Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-20


have learned something; and l have gone
very carefully over the ground. I think I
can sa1ely rely on votes enough to give me
majority. l shall not withdraw"
They left me and the agitation went on
for two weeks more
1t was the night before our annual cleo
ton. had had a busy day and got home
to late dinner. / was tired and out of
sorts. A new candidate had developed that
day, and my prospects suffered in conse-
quence. What If I were to be defeated.
after all? What If, after all these weeks of
fighting for my chance, l should be thrust
from office on the morrow, and that by
hopeless minority? Where then would be
my boosted popularity? But, no; l would
not give up now. On the contrary, l would
believe in success and win 1t.
My days letters lay unopened on the
table and I put aside my encouragement
and took them up. There were the usual
number about club affairs, several promis-
ing votes for the morrow, and one woman
going SO far as to say she would leave the
club If 1t failed to re-elect me.
My spirits arose with all this until took
up the last In the pile. 1t was from Joe.
the first sign 1 had had from him in two
months.
Il am told you are making a great fight
for the presidency of the Nota Bene again"
it read. Il am waiting now to give you
just one more chance to make 1t up with
me- Withdraw from this contest, give up
this insane passion for clubs, and promise
me you will stay with the children. Per-
maps tnen we can talk innings over anu Ildt-
tiers may come straight. But 1 ask you once
again, Johnnie, withdraw your name and
give up this fight If you persist and de-
eide to give your life to clubs, shall ar
range to take the children abroad and sell
the house. Make your choice. Which Is it.
home and its comforts, or public office and
q hotel?"
The conceited thing said, as I laid it
down. He gives me a chance to make up
with him, does he? Surely he takes high
hand"
But as thought it all over, through that
long night, there We're times when l was
tempted to do what he asked What. after
all, had my club connections brought we
but heart-burnings and strife? What would
they bring, even If l gained my point to-
morrow, but petty jealousies and small tr1-
umphs? Was the game worth the candle
after all?
1 thought of my babies and had the grace,
for a moment. to be ashamed that l knew
little of them. l had been surprised
Joey could read words of two syllabes.
Really, l had been SO busy with outside at
fairs 1 had not kept posted about the
children.
But, then. did not they have my mother,
and was she not devoted to them? Why
should l waste all my youth on them? l
recalled hearing a club lecturer on What
shall We do with our children?' advance
the idea that the young mother should not
squander her youth in petty slavery for
her children, but should hire others to do
drudgery necessary to their earliest years
and reserve her own youth for them when
they were growing lads and lasses and
could appreciate a pretty, up-to-date man.
ma. And was not that just what 1 was
doing?
If Joe had come to me that night and
spoken tenderly, giving me a chance to ex-
plain matters; if he had been gentle with
me and let me feel that his heart was
mine and was worth all 1 had gone through
to recover it, l could have yielded. But
opposition always maddened me, and his
cold, hard letter drove me where it
should have called me back. 1 fought an
other all-night battle and then got up to
write him a short note.
ut is too late now to avail myself of
your kind permission to make it up with
you by withdrawing my name. You should
know by this time that threats never yet
terrified me-
1 sent this off before breakfast and went
calmly on with my preparations for the af-
ternoon'S struggle. How childish it all
seemed to me afterward
Al noon 1 received another brief note
Business has taken another sudden turn
which necessitates my immediate sailing
for Europe. / shall leave on the l O'Clock
train for the east That was all. No
word Of farewell. no message for the chill
dren, no hope for the future My heart
sank like lead when 1 read 1t, but I kept
on with my preparation for the club meet
ing at 4.
A cloud seemed to have settled over the
mousse, however. Gloomy forebodingS of
disaster made me miserable and I caught
myself wishing l had obeyed Joe's wishes
and given up the fight at the last moment.
| felt sure 1 was to be defeated and
dreaded the afternoon as 1 had never be-
fore. But l made ready to go early. de-
termlned not to give way to my fears al
though L put away the pretty gown l had
laid out to wear and donned a plain tai
lored gown instead.
AS | neared the club rooms I heard the
neWsboys calling their wares, "All the news
OF the accident on the New York express,''
The car was passing one of the great news
paper offices and my eye caught the fam
ing letters on the bulletin board.
Accident to the New York exnress AZ
Ashland Junction! Several Chicago men
injured 1-i
Like one in a dream I signalled the con-
ductor and stopped the car | bought q
paper of the first newsboy and read the dis
patch then and there. The words seemed
to burn themselves into my brain.
"A misplaced switch at Ashland Junc-
ton caused the New York express leaving
Chicago at l to run off an embanlmenf
into Gum creek. Several passengers were
killed outright, and many seriously iniur-
ed 1t Is understood that none of the mas
sengers in the drawing room coach es
capped Rescue trains are on the wav,,
Cfo be concluded tomorrow