Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1907-06-29
CHAPTER XIX.
David Sent out Against Goliath.

ing our friends to look on at the oppo-
sition's convention at St. Louis
When we arrived went at once
to confer with Merri weather In room
at the Southern hotel which no one
knew he had. simpson has under.
rather thaa over. 500 delegates. was
his first t9illla of good news 1T takes
$50 to nom aate. As his sort of boom
always musters its greatest strength
on the first ballot, I'm putting my
money two to one against him
And Scarborough" I asked. won
dering at my indifference TO this fore
shadowing of triumph
MY men talk him to every incom
ing delegation It's well known that
he don't want the nomination and has
forbidden his friends to vote for him
and has pledged them to work against
him. Then, too, the bosses and the
boys don't like him-to put 1t mildly.
But / think we're making every one
feel he's the only man they can put
up, with a chance to beat Burbank"
My wife and our friends and
dined at the Southern that night. AS
we we're about to leave. the streets
began TO fill. And presently through
the close-packed masses came at a
walk an open carriage-the storm
center of roar that almost drowned
the music of the four or five bands
The electric lights made the scene
bright as day.
Who is ne?" asked the woman at
my side-Mrs. Sandys
She was looking at the man In that
carriage-there were four, but there
was no mstaking him. He was seat
go, was giving not the. slightest heed
to the cheering throng Ills soft
black hat was pulled well down over
his brows; his handsome profile was
stern, his face pale. II that crowd
had been hurting curses at him and
preparing to tear him limb from limb
he would not have looked different He
was smooth-shaven, which made him
seem younger than knew him to be.
And over him was the glamour of the
observation-disclosures in which he
lived and had the power to compel
others to live as long as they were
under the spell of his personality
That" replied to Mrs. Sandys, SIS
Senator Scarborough of Indiana
What's he so stern about?"
I'm sure | don't know-perhaps to
hide his JOY"
But did know, and my remark was
the impulsive fling of envy He had
ntsf
what strong undercurrent was run
ming toward him. He was faced by q
dilemma-if he did not go to the con
vention 1t would be said that he had
stayed away deliberately. and he
would be nominated II he went. to
F., try to prevent his nomination, the
enthusiasm of his admirers and fol
lowers would give the excuse for fore
ing the nomination upon him And
as he sat there with that ominous
tumult about him, he was realizing
how hard his task was to be.
His companions pushed him a pass
age through the crowds on the side
walk and in the lobby, and he shut
himself away in the upper part of the
hotel When we left, half an hour
later, the people were packed before
that face of the hotel which displayed
the banner Of the Indiana delegation,
were cheering Scarborough. were
clamoring-in vain-for him to show
himself.
But won't he offend them?' asked
my wife.
"A crowd loves like woman" said
]. Indifference only excites It,"
"Oh, / never loved that way" pro
tested Mrs. Sandys.
Then" said my wife, rather sour
ly ! thought, you and Mr.. Sandys
have something to live for"
And SO we talked no more politics.
There may be American women who
really like to talk politics, but never
happened to know one with so little
sense It's pity we men do not i'm
ftate our women more closely In one
respect. In season and out of season,
they never talk anything but bust
ness-woman's one business. When
other things are being discussed, they
listen, or rather, pretend to listen; in
reality, their minds are still on their
business. and how they shall contrive
to bring it back into the converse.
ton with advantage to themselves.
Next day the convention adopted a
wishy-washy platform much like Bur.
bank's--if anything, weaker / saw
Goodrich's blight upon 1t. But the
victory cost him dear. That night the
delegates realized what a blunder
they had made-or thought they real
lied 1t after Merriweather and his
staff had circulated among them. Few
of them had been trusted by Beckett
with the secret that with that plat.
form and with Simpson as the NOM
inee their party would have the inter-
ests behind 1t, would almost certain
ly win. They only saw ahead a dull
campaign, and no real issue between
the parties, and their candidate. if he