The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-01-28
THE EVENING STORY
A simple Man.
(By Madeline Lewis.)

| Sulp16 MINI.
| (By Madeline Lewis-)
Young Mr.. Trask. the lawyer. in
tended to be a candidate for the leg
had the reputation of being sharp.
keen and shrewd. Many said he was
''up to snuff Others said that he
would see that the interests OF the
district were not overlooked. Some
thought he ought to have the nomi-
nation because he was just beginning
his career. and this would give him a
boost. The young man had been in
Watervale only year, and as he was
only twenty-seven, good looking and
bound to succeed, he had made
place for himself in society. He could
fatter himself that he mad made pro-
gress in every family but one-the
! Thompson family.
They called John Thompson Hon
est John That had been his appel
lation for years. He was part farmer
/ and part citizen, and not well on In
this worlds goods; and yet he had a
reputation that plenty of men might
envy. His daughter Minnie, an only
child. was neither belle nor lead
er Of society, but she was fair look
ing and possessed of strong character,
and not at all the young lady to be
captivated by the personal advantages
of the young Mr.. Trask.
They had met socially, and she
l
On the other hand. he had been
greatly Impressed Intuition told him
| that he was not in favor, but the OPP
position only stimulated HIM He
had easily made friends with the
father, but he found that to win the
girls interest would be a far differ
ent thing.
For weeks it had been a foregone
| conclusion that Mr.. Trask would be
nominated and elected, but when the
Ion ont Ano IIry ed
oped that the ring politicians had not
counted on the farming community.
The men of the pillow had become
tired of the politicians and their
trfcks-of the promises so freely
made and so often broken-and when
the moment came they broke away
and made a surprising nomination.
Honest john was the nominee.
He had never held a political office
in his life. He was home and at work,
but his friends pledged him to stand.
and he accepted it. Only one in
f1uence decided him in this matter,
and that was the advice of his
daughter.
Father" she said to him, when
the news came, you are not poll
tician. and you are not a schemer.
You can't make a speech and you
won't be heard of in that body You
are simply a plain, honest man, and
Of the same ilk. It is a time when
plain, honest men are wanted at the
front. Go there and do your duty as
best you can"
'I wish Lawyer Trask had got it,
he sighed He can make speeches
and mix in with the best of 'em and
come home to be talked Of in the pa
pers. I shall be only a toadstool on
a stump. By the way hain't he COM
ing here pretty often?''
Yes, he calls occasionally
1T thought it was a little oftener
than occasionally
"If it is, he is wasting his time.
Father, I don't like Mr.. Trask. He is
too ambitious to get ahead. He is
so ambitious that he loses sight of
the scruples that should guide ali hon
est men. He wanted to go to the
legislature simply as a means to adj
vance his own interests
But took him to be a young man
| of good principles
Politics has no principles, and he
Sc ks to be a politician. There is but
one watchword with them, and that
Is to win. You will be elected as an
honest man, and not as a politician"
"Oh. I shan't do any stealing"
that IN feel like a cat in a strange
garnet up there. Ia a heap rather
they had sent some one else, but I'll
try it for a term If you say 50. Per-
haps there'Il be three or four other
old codgers like me to get in with
/ There was no question about the
chagrin and disappointment Of the
young lawyer over his defeat, but he
dissembled fairly well before the girl
when he made his next call. He
acknowledged that it was something
of a setback, but rejoiced that it was
her father who had secured the nomi-
nation.
Before departing he grew sentiment
tai and might have made declara-
ton of his love if he had not been
checked. He must have plainly I'M
derstood that he had as yet created
no interest, but in his perversity he
determined to continue.
The farmer had hardly been settled
in his seat at the state capital when
Trask appeared. He was more than
usually deferential and friendly. He
could and he did give the honest man
many helpful pointers and 1t was
fortnight before the errand that
brought him there was stated. = He
was lobbyist for certain corpora,
ton which wanted an old railroad
charter renewed
| "FIonest John had read and heard
something about that charter. He had
never fairly got to the right or wrong
of 1t, but when the lawyer came to
with him about it and endeavor to en-
list his aid, John Thompson gave no
pledge Trask was promised that the
question should be looked into, and
If it could be conscienttously done he
should receive the farmers aid.
1t looked easy for man who was
"up to SNUFF to handle this old far
mer. He handled others, and then
sent them to Thompson to argue and
discuss and win him over. Money and
| promises were freely used, and there
| came time when the lobbyist could
at least figure on an even vote in the
house.
| Honest John" still stuck out. He
hadn't the acumen to discover where
| the colored gentleman was hidden.
| but he had a feeling that he was
there in the woodpile somewhere, and
I Ill