Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-10
The TRIALS OF
LEADERSHIP

One drizzly afternoon last week the City
Discoverer was returning homeward from
a stroll around the city when he overlook
medlum-sized, loose jointed, carelessiy at
tired individual, who. with his soft, black.
felt hat pulled low over his forehead and
his coat collar turned up about his ears.
was hurrying along. giancing nervously
from side 10 side as IL anxious to escape
observations:
Good afternoon said the City Discoy-
erer cordially, for his walk had been lone
some ore and he loved company and con-
versation above all things else on earth.
The stranger executed a sidestep more
remarkable Tor agility than grace. pulled
prace or large, ugly-looking pistols from
has pocket. trained them on the Discoverer,
and drawled in soft southern accents:
fGuess you'd Better move on. But before
you go ! want to tell you that l couldn't
do any better by you. There's no use in
getting riled. l gave you the best /
could
My dear sir" gasped the City Dfscoverer
when his hair had settled down under his
hat and his knees had stopped trembling
SO much, you're about to shoot the wrong
man. l don't know who he is but I'm
not the one. l don't want anything and
don't want you to do the best you can
by me. | don't want anything
The ioose-jointed, earelessly attired person
put his armament out of sight. showed his
hands in his pockets and regarded the CITY
Discoverer with humorous smile.
Il observe" he drawled that you are
not one of those | expected to see 1t is
apparent from your dome-like forehead and
speaking countenarce that you possess an
average amount of intelligence. Conse-
quentiy you could not possibly be one of
those L expected to hear from"
is your life in danger?" inquired the
City Discoverer. reganing to some extent
his vanished self possession
"Oh, perhaps not as bad a that" replied
the man with the southern drawl. But it
mi oil h. lArtf. .rnI to
death. my life has been made burden to
me. l have been bounded here and there.
driven from pillar to post, and talked at
until | am deaf and Ill. Consequently de-
mand peace at any price.
What In the world is the trouble?' in
quired the Discoverer, sympathetically
beaming ON the stranger through his gold
trimmed glasses. Perhaps can help you
Not today nor yet tomorrow" replied
the loose jointed stranger. THE matter is
simply this. 1 have at my disposition the
assignment of certain gentlemen to certain
places. Some of the places are important
and some not. Some of the gentlemen
are important and others are not. But the
difficulty lies in the fact that my estimate
OF gentlenan's Importance and the gen.
tleman's estimate of his own Importance
may not-and generally do not-egree."
81 don't see anything out of the way In
that" remarked the Discoverer sagely.
Neither do l." responded the loose
jointed, carelessy attired stranger pulling
nervously at his dropping brown mustache.
But when / let Ii become known this morn
ing that l had about decided to appoint a
certain gentleman to certain place | re-
ceived seventeen letters bearing on the
subject
Letters of protest?" inquired the Discov-
erer in an interested tone.
They might possibly be called that" re-
piled the stranger dryly. six of the writ
threatened to shoot me on sight, five
substituted horsewhipping, two others men
toned that was too contemplate for words
and the others indicated that l was eleven
kinds Of a liar"
"Graciousr' cried the Dlscoverer.
Very" admitted the loose iointed care
lessly attired stranger. in his drawing
tone, but that wasn't the worst of it. After
l had let it become known that l contem-
plated a certain other appointment l had
about a dozen similar messages by tele-
phone"
Yours must be a delightful task, re-
marked the Discoverer.
1T is" replied the loose jointed stranger,
land so, instead of making any more an
nOuncements regarding my decision as to
the appointments, am going to hide until
quite ready to let them become known all.
In bunch" .t .-.=--. --.r s-.5.s.-
And what are you going to do then 80
inquired the Discoverer. his eyes round with !,
interest.
Then replied the loose jointed stranger.
81 think that my health will require me to
leave the city for a week or so until the
storm blows over
The Discoverer shook his head like ore
in daze.
I'm very much afraid 1 don't under
stand" he said, but at any rate, this
conversation has been very entertaining,
Won't you tell me your name and what
you have been doing to get yourself dis
Hked?"
The .loose-jointed, carelessly attired
stranger turned up his coat collar again
and prepared to move on. Il am John
Sharp Williams of Mississippi" he said,
''leader of the House democrats, and have
been apportioning the minority representa-
ton on the various congressional commit
tees"
'Who would have thought it?' muir
INJURED the City Discoverer as he moved
swiftly dinnerward.