was not taken to kindly and
there was an atmosphere almost of
complaint and discomfort at home.
And SO when Alice Morton crept in
to his life and lie learned little by
little to know the breadth of her
mind and the deep sympathy of her
nature it came as balsam to his wor-
ried mind and heart. He sought her
oompanionship more and more and
came more and more to confde in
her and lay down upon her hopeful
mind the problems that confronted
him. AS his attentions came to be
more and more marked his people
arose in revolt.
why, Duncan" said his mother,
the Mortons have neither money nor
social position. You must not be-
come involved with them. Our only
hope is for you to make a good mar
riage-whicf you can easily do with
your name and personality"
by a good marriage you mean a
rich marriage. I suppose he replied
with more feeling than he often dis
played in family differences. well,
I must disagree with you. Our only
hope is TO live within our income and
make the business go I hope I am
not an unmindful son and brother,
but 1 declare myself here and now
come what may / Will not be a
fortune hunter and matrimonial adj
ent,res-sAsllil else viii i DO Tor the
but not that"
And his intimacy with Alice Morton
continued and increased until she be-
the brightest spot in his life.
And then one soft spring evening
carried away by the poetry Of her
nature, the tenderness of her sym
patty with him and his aspirations
something he saw in the depths
her brown eyes he declared his
for her and asked her to be his
wife.
why, Duncan" She replied with
surprise and pity in her face and
1oice, wnat are you saying? YoA