Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1907-01-03

but he won--as much by personal in
fiuence as by any other. He was an
aristocrat, but he was keen business
man as we'll The combination carries
weight with your lower classes. He
never did much in the house, but he
was power to his party In Wark.
They still use his name there to con-
jure WITH
Loder leaned forward interestedly.
.sRobert Chilcote?" he said. II have
heard Of him. One of those fine, unos-
tentatious figures strong in action,
little narrow in outlook, perhaps, but
essential to country's staying power.
You have every reason to be proud Of
your father
Chilcote laughed suddenly. How
easily we sum up when matter is im-
personal! My father may have been a
fine figure, but he shouldn't have left
me to climb to his pedestal"
Loder's eyes questioned. In his new
" awakened interest he had let his
pipe go out.
''Don't you grasp my meaning?"
Chilcote went on. my father died and
I was elected for East Wark. You may
say that if had no real inclination for
the position / could have kicked, but |
tell you couldn't. Every local inter-
est, political and commercial, hung up
on the candidate being Chilcote. |
did what eight men out of ten would
have done. / yielded to pressure.
at was fine opening!' The words
escaped Loder.
.sMost prisons have wide gatesv'
Chilcote laughed again unpleasantly.
"That was six years ago. had started
on the morphia track four years earlier,
but up to my fathers death had it I'M
der my thumb, or believed had, and
in the realization of my new RESPONSE
bilities and the excitement of the po-
litical fight almost put 1t aside. For
several months after l entered parlia-
ment / worked. I believe / made one
speech that marked me as coming
man." He laughed derisively. Il even
married.
ssMarried?'
aYes-a girl of nineteen, the ward
Of a great politician. 1t was brilliant
marriage, politically as well as socially,
but it didn't work. was born without
the capacity for love. First the social
life palled on me, then my work grew
irksome There was only one factor to
make life able-morphia Before
six months were out had fully admit
ted that
''But your wife?"
'Oh, my wife knew nothing-knowf
nothing. 1t is the political business.
the beastly routine of the political life
that is wearing me out" He stopped
nervously, then hurried on again. II
tell you it's hard to see the same faces,
to sit in the same seat day in, day out,
knowing all the time that you must
hold yourself in hand, must keep your
grip on the reins"-
ssIt is always possible to apply for
the Chiltern Hundreds"
"To retire? Possible to retireY
Chilcote broke into a loud sarcastic
laugh. "You don't know what the To-
cal pressure of a place like Wark
stands for. Twenty times have been
within an ace of chucking the whole
thing. Once last year wrote private
" to Vale, one Of our big men there,
and limited that my health was bad.
Two hours after he had read my letter
he was in my study. Had been in
: Greenland the result would have been
the same No; resignation is mean
ingless word to a man like me-"
Loder looked down. II see," he said
slowly; Il see"
"Then you see everything diff
ficulty, the isolation of the position.
Five years o-three-even two years
ago-I was able to endure it. Now 1t
gets more unbearable with every
month The day is bound to come
when - when" = he paused, hesitating
nervously--ssw it will be physically
impossible for me to be at my post"
Loder remained silent.
physically impossible Chileote re
peated excitedly "Until lately / was
able to calculate-to count upon my
self to some extent-but yesterday
received shock yesterday / discov.
cred that-that' again he hesitated
painfully ssthat have passed the
stage when one may calculate"
The situation was growing more en-
barrassing. To hide its awkwardness.
Loder moved back to the crate ano
rebuilt the fire, which had fallen low.
Chilcote, still excited by his unusua
vehemence, followed him, taking up Q
position by the mantelpiece.
"Wen?' he said, looking down.
Very slowly Loder rose from his
task. "Welly' he reiterated.
"Have you nothing to say?''
Nothing, except that your story Is
unique and that SUPPOSE am fat
tered by your confidence" His voice
was Intentionally brusque.
Chilcote paid no attention to the
voice Taking step forward he laid
his fingers on the lapel of Loder's coat.
II have passed the stage where can