River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1904-07-07
THE PATH
HE CHOSE
BY HOWARD DEvINE
(Copyright. 1904, by Daily Story Pub. Co.

Al
onjsts from the time they came
to the state-both determined to wrest
fame and fortune in the keen strife IN
cident to Transforming wilderness TO
an empire.
Chamberlain was ardent, impetuous
and often rash. There was where he
gained his strength with his fellows.
Morton was cold, clear and practical,
never losing sight of the end in view or
sacrificing point from motives of SEN
timent. His hold on his fellows came
not at all from friendship or enthusf-
asm, but from that impulse in man
kind which involuntarily admires sheer
force of intellect-and the man who
wins.
Chamberlain had by far the best start
and the most in his favor. He came Of
good blood and his family had furnished
men of mark in many Of the walks Of life
for many generations. He had good
education, and while his immediate fam
lily was not at all in good financial cir
cumstances, his connections smoothed
the way to business relations which
relieved him of many of the financial
embarrassment Of young lawyer.
Morton had no family connections but
were handicap TO him What education
he had was what he had acquired by his
own efforts and by contact with the
world, aided by his own native wit and
unyielding energy. When he first came
to the state he was not admitted to the
bar, but was a clerk in real estate OF
fee He was sharp as a steel trap, how
ever and made himself exceedingly val
liable Soon after he plunged into poll
tics he began to study law, and by
adroit manipulation added to indefatfg-
able work succeeded in obtaining his Ii
cense to practice in just half the time
the statutes provided. There werehfnts
of questionable affidavits but the young
man stood so we'll in his examination
that he went through all right. The
older lawyers predicted failure. But he
displayed a native ingenuity in several
important cases which routed his de-
tractors and silenced his critics. At the
same time he did not devote his best en-
ergies to the law, and from the first
succeeded in holding an influential place
ings of politics, and incidentally also
was generally on the public pay roll IN
some capacity.
In the meantime Chamberlain was
winning a name and place for himself
in the practice Of the law. He, too, was
deeply in politics, and was an important
factor in the party councils He sought
no petty office, and was altogether more
popular with the people than with the
politicians.
twas between these two strong, prom
ising virile young men that Helen Wins
ton was asked to choose. The rivalry
leaped the bounds of politics and bust
ness and invaded the domains OF love.
Both became ardent suitors of the dash
ing, black-eyed girl with the musical
voice and the soft womanly ways.
Through all the years of their upward
struggle both wooed her assiduously,
and to both she gave warm friendship
and cordial gOod-fellowship-no
more AS the years grew both became
more insistent, but she HGCld not
choose Indeed, she could Rc& fathom
her own mind. She liked botk-admired
both immensely and thoroughly enjoyed
herself in their company. Moreover, be-
Ing a true daughter of Eve, she took not
a little joy in having these two brilliant
young men dangling in her train She
liked the dash and go of Chamberlain,
and was charmed by his scintillating wit
as well as his chivalrous and kindly man
ners. On the other hand, she admired
the keen intellect of Morton and stood in
some little secret awe of his dominating
personality. While his wit bit more than
that of Chamberlain, it was not less true,
and he was good company in all the term
implies
Time ran on and both men in success
sion became members of the state legis-
lature and occupied strong positions in
the upper councils of the party in the
state. Morton was particularly strong
in practical politics-in that depart
ment of activity which produced tsngi-
BILE results. Chamberlain became
power on the stump and his judgment
was eagerly sought in the matter of
framing platforms and deciding on is
sues
Still, Helen refused to decide between
them, and both men declined to retire
Then came a novel situation in the po-
litical world, bringing with it marvel
Gus opportunity. One of the United
States senators representing the state
died. 1t was at time when new indus
trial conditions had created new issues
and party lines wavered. 1t became
plain at once that none of the old leaders
and idols could be elected without seri-
ously imperiling the supremacy of the
party which had controlled the state
for decades. New men were sought, who
could preserve the traditions of the
party and at the same time satisfy to
some extent the demands of the popular
trend of thought. In the agitation re-
garding the senatorial succession the
names both of Chamberlain and Morton
we're mentioned by the newspapers as
promising and potent young leaders of
the party who were in line with the ad-
vanced thought. SinguIarly enough at
This particular time both young men were
pressing their suits for the hand of Helen
Winston in the most imperative man
ner. The girl was nearly distracted at
the ardent, imperative attitude of her
suitors. Finally she made a resolve
which she communicated to both.
'T am ambitious" she said. "E like
both of you. l do not know how to
choose. The United States senatorship