Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-03

had prolonged the supper room rcvels after
| the departure of the other guests.
Hello, dad!'' he observed. Thought I'd
find You alone"
Caleb, his initial ill-temper softened by
his talk with Anice, greeted his favorite
child with friendly nod
sit down." he said. I'll be at leisure
in a few moments And say, throw that
measly blend of burnt paper and Egyptian
sweepings out of the window. Why a grown
man can't smoke man s-sized tobacco is
moren 1 can see
The lad. with sulky obedience, tossed
away the cigarette and came back to the
table.
Hear the news?" he asked. 1T seems
you've got a rival for the nomination"
"Hey?''
"Grandin was telling me about 1t last
night. His fathers one of the big guns in
the Civic League, you know. 1t seems the
Leagues planning to spring Give standisn
on the convention
''Clive Standish? That kid? For gov
ernor? Lord
Good joke. isn't it? T.
Joke? No" shouted Caleb. Its just
the thing l wouldn't have had happen for
a fortune. He's poor, but he belongs to the
oldest family in the state. and his blood so
blue you could use 1t to starch clothes
with. Just the sort of a visionary young
fool a lot of cranks will gather around.
He'll yell SO loud about the peoples sacred
rights and ring rule and all that rot that
they'll hear him clear over in the other
states. And when they do. the out-of-state
papers will all get to hammering me again.
And the very crowd I'm trying to score
with by running for governor, will vote for
him to a man. He's one Of them"
80 you think he has chance Of win
ning?" asked Anice.
Not a ghost of a chance. He'll die in
the conventional he ever reaches that far.
But it will stir up the opposition I've been
telling you l afraid of. Well, if 1t
meant work before, it means twenty-five
hour-a-day hustle now. l wish you'd tele
phone Shevlin and the other, please, Miss
Laner. Tell 'em to be here In an hour"
AS the girl left the room, Caleb swung
about to face his son. The glow of coming
battle was in his face.
''Now's your chance. jerry he began
hot with enthusiasm that failed to find
nance before him. "Nows your chance to
get back at the old man for few of the
things he's done for you
Il don't catch your meaning" NUT
tered Gerald, uncomfortably.
you've got a sort of pull with certain
set of young anticipates here. because you
live in New York and get your name in the
papers, and because you've a dollar allow
ance to every penny of theirs. 1 want you
to use that pull. l want you should jump
right in and begin working for me. Why,
you ought to round up hundred votes in
the Pompton Club alone. to say nothing
Of the youngsters on the fringe outside
who'll be ticked to death at having a
Teller of your means and position notice
EN-. Yes you can be whole lot of help
to me this next few weeks Take off your
coat and wade in. And when we win
Hold on a moment, Dad.' interrupted
Gerald. whose frightening face had passed
unnoted by the excited elder man. Hold
on please. You mean you want me to
work for you in the campaign for gov
ernor?"
Jerry. youth get almost human one of
these days if you let your intelligence take
flights like that Yes, +
Because pursued Gerald. who was far
too accustomed to this form of sarcasm
from his father to allow it to ruflie him,
because l can't
"You-you-what? grunted Caleb, in
credulouSly.
II can't stay here in Granite all that time
II must get back to New York this week
I've important business there"
Well. I'll be" gasped Conover finding
his voice at last, and with it the grim satire
he loved to lavish on this son, SO unlike
himself. Business. Ell? Important bust
ness! Some restaurant waiter you've got
an appointment to thrash at 2:45 am on
Tuesday, or hotel window you've made a
date to drive through in a hanson? From
all I've read or heard of your life there,
those were the two most important pieces
of business you ever transacted in New
York. And it was my money paid the fines
both times. No, no. sonny, your 'impor-
tant business will keep. l guess. till after
November. Anyhow, In the meantime you'll
stay right here and help papa. See? Other
wise you'll go to New York on foot, and
have the pleasure of living on what the
three-ball specialists will give you for your
hardware. No work, no pennies, Jerry.
Understand that? Now go and think 1t
over. Papa's too busy to play with little
boys today"
To Calebs secret delight he saw he had
at last reused spark of spirit in the lad.
MY business in New York" retorted
Gerald hotly, SIS not with walters or hotels.
1t Is with my wife,
Caleb sat down very hard
"Your-your-" he sputtered apoplectic-.
ally.
my wife" returned the youth, a Sheep
ish pride in look and words. "It was that
I came up here to speak to you about this
morning. You were SO busy yesterday
when / got to town that
Jerry. you ass! Are you erazy0or only
drunk?'
Father" protested Gerald with petu-
lance that only half hid his growing nerv-
BUSINESS, II do wish you'd call me Gerald
and drop that wretched nickname. If
He got no further. Conover was upon
him, his tough, knotty hands gripping the
youngsters shoulders and shaking him to
and fro with force that set Gerald's
teeth clicking,
Now them" beloved the railroader.
mighty masterful. terrible he let the
GREATNESS lad slide to the floor and lowered
~ 49, tn0