Cañon City record., 1904-02-18
A Fascinating Story Of American Life
by Booth Harrington

mistically. They had about given up
the idea that the Herald could ever
amount to anything, and they betrayed
an innocent but caustic doubt of abil-
ity in any stranger.
One day the new editor left note on
his door: ..Will return in fifteen min
utes"
Mr. Rodney McCune, a politician from
the neighboring county of Gaines, hap
pening to be in Plattville on an errand
to his henchmen, found the note and
wrote beneath the message the scath-
ing inquiry. "WhyT
When he discovered this addendum,
the editor smiled for the first time since
his advent and reported the incident in
his next issue, using the rubric why
Has the Herald Returned TO Life?" as
a text for a rousing editorial on hon
esty in politics, subject of which he
already knew something. The political
district to which Carlow belonged was
governed by a limited number of gen
tlemen whose wealth was ever on the
increase, and honesty in politics was
a startling conception TO the minds OF
the passive and resigned voters, who
talked the editorial over on the street
corners and in the stores. The next
week there was another editorial. per-
sonal and local in Its application, and
thereby it became evident that the new
proprietor of the Herald was theorist
who believed in general that poiiti-
clans honor should not be merely OF
that middling healthy species known
as honor among politicians" and in
particular that Rodney McCune should
not receive the nomination of his party
for congress Now, Mr.. McCune was
the undoubted dictator of the district.
and his followers laughed at the stran-
gers fantastic onset; but the editor was
not content with the word of print. He
hired n horse and rode about the coun.
try and Ito his own slrprise) proved to
be an adaptable young man who en-
joyed exercise with a pitchfork to the
farmers profit while the farmer talk
ed He talked little himself. but after
listening an hour or so he would drop
word from the saddle as he left, and
then. by some surprising wizardry, the
farmer thinking over the interview,
decided there was some sense in what
that young fellow said and grew curl
Gus to see what the young fellow had
further to say in the Herald
Politics is the one subject that goes
to the vitals of every rural American.
and a Hoosier will talk politics after
he is dead.
Everybody read the campaign edi-
torials and found them interesting, al
though there was no one who did not
perceive the utter absurdity Of a young
stranger dropping into Carlow end
involving himself in party fight
against the boss of the district. 1t was
entirely a party fight. for by grace of
the last gerrymander the nomination
carried with it the certainty of elec-
ton.
A week before the convention there
came provincial earthquake. The
news passed from man to man in awe
struck whispers-McCune had with
drawn his name, making the shallow
est of excuses to his cohorts. Nothing
was known of the real reason for his
disordered retreat beyond the fact that
he had been in Plattville on the morn,
Ing before his withdrawal and had is.
sued from visit to the Herald office In
state Of palsy. Mr.. Parker, the
Rouen printer, had been present at the
close of the interview. but he held his
peace at the command of his employer.
He had been called into the sanctum
and had found McCune, white and
shaking leaning on the desk.
Parker" said the editor. exhibiting
bundle of papers he held in his hand.
II want you to witness verbal con.