The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1908-07-25
The Least
OF These
on SIX candidates initiated. AFTER IN
Copyrighted. loos, by Associate6
Literary Press,


Betty shuddered as the heavy ivi
gates changed behind her and she rea
lied that she was actually within vi
prison yard. II was her FIRST visit e. a
penitentiary. and. though she found Il
not half % forbidding as she had an.
ticipated. the atmosphere sent chill
through her whole giriish figure
Instead Of rock piles. with convicts
monotonously breaking the stone. here
we've flower bordered walks and
swaris Of softsst green. Bot for the
high walls and the barred windows she
might well have imagined herself In a
municipal park or on a million dollar
estate.
When she reached the Office her bas.
ket OF delIcacies was consigned with
others brought by loyal friends for the
dedication OF other convicts. but the
keeper looked curiously from the tag
on her basket 10 Betty's face.
"No. 11,S00 hasn't had visitor since
he came here Ave weeks ago." com
mented the man significantly. Are
you a relativeT'
NO." said the girl simply. HE was
just good TO me when needed help"
HE was good to lots of folks"
grunted the warden, but somehow
they seem to have forgotten 1t. He's
In the hospital"
The warden made n sign 10 a trusty.
and with fast beating heart Betty fol-
lowed the man In the direction OF the
great gray building. In one wing OF
which was located the hospital.
Moreton, ex-boes OF the --th district.
was propped up in bed. and at sight OF
Bessie vynne he smiled radiantly.
Five weeks he had lain there lighting
grimiy for the life that he had begun
90 think was hardly worth the saving,
for Moreton had indeed been through
the valley of political humiliation.
Less than two years before II had re
quired two husky men 10 guard the
door OF his headquarters and keep
back the crowd OF importunate callers
who wanted financial help. influential
word or perhaps just the chance 10
fawn upon the powerful political
leader
Moreton had been the boss OF his
district, ruling with a rod OF iron He
had controlled the machine through
sheer force of will power.
His enemies both without and with.
In the party had fought doggedly to
break his sway. but the boss had
gritted his teeth the harder at each
fresh attack and beaten the malcon-
tents into submission.
But there had come an end TO hts
rule. as TO almost all one man control.
The opposing party had secured the
services OF a political reviyalist. I'm
the Interest OF good g6vefnfneni.H they
had explained, but the whole city
knew that II was a ruse to rid the dis
trict q Is dominating boss. 1t meant
turning the district over to another
clique as bad. bot less experienced in
municipal viilqiny ---s~
And the political world had sat beck
Ind watched the warfare with grim
smiles. Perhaps. after all. the boss
would win again. But in this they
were wrong: BY a mere ouip OF fate
the wheel Spun the other way.
The boss lost. and after loss OF power
came scandals and lawsuits. The lat.
ter took most OF the fortune he had
fllched from the city, much OF which
he had spent on the care OF those who
needed II more desperately than the
taxpayers from whom he had filched II
so remorselossly. In reality the boss
when the blow feli could have counted
his fortune only In thousands when
his enemies ran II up TO tens OF thou.
sands
When he left the civil court room nj.
most penniless he found himself face
TO face with criminal charges. stole.
ally he had accepted his sentence OF
FIVE years In the penitentiary. Stole
ally he had accepted his desertlon by
those who had fawned upon him in
prosperity and power. A child OF the
streets who had started carrying the
water bucket for the marching club,
he had become ward heeler, lieu
tenant and finally the boss without the
aid Of family ties or family Influence.
Stoicaliy he had accepted the decision
or the hospital stan. He bad an incur
able disease. He probably would not
live out his sentence.
Yet at sight OF Betty vynne's face
his stoicism vanished. and after the
radiant smile OF welcome came a ten.
derness almost pathetic.
What are you doing here. chlldf" he
asked as he stroked the hand that
claspcd HIS. ''Sing Sings a good way
for girl 20 come who's only making
her eight week"
Tho girl laughed. but her voice was
ehaky.
"Just listen 10 the mnni And I'm get
ting ten-right ia this town read IN
the paper about-about your being 30
lonesome The man smiled grizzly.
So the papess were commenting, on the
fact that he was deserted as well as
deposed leader OF men. And I saw
H.. a - - /.