Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1905-02-10
STINSON'S
DIPLOMACY
b carrAn
Richard GFsenlsy
c.p%i4 1914 y cuus RIha.d cs-sLy


The real Joss Of the campaign com
mittee leaned acrOss tie table and
wagged a heavy forehnger under
Brackets nose.
"rve cinchcd the finest wire that
was ever pulled. aud when them wire
set done Dullln' 1911 Carrots chances
are dead n rained ON or my names
not Jim StinsOn. I've interviewed Mlss
Elizabeth Heath, and she's ours"
The emphatic finger stopped as
Bnckett sprang TO his feet.
"You-you interviewed AIlss Heath
IN my favorr'
ayes. Why not7 She's n power. she
IL, with them fellows wives down IN
the Tenth ward. on she's a lady right.
you bet"
Bracket dropped Imply into the
chair behind him. while Btinson poured
out the history OF his call upon Miss
Heath. the president Of the Hypatia,
IN a mixture Of slang plentifuliy sprin-
killed. with ''sez f. aud ser she" Stin-
son took much glory 10 himself that he
should have thought OF this clever
stroke Just nt the critical point OF the
campaign. Miss Heath's influence in
certain quarters was unbounded. Down
in the Tenth ward. where the tall ten
ements gloom above the river, the little
children Of the poor watched for her
coming. and the tired mothers told her
all their trials and troubles, all their
simple ambitions and little Joys, find
ing a ready sympathy. Stinson had
heard Of Miss Heath through that
channel, nnd Il was to those poor, tired
mothers hat he looked for q control
ling voice In the vote that would 90 up
frOIl the Tenth ward. Stlnson had
also counted on the lever welded by
Miss Heath as president OF the Hypa-
tia. the womhn's club that led not
only In the city. but I'm the state feder.
alton. The federatIon's interests once
aroused and It's influence brought to
bear would mean a powerful l~eavenlng
at work for his man from one end Of
the state to the other. All this and
moro be poured into the u~nheeding ear
Of Bracket. whose mind was enRrOssed
with the u thought, the intolorable
shame that fhis man should have APP
pe1led TO ELIZABETH Heath in his nnme.
Beyond all considerations OF the gov
ernor's Office. Of his political future,
his mind reeled with the intensity OF
this one thought.
Stinson's last words az he stood in
the doorway recalled him:
Il told her that you would call In O
few days md discuss the matter fur,
Their, She seemed right willing to take
n hand after she had chewed the rug q
bit. and l saw as how a call from you
would sorter clinch 1t. Women folks
has to be made up to. l reckon you
know all about thAtl Well, 30 long,
AF. Governor" and Stlnson was gone.
John Bracket turned of the light
and sat still in the glow Of the hre.
The warm rays danced over his fast
~silvering head, bringing out the lines
OF the tired. Old-yOung face and nc
c0ntuating In Rrotesque shadow the
droop OF his shoulders.
"Her name on the lips Of this coarse
man! Out OF the silence of the year,
to hear Il for the FIRST time in this man
ANAt AS u DNNh hMag ~ iOhH III
the lower part OF the state that he had
quite lost sight Of the changes that
must have come TO her as we'll as to
himself. 80 she was a social leader
now, n club He remembered
the pleasant family circle as he had
known II and wondered II II yet re-
manned u~nbroken. Out Of the Goals
sprang the picture Of the girl. Eliza
beth Heath, rs he bad last seen her,
that night when he had told her good
by forever. He could almost hear him
self speaking the slow. f~ateful, reluct.
ant words. In which he had told her
that the bond between them must be
broken for reasons over which he had
no controls half confidence that, In
the light OF present knowledge, he
knew to have been far more cruel
more cowardly, than a silence that
would have left her the poor solace Of
believing him utterly unworthy.
He had scarcely thought Of her when
returning TO the old town. He had
made the nov for political reasons
and n hotel Is much like another "a
a man who had forgotten the meaning
OF home. Like one cropping through
the dark. picking up the tangled
thread OF a dropped web. John Brnck.
EFT threaded back through the mazes
Of hfteen years-hfteen!
. . Q .
Brackets tread grew less %resolute
and his feet seemed TO drag just a III.
tie as ne turned into the well remem-
bered square and saw the white col
umn OF the Heath home among the
trees. Old Peter opened the door. A
little grayer about the fringe OF WOOL
a little more stopped. but the same old
Peter, Shufiing down the hall ahead
OF him.
The house was painfully familiar.
There In the corner was the little set
tee among the palms where they had
sat that rainy day. He remembered
the shadows that shifted over the pale
blue gown that she had worn and fell
again the touch OF the soft hand In his
the hands that were like nc other
hands IN all the world.