Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-08

in the hope of rasping upon her as She
was rasping upon me. When l saw that
l had gained my point l ignored her. l
tried to talk with Ed. then with his moth
er, but neither would interfere between me
and Carlotta / had to talk to her until
she voluntarily lapsed into offended silence.
Then Ed, to save the evening from disaster,
began discussing with me the fate of our
classmates. l saw that Carlotta was study
ing me curiously-even resentfully, |
thought; and she was coldly polite when l
said good night.
She and her mother called on my mother
the next morning. And what a nice girl
Miss Ramsay is-so sensible, so intelligent
and so friendly said my mother, relating
the incidents of the visit in minute detail
when l went home at noon.
Il didn't find her especially friendly, ;
said l. Whereat l saw, or fancied / saw,
smile deep down In her eyes, and it set
me to thinking.
In the afternoon Ed looked in at my
office In the courthouse to say good-by.
But first, old man, l want to tell you
I got that place for you. l thought /
had better use the wire. Old Roebuck is
acknowledgements me to close the ar
rangement at once-congratulated me on
being able to get you. l knew It'd be so.
He has his eyes skinned for bright you men
all those big men have. Whenever a fell
low, especially bright young lawyer, shows
signs of ability they scoop him in"
II can't believe it," said 1, dazed. I've
been fighting him for four years-hard"
That's it, said he. And don't you fret
about it's being a case of trying to heap
Goals of fire on your head. Roebuck don't
use the fire shovel for that sort of thing.
He's swapping you up because you've shown
him what you can do. That's the way to
get on nowadays, they tell me. Whenever
the fellows on top find the chap, especially
one in public Office, who makes 1t hot for
them, they hire him. Good business all
around"
Thus, suddenly that 1t giddied me, I
was translated from failure to success, from
poverty to affluence. from the most har-
asSing anxiety to and security. Two
months before 1 should have rejected the
power trusts offer with scorn, and should
have gloried In my act as proof of superior
virtue. But in those crucial two months
had been apprentice to the master whom
all men that ever come to anything in this
world must first serve. / had reformed my
line of battle, had adjusted it to the lines
laid down in the tactics of life-as-it-is.
Before I was able to convince myself that
my fortunes had really changed Ed Ram
say telegraphed me to call on him in Ere
donla on business of his own. 1t proved to
be such a trifie that l began to puzzle at
his real reason for sending for me- When
he spun that trifle out over ten days, on
each of which l was alone with Carlotta at
least half my waking hours, thought had
the clue to the mystery. l saw how l could
Increase the energy of his new enthusiasm
for me, and. also, how l could cool it If
wished to be rash and foolish and to tempt
fate again.
ooh, the business didn't amount to much"
was my answer to one of my mothers first
questions on my return. She smiled pecu-
liary. In spite of my efforts the red came
at least / felt red.
How did you like his sister?' she went
on, again with that f1uttering smile in the
eyes only.
"A very nice girl" said 1, in anything bat
a natural manner. My mothers expression
leased me into adding: Don't be silly.
Nothing of that sort. You are always i'm
aRininp that Shar onpipp
of me- She isn't likely to fall In love with
me. Certainly l shan't with her.
Mothers silence somehow seemed argu-
mentative.
Il couldn't marry girl for her money"
l retorted to it.
'Of course not" rejoined mother. But
there are other things to marry for besides
money, or love-other things more sensible
than either. For instance, there are the
principal thingS-home and children"
| was listening with an open mind.
The glamour of courtship and honey
moon passes" she went on. Then comes
the sober business of living-your career
and your home. The womans part in both
Is better played If there isn't the sort OF
love that is exacting, always interfering
with the career, and making the home-life
succession of ups and downs, mostly
downs"
''Carlotta is very ambitious" said I.
Ambitious for her husband" replied my
mother, las a sensible woman should be.
She appreciates that woman's best chance
for big dividends in marriage is by being
the silent partner in her husbands career.
She'll be very domestic when she has chill
dren. l saw 1t the instant l looked at her.
She has the true maternal instinct. What
a man who's going to amount to some
thing needs isn't a woman to be taken
care of. but a woman to take care Of him."
She said no more-she had made her
point; and, when she had done that, she
always stopped.
Within a month Ed. Ramsay sent for me
again. but this time 1t was business alone
/ found him in a panic, like a man facing
an avalanche and armed only with
shovel. Dunkirk, the senior United States
senator for our state lived at Fredonia
He had seen that. by tunneling the Mesaba
Range, a profitable railroad between FIRE.
donia and Chicago could be built that
would shorten the time at least three
hours. but 1t would take away about half
the carrying business of the Ramsay Com
pany, besides seriously depreciating the
Ramsay interest in the existing road.
And continued Ed, 1.-The old scoun-
drel has got the capital practically sub
scribed in New York. The people here
are hot for the new road It'll be sure to
He has the governor and legislature in his
vest pocket, so they'll put through the
charter next winter"
II don't see that anything can be DONE"
said Eds lawyer. old Judge Barclay, who
was at the consultation. 1T means a big
rake-on for Dunkirk. Politics Is on money
basis nowadays. That's natural enough,
since there Is money to be made out of 1t.
l don't see how those in politics that don't
graft as they call it, are any better than
those that do. Would they get Office If
they didn't help on the jobs of the grafters?
I suppose we might buy Dunkirk on
What do you think, Harvey" asked Ed.
looking anxiously at me. We've got to
fight the devil with fire. you know"
I shook my head. Buying him off isn't
flghting-it's surrender. We must fight
him-with fire."
l let them talk themselves out, and then
said We'll, I'll take 1t to bed with me.
Perhaps something will occur to me that
can be worked up into scheme"
In fact, 1 had already thought of a
scheme. but before suggesting it I wished
to be sure it was as good as it seemed.
Also, there was a fundamental moral OBJ
stacle-the road would be a public benefit;
1t ought to be built. That moral problem
caused most of my wakefulness that night.
simple though the solution was when 1t
finally came. The first thing Ed said to
me, as we faced each other alone at break
fast, showed me how well spent those hours
were.
About this business of the new road"
said he. IF 1 were the only party at in
terest, I'd let Dunkirk go ahead, for it's UNI
doubtedly good thing from the public
standpoint. But I've got to consider the