Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-03-28
THE CHAPTERS
(copyright. Iso4, by The Bobbs-Merrill companyJ
F RANcIs LYN D E

I l cant agree With your inference, she objected. "As a people we arc neither obsequious nor stupid"
 Perhaps not. But it is one of thu failures of popular government that an honest majority may be controlled and directed by small minority oi shrewd rascals. That is exactly what has happened in the passage of this bill. venture to say that not one man in the ten who voted for it had the faintest suspicion that it was g graft" y. ''If that be true, what chances thers are for men with the gift of true lead. ership and love of pure justice ir their hearts!" she said half-absently; and he starteds forward and said: q beg pardon?"
 She let the blue-gray eyes meet his and. there was passing shadow o1 disappointment in them. | ''I ought to beg yours. I'm afraid I was thinking aloud. But it is one of my dreams. If I were man should go into politics" [. ''To purify them?"
 ''To do my part in trying. The | great heart of the people is homes. | and well-meaning: I think we all ad- init that. And there is intelligence too. But human nature is the same as it used to be when they set up man who could and called him king. Gen. | tie or simple, 1t must be led. ''- !
 There is no lack of leadership, such as 1t is." he hazarded. "No; but there seems to be pitiful lack of the right kind: men who will put self-seeking and unworthy ambi- tion aside and lift the standard of jus tice and right-doing for its own sake. Are there any such men nowadays?''
 q don't know" he rejoined grave ly. Sometimes I'm tempted to doubt it. It is a frantic scramble for place and power for the most part. The kind of man you have in mind isn't in it, shuns it as he would a plague spot.''
 She contradicted him firmly.
 "No, the kind of a man I have in mind wouldn't shun it; he would take hold with his hands and try to mako things better; he would put the sel- fish temptations under foot and give the people leader worth following be the real mind and hand of the well-meaning majority"
 Kent shook his head slowly.
 Mot unless motive stronger than the abstraction which we call patriot ism"
 'T don't understand, "she said; mean ing, rather, that she refused to under. stand.
 q mean that such a man, however exalted his views might be, would have to have an object more personal to him than the mere dutiful promptings of patriotism to make him do his best"
 But that would. be self-seeking again."
 ''Not necessarily in the narrow sense. The old knightly chivalry was a beautiful thing in its way, and it gave an uplift to an age which would have been frankly brutal without it: yet 1t had its well-spring in what ap- peals to us now as being rather fan tastic sentiment"
 And We are not sentimentalists?" she suggested.
 tL1 fpr fr, some respects. You will not find your ideal politician until you find a man with somewhat of the old knightly spirit in him. And I'll go further and say that when you do find him he will be at heart the champion of the woman he loves rather than that of a political constituency"
 She became silent at that, and for 6 time the low sweet harmonies of the nocturne Penelope was playing filled the gap.
 He turned upon her suddenly.
 Did you mean to reproach me" he asked abruptly.
 How absurd,"
 No, 1t isn't. You are responsible for me. in a certain sense. You sent me out in to the world. and somehow I feel as if had disappointed you"
 But what went ye ont for to seeT" she quoted softly.
 T know" he nodded. sitting down again You thought you were arous- ing worthy ambition, but it was only avarice that was quickened. I've been trying to be a money-getter.
 You can be something vastly bet ter"
 No. I'm afraid not: it is too late"
 Again the piano-mellOwed silence supervened, and Kent put his elbows on his knees and his face in his hands, being very miserable. He believed now what he had been slow 10 credit