Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1906-12-20
The Alderman.
BY WILLIAM 7. VALENTINE.

He could scarcely hope for election
but, although his party was in the mi
nority, there was the hope he felt
and he was encouraged by the charm
ing widow whom he believed was the
most wonderful woman in the world
Then to be the candidate for such an
office 1t was more than he ever had
hoped in his widest ambitions.
Then | am to accept?' he asked
the fair Sylvia, who had dropped into
his Office as she often did just now.
Accept! My dear alderman! How
can you think of anything else?
shall be so proud of my friend, United
States Senator Saunders" And she
gave a delicious little laugh of joy.
The alderman locked at her earnest
ly. That morning he had read a long
article in his favorite paper to the eff
feet that men married too young; that
the woman a man admired at 20 was
not his choice at 80. With such a
woman by his SIDE nothing would be
impossible Then he pulled himself
together He was a man of honor,
and, although he felt he had made a
mistake in his marriage, he would be
true in every sense of the word. In
addition, this lady was womanly per-
lection and purity.
"Tnere is no hope of an election, "
he said slowly.
"Who knows?' l came to tell you
something. Accept, and l will go to
the capital and work for you" And
she clapped her little hands.
"You will?" he asked, his eyes rest
ing upon her flushed face.
Work as hard as can" she re-
sponded.
But, Sylvia, the women you will
encounter" he said, hesitatingly. He
hated to mention them to her.
"In this case the end will justify my
means. Just trust me- And, with a
bright smile, she futtered from his
Office She had a habit of doing that.
Staying just long enough for him to
overcome his awe of her and then
vanishing, always leaving behind that
delicate perfume he had grown to as
sociate with her.
The months had swung around until
it was time for the gathering of the
two houses at the capital According
to the election, Alderman Saunders
party was slightly in the majority and
it was an honor to be a candidate for
the office. In this case it was decided
ly bare honor, for the party was
poor and its choice was poorer. Sud
denly, the party gathered together suf-
fcient funds and the war was on.
The boss had been keeping in the
background. He did not desire 1t
known that every man on his party
ticket was his.
I'm thinking of retiring to private
life" he would say, smiling as ever,
when questioned. Il have done yeo-
man service to the party for years and
and it is time for me to go to the
backwoods."
No one who knew him was fooled,
however. In fact, one of the news
paper boys winked and whispered to
another newspaper representative:
"Rot! You just put up your last
PUNK that when that wise old guy
gives out such dope he's laying his
wires all the deeper. Backwoods for
himl"
Guess you've hit 1t, all right, all
right" grinned the other, but both
went with the boss to the nearest sa-
loon. Nothing ever was said against
him, except in an undertone. AS one
of the boys said:
1.-THE boss is TOO good about passes,
taking care of the fellows out Of a
Job and such things, for any Of us to
kick, even if we have to do others dirt
now and then to suit him."
Of course, though, he went to the
capital.
Gust to see the fun" he explained,
dispensing cigars right and left, upon
his arrival.
I1OWGNGI, IL UIAbl~b nave OCCh III
ticed that this man who said he was
yearning for the simple life was pres
ent whenever anything important was
going on, and that nothing was doing
until he gave the signal.
All Of this was noticed by the news
paper boys, and as they clustered
about, during the wrangling over the
speaker, one Of them said, carelessly:
MARK my word, the boss friend
goes in as speaker" And be did, and
then, after some preliminary business,
the houses came to the important mat
ter of electing United States sena-
tor in joint session.
Alderman Saunders is getting
hustle on himself" these newspaper
men noted, but they gathered at his
head quarters, where he Rad estab-
lished what seemed to him a free bar.
The alderman let everyone who came
take his cigars and drink his strong
waters, although he remembered the
time he had signed the pledge, back
in his young days, and sometimes
sighed.
At first the alderman could not I'M
derstand things, but they were ex-
plained. The boss had paid him a
visit, although he said, laughingly:
Taking my life in my hands, eh,
alderman? For me to venture into the
den of a successful candidate like you,
phew!"
And Saunders believed that there
was no doubt of his election. The
beautiful Sylvia had not appeared at
his headquarters, but every morning