davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Columbus journal., 1904-09-21

political empirics' we'll describes the
species Of constitutional hair-splitters
who see the constitution rent in tatters
every time Q new condition demands the
exercise Of some government power not
dreamed Of in the philosophy Of Thomas
Je6eroon. II the political empires Of
1861 had had their way there would
have been no union left for their sue
eessors to weep and sroan over in 1904.
The Columbus journal., 1904-09-21
Parker Has Trimmed His Sails.

(Philadelphia lnQuiref)
When Judge Parker voted for silver.
in 1896 and 1900. he did not know the
gold standard vas soinS to b % popu-
lar IN 1904
The Columbus journal., 1904-09-21

Odds in Wall street Of 2 to on
Roosevelt deliver NO electoral votes. but
they are mighty discouraciag to the silent
Opeculator Of Esopus.
The Columbus journal., 1904-09-21

|lneero06 % OVoE -0WO aaaA-
lars. And vet the demo.
The Columbus journal., 1904-09-21

they arc vitality distressed In tho fact
The Columbus journal., 1904-09-21

ouveoience by hrs snaDln,y ..,....s-.... W.
The Columbus journal., 1904-09-21

, -0ssras sa,o No M
HA my food viii
d the nervousnl
0iniahA6 Nafu1
The San Francisco call., 1904-10-30

person, and so is Penelope" And it
was not until the soup plates had been
removed that he added a question.
Are you going out to see them this
evening, David? You have my royal
permission"
"No'-bluntly
Isn't it up to you to go and give
them a chance to jolly you little? l
think they are all aching to do it. Mrs.
Hepzibah has seen the rising stock
quotations, and she thinks you are It. :"
No; can't go there any more" said
Kent, and his voice was gruffer than he
meant it to be.
why not?''
There were good reasons before;
there are better ones now"
"A 100000 difference?" suggested
Ormsby, who had had speech with Lor-
ing.
Kent flushed dull red.
Il sha'n't strike you. Ormsby, no
matter what you say he said dogged-
ly.
'Humph! There is one difference be-
tween you and Rabbi Balaam's burro,
David; it could talk sense, and you
can't" was the offensive rejoinder.
Kent changed the subject abruptly.
Say, Ormsby; I'm going into a po-
litical Office hunt. There is a death va
cancy in the House, and / mean to
Ildhc- .luG IOHllUdllOH anu GI6CllOH.
don't need money now. but 1 do need a
friend. Are you with me?"
Oh, sure. Miss Van Brock will an
swer for that"
But l don't want you to do it on her
account; l want you to do it for me-
It's all one" said the clubman.(
Kent looked up quickly.
You are right: that is the truest
word you've said tonight" and he
went away, leaving the dessert un-
touched
The evening was still young when
Kent reached the house in Alameda
square. Within the week the weather
had changed, and the first chill of the
approaching autumn was in the air.
The great square house was lighted
and warmed, and the homeliness of the
place appealed to him as it never had
before. To her other gifts, which were
many and diverse. Miss Van Brock
added that of homemaking; and the af-
termath of battle is apt to be an acute
longing for peace and quiet, for do
) mesticity and creature comforts.
He had not seen Portia since the
night when she had armed him for the
final struggle with the enemy; he told
himself that he should not see her
again until the battle was fought and
won. But in no part of the struggle
had he been suffered to lose sight of
his obligation TO her. He had seen the
chain lengthen link by link, and now
The San Francisco call., 1904-10-30

Il didn't have, after the men under
stood what was in the wind. Jarl OLE
son took me down and brought me
back. The council did it handsomely,
dipping into it's treasury and paying
the mileage on Pullman car
And MacFarlane reversed his own
order?"
Without a question. 1t was the
merest formality. Jennison, Hawks
former law partner. stood for the other
side: but he made no argument"
Good" said Loring. THAT will do
for the days work. But now I'd like
to know how last nights job was man
aged"
I'm afraid you want to know more
than is good for you. What do the
papers say? 1 haven't looked at one all
day"
They say there was a misunder-
for the public, perhaps, but it won't do
for me-"
Il guess it will have to do for you,
too, Grantham." said Kent, yawning
shamelessly. Five men, besides my
self-six of us in all-know the true in
wardness of last nights round up.
There will never be seventh"
Loring's eyeglasses fell from his
nose, and he was smiling shrewdly
There is one small consequence that
doesn't please you, I'm sure. You'll
have to bury the hatchet with Mac
Farlane."
Shall II" flashed Kent, sitting up as
if he had been struck with a whip. Let
me tell you: Marston is going to call an
extra session of the Assembly. There
is a death vacancy in this district, and
/ shall be a candidate in the special
election If there is no other way to
get At MacFarlane, he shall be i'm
peachedi"
HIN; so you're going into politics ?"
you've said it, said Kent, subsid-
ing among the pillows. Now will you
go?"
1t took the general manager wake
full twenty-four hours to untangle the
industrial snarl which was the re-
ceiver's legacy to his successor; and
David Kent slept through the major
part Of that interval, rising only in
time to dress for dinner on the day fol-
lowing the retrieval Of the Transwest-
ern.
In the grill room of the Camelot he
came face to face with Ormsby, and
learned something to his astonish-
ment, that the Breezesand party had
returned to the capital on the first train
in from the west.
"I thought you were going to stay a
month or more" he said, with his eyes
cast down.
so did T." said Ormsby. But Mrs.
Brentwood cut it short. She's town
The San Francisco call., 1904-10-30

He made his adieux gravely and went
away half daZed and a prey to many
emotions, but strangely light hearted
withal; and as once before, he walked
when he might have ridden. But the
mixed-emotion mood was not immortal.
At the Clarendon he found COM
mittee of Civic Leaguers waiting to
ask him if he would stand as Good
Government" candidate in the capital
district; and in the discussion of ways
and means, and the settling of political
plans which followed there was little
food for sentiment.
1t was three weeks and more after
Governor Marston's call summOning
the Assembly for an investigative ses-
sion. Kent had fought his way tri-
umphantly through the special election
to a seat in the House. aided and
abetted manfully by Ormsby, Hildreth.
and the entire Transwestern influence
and vote. And now men were begin
ming to say that without the tireless
blows of the keen witted. sharp
tongued young corporation lawyer, the
junta might sill have reasserted Itself.
But the House Committee. of which
Kent was the youngest member and
the chairman, had proved incorrupu-
BILE, and the day of the CASTOR wolf
pack was over. Hendricks resigned, to
escape worse thing; Meigs came over
to- the majority with a show of hearth
ness that made Kent doubly watchful
of him; heads fell to the right and left,
until at the last there was left only one
member of the original cabal to reckon
with; the judicial tool of the capitol
ring.
Kent had hesitated when MacFar-
lanes name came up; and the Judge
never knew that he owed his escape
from the inquisitorial House Com
mittee, and his permission to resign on
the plea of broken health, to a young
woman whom ne had never seen.
1t was Elinor Brentwood who was his
intercessor; and the occasion was the
last day of the third week of the extra
session-a Saturday afternoon and a
legislative recess when Kent had bor-
rowed Ormsby's autocar, and had
driven Elinor and Penelope out to
Pentland Place to look at a house he
was thinking of buying. For with
means to indulge it. Kent's CASTOR
bred mania for plunging in real estate
had returned upon him with all the
acuteness of half-satisfied passion
They had gone all over the house and
grounds with the caretaker, and when
there was nothing more to see, Pencil
Ope had prevailed on the woman to
open the venetians in the music room
There was a grand piano in the place
of honor, presided over by a mechani-
cal piano-player; and Penelope went
into ecstacies of mockery.
wait till can find the music scrolls,
and I'll hypnotic you," she said glee-
fully; and Kent and Elinor beat a
hasty retreat to the wide entrance hall
IT don't quite understand it." was
Eiinor's comment, when they had put
The San Francisco call., 1904-10-30

the time was come for the welding of
1t into a shackle to bind. He did not
try to deceive himself, nor did he allow
the glamour of false sentiment to bind
him. With an undying love for ElinOr
brentwood in his heart, he knew well
what was before him. None the less.
Portia should have her just due.
She was waiting for him when he en-
tered the comfortable library.
Il knew you would come tonight"
she said cheerfully. II gave you day
to drive the nail-and, o Davidl you
have driven it well.-another day TO
clinch it, and a third to recover from
the effects. Have you fully recovered ?"
Il hope so. took the day for it. at
all events" he laughed. II am just
out of bed, as you might say
Il can imagine how it took it out of
you,' she assented. Not so much the
last, after Mr.. Loring went away,
sat it out with the telephone, nagging
poor Mr.. Hildreth for news until
know he wanted to murder me-"
How much did you get of it," he
asked
He told me all he dared-or perhaps
it was all he knew-and 1t made me
feel miserably helpless. The little
could get from the Argus office was
had been changed at the last moment" ;"
They were,' he admitted; and he be-
gan at the beginning and filled in the
details for her.
She heard him through without COM
ment other than a kindling of the
brown eyes at the climaxes of daring;
but at the end she gave him praise un-
stinted.
You have played the man, David, as
| knew you would If you could be once
fully aroused. I've had faith in you
from the very first"
Tt has been more than faith, Portia,' -
he asserted soberly. you have taken
me UP and carried me when / could
l am so besotted as not to realize that
you have been the head, while / have
been only the hand?"
Nonsensei" she said lightly. You
are in the dumps of the reaction now
You mustn't say things that you will
be sorry for, later on
II am going to say one thing, never
theless; and 1t will remain for you to
make 1t thing hard to be remem-
bered, or the other kind. Will you take
what there is of me and make what
you can of it?''
She laughed in his face.
No. my dear David; no. no, no."
And after a little pause: How deli
ciously transparent you are. to be
surei"
He would have been less than man
,if his self-love had not been touched
The San Francisco call., 1904-10-30

in its most sensitive part.
Il am glad If it amuseS you, he
frowned. only I meant it in all seri-
BUSINESS"
No, you didn't; you only thought
you did, she contradicted, and the
brown eyes were still laughing at him.
Let me tell you what you did mean.
You are pleased to think that 1 have
helped you-that an obligation has been
incurred; and you meant to pay your
debt like a man and gentleman in the
only coin woman is supposed to
recognize"
But IL I should say that you are
misinterpreting the motive?" he sug-
gested.
1T would make your nice little
speech a perjury instead of a simple
untruth, and / should say no, again, on
other, and perhaps better, grounds"
Name them," he said shortly.
81 WILL David, though 1 am neither a
stick nor stone to do it without winc-
ing. You love another woman with all
your heart and soul, and you know it,.
We'll? You see I am neither admit
ting nor denying
''As if you needed to!'' she scoffed.
But don't interrupt me. please. You
said l might take what there is of you
and make what 1 can of it; I might
make you anything and everything in
the world, David. except that which a
woman Graves most in a husband-a
lover"
His eyes@grew dark.
Il wish l knew how much that word
means to you, Portia."
1T means just as much to me as ii
does to every woman who has ever
drawn the breath of life in passionate
world. David. But that isn't all.
Leaving Miss Brentwood out of the
question, you'd be miserably unhappy"
why should I?'
Because l shouldn't be able to real
ize a single one of your ideals. / know
what they are-what you will expect in
a wife. / could make you a rich man.
a successful man, as the world mea-
sures success, and perhaps / could even
give you love; after the first flush of
youth is past, the heavenly affinity
sentiment loses its hold and a woman
comes to know that if she cares to try
hard enough she can love any man who
will be thoughtful and gentle, and
whose habits of life are not hopelessly
at war with her own. But that kind of
love doesn't breed love- Your vanity
would pique itself for little while, and
then you would know the curse of un-
sought love and murder me in your
heart a thousand times a day. No,
No, David, l have read you TO little
purpose if these are the things you will
ask of the woman who takes your
name and becomes the mother of your
children" She had risen and was
standing beside his chair, with her
hand lightly touching his shoulder.
will you go now? There are others
coming. and
The San Francisco call., 1904-10-30
nor,s nrivate secretarv."

nor's private secretary"
And were they all killed.?
A great light broke in upon Kent
when he saw how Marston had misap-
pretended. Also. he saw how much
it would simplify matters if he should
be happy enough to catch the ball in
the reactionary rebound.
They are all alive and uninJured, to
the best Of my knowledge and belief;
though l understand that one Of them
narrowly escaped lynching at the
hands of an excited mob"
The long lean figure erected itself in
the chair, and the weight of years
seemed to slip from its shoulders.
But understood you to say that the
duties of the executive had devolved
upon me, Mr.. Kent. You also said /
could imagine the result of this singu-
lar mistaking of train ORDERS and l
fancied l could. What was the result?''
"A conclusion not quite as sangui-
nary as that you had in mind, though
it is likely to prove serious enough for
one member of the party in the private
car. The special train was chased all
the way across the State by the fast
mail. 1t finally outran the pursuing
section and was stopped at Megilp. A
sheriff's posse was in waiting, and an
arrest was made"
60 en-" said the Lieutenant Cover
nor.
Il must first go back a little. Some
weeks ago there was a shooting affray
in the mining-camp arising out of a
dispute over 'salted' mine, and man
was killed. The murderer escaped
across the State line. Since the au-
thorities of the State in which the
crime was committed had every reason
to believe that Governors reQuiSition
for this particular criminal would not
be honored. two courses were open to
them; TO publish the facts and let the
moral sentiment of the neighboring
it could, or would; or, suppressing the
facts, to bide their chance of catching
their man beyond the boundaries of the
State which gave him an asylum. They
chose the latter"
A second time Marston left his chair
and began to pace the floor. After a
little he paused to say:
This murderer is James Guilford, j
take it; and the Governor"
NO" said Kent, gravely. THE MUIR
derer is-Jasper G. Bucks" He handed
the Judge "a copy of the Argus. you
will find it all in the press dispatches;
all l have told you, and a great deal
more"
The Lieutenant Governor read the
newspaper story as he walked, lighting
the electric chandelier to enable him to
do so. When it was finished he sat
down again.
What a hideous cesspool it is" was
mis- comment But we shall clean II
Mr.. Kent; we shall clean it If it shall
leave the Peoples party without vote
in the State. Now what can l CO toi
The San Francisco call., 1904-10-30

pie off at the door and say that for the
present ! refuse positively to be seen
or interviewed. They will find me at
the capitol during Office hours
1t was : o'clock in the evening of the
fiercest working day Kent had ever
fought through when the special train
his own private special, sent to Gas
ton and brought back again over the
strike-paralyzed road by the express
permission and command of the strlk-
ers themselves-set him down in the
Union station at the capitol
Looking back to the gray of the
morning when he had shaken hands
on the top floor of the Kittleton build
ing, the crowding events made the in
terval seem more like a week; and now
the events themselves were beginning
to take on dream-like incongruities in
the haze of utter WEAKNESS.
Evening Argus, all about the p'limi-
nary trial Of Governor Bucks. Argus,
sir?" piped small boy at the station
exit; but Kent shook his head, found
cab and had himself conveyed quickly
through streets still rife with excite
ment to the Clarendon Hotel.
In the lobby was the same bee-buzz-
ing crowd with which he had been con-
tending all day, and he edged his way
through it to the elevator, praying that
he might go unrecogniZed-as he did.
OllCS sale III IOOlIiS Uc SClll lOI LII
ing. stretching himself on the bed in
very ecstasy of relaxation until the ex-
manager came up. Then he emptied
his mind as an overladen ass spills it's
panniers.
I'm done, Grantham,'' he said, "and
that is more different kinds of truth
than you have heard in week. Go
and reorganize your management. and
M'Tosh is the man to put in Halkett's
place The strike will be declared off
at the mere mention of your name and
his. That's all. Now go away and let
me sleep"
"Oh. hold on" was the good -natured
protest; I'm not more curious than /
have to be. but I'd like to know how it
was DONE"
II don't know, myself; and that's the
plain fact. But / suspect Marston fell
upon Judge MacFarlane; gave him a
wire hint of what was due to arrive if
he didn't give us a clean bill of health.
l had my preliminary interview with
the Governor at daybreak this MORN
ing; and l was with him again between
8 and 10. He went over the original
papers with me, and about all he said
was, BE in CASTOR by o'clock this af-
ternoen, and MacFarlane will give you
the hearing In chambers / went on
my knees to the Federative Council to
get a train"
: You shouldn't have had any trouble
there -
The San Francisco call., 1904-10-30

you? You didn't come here at this hour
in the morning merely to bring me the
news"
NO 1 didn't, Judge Marston. I want
my railroad"
you shall have it," was the prompt
response. What have you done since
our last discussion of the subject?"
Il tried to 'obliterate' Judge Mac
Farlane, as you suggested. But 1
failed in the first step. Bucks and
Meigs refused to approve the quo war
ranto.'
The Judge knitted his brows thought
fully.
THAT way is open to you now; but it
is long and devious. and delays are al
ways dangerous. You spoke of the re-
ceivership as being part Of plan by
which your road was to be turned over
to an Eastern monopoly. How nearly
has that plan succeeded?"
Kent hesitated, not because he was
afraid to trust the man Oliver Marston,
but because there were some things
which the Governor of the State might
feel called upon TO investigate If the
knowledge of them were thrust upon
him. But in the end he took counsel of
utter frankness.
$50 nearly that IL Bucks and the re-
ceiver had reached CASTOR last night,
our road would now be in the hands of
the Plantagoulds under ninety nine
year lease"
The merest ghost Of smile fitted
over the Lieutenant Governors face
when he said, with his nearest ap-
proach to sarcasm:
How extremely opportune the collu-
sion of train orders becomes as we go
alongi But answer one more question
If you please-it will not involve these
singularly needless railway employees Of
yours; is Judge MacFarlane in CASTOR
now?"
He is. He was to have met the
others. on the arrival of the special
train"
There were footsteps on the stair and
in the corridor, and Marston rose.
Our privacy is about to be invaded,
Mr.. Kent. This is a miserable bust
ness; miserable for everybody, but
most Of all for the deceived and hood
winked people of an unhappy State.
God knows, / did not seek this office;
but since it has fallen on me, / shall
do my duty as / see it, and my hand
shall be heaviest upon that man who
makes a mockery Of the justice he is
sworn to administer. Come to the capt.
tol little later in the day, prepared to
go at once to CASTOR. l think / can
promise you your hearing on the merits
without further delay"
Thank you," said Kent, simply,
grasping the hand of leave taking.
Then he tried to find other and larger
words Il wish / could do something
to show my appreciation of your"
But the Lieutenant Governor was
pushing him toward the door,
You have done something, Mr.. Kent.
and you can do more Head those peo-
The San Francisco call., 1904-10-30

a Judge, and he was bribed."
She sat down beside him In the
cushioned window seat and began to
plead with him.
You must let him co. she insisted.
TT is entirely in your hands as chair
ernOr. himself, told me so. i know all
you say about him is true; but he Is
old and wretched, with only little
while to live, at best"
There was a curious little smile curl
ing his lip when he answered her
He has chosen a good advocate. 1t
is quite like a man of his stamp to try
to reach me through you"
David" she said again. Then: Il
really shouldn't know him IL were to
see him"
Then why" he began; but there
was a love-light in the blue-gray eyes
to set his heart afire. You are doing
this for me?' he said, trembling on the
verge of things unutterable.
Yes You don't know how it hurts
me tc- see you growing hard and merci-
less as you climb higher and higher In
the path you have marked out for your
SELF
"The path you have marked out for
me-" he corrected. DO you remember
our little talk over the embers Of the
fire in your sitting-room at home? /
L
might have won; but the desire TO be
the kind Of leader you were describing
was born in me at that moment. I
haven't always been true to the ideal
/ couldn't be, lacking the right to wear
your colors on my heart"
DON'T" she said. II haven't been
true to my ideals. II sold them,
Davidi"
She was in his arms when she said II.
and the bachelor maid was quite lost
in the woman
'TH never believe that" he said 10y
ally. But il you did, we'll buy them
back-together."
Penelope was good to them. 1t was a
full half hour before she professed her
self satisfied with the mechanical piano
toy; and when she was through, she
helped the woman caretaker to shut the
venetians with clangings that would
have warned the most oblivious pair Of
lovers.
And afterward. when they were free
of the house. she ran ahead to the
waiting autocar. leaving Kent and Eli
nor to follow at snaiPs pace down the
leaf-covered walk to the gate There
was cedar hedge to mark the side
walk boundary. and while 1t still
screened them Kent bent quickly to the
upturned face Of happiness.
"One more" he pleaded; and when
he had it: do you know now. dearest,
why / brought you here tC-day2'
She nodded joyously.
1T Is the sweetest old place And.
David. dear: well bring our ideals-all
of them; and 1t shall be your haven
when the storms beat
THE END.