The morning journal-courier., 1908-10-15

contract So for this night Shand goes out by the door, Instead of the window and thus the WYllos, cheerful with q scnse of duty done as well as of a good bargain struck, go to their beds The picture presented by this little act is the dualutest blend of Scottish caution, lnattor-of-fact, hluntrosa, canniness and kindlness--from first 10 last, tho most delicate, humorous and whimsical of "Barrielsms"
 Six years have passcd-one over and above the term of the coutract-and John Sherd has got on with ven- geanoe. He has gone in for politics, beginning aR redoubtable heckler-- so redoubtahle that they could only quiet him by giving him a place on the platform From the platform he soon got to the chair and then he did all the talking. He has talked so per suasvely that this very night he has been elected by humping majority member of parliament for one of the divisions of Glasgow. Hare, then, is a Scotsman on the make, and, says Mir Barrie. there are few more im- pressive sights In the world than A Scotsman on the make. Already shand Is talking of his career" al- ready posing as the strong man" But he is honest he will stick to hls com pact with Maggie A bargain Is bar gain Maggie, now head over ears in love with Shand, Is cruelty hurt at that view of the matter. and tears up the contract But Shand will not be re leased in that Quxotlo fashion, and when the crowd come in 10 cheer him he bids them hoIst Maggie 10 the plat furm-the future Mrs. shani alongside their new member.
 \ year or two more, and Shand's "c7reer" is progressing trlumphantly Ba has lost all his old uncouthnessi has made several strong speeches in the house. and Is now one Of the young men 10 he reckonnd with by tho cab lret. IL is not merely the strength in his speeches. it is the Individual turn he gives them. the happy touches that have already come 10 be known Tn tho house aE "Shandlsms, Curiously enough, shand, out of the house Ia nevor heard to talk "shandisms II" hnp. and hoasts that he has. absolutely no serse of humor; has, in fact. never laughed in his life, Tho truth 'S, that hs Is quietly and unohtrusively lnspir- cd and run by his clever little wife. The "shandisms" are hers. Evidently, without her shard would make terri rihle blunders Even now he ia on the point os making one He Is going to ospouse the cause of tho Female suf- frneists, but half-heartedly, resolved to hedge rather than embarrass the government Now tile government for reasons that are neither here nor there-do not want him 10 hedge {. and Masgle. learning this. quietly gives tho draft of her husbands proposed "grent speech an entirely new perora ton Behold then. shand on the higl, road to office, as he thinks Cgood, sin- ple man), on his own merits, but really through the clever little brains of hts wife
 But now comes q sudden and start ling catastrophe. Shand suddenly feels the passion of love, romantic love. and goes mad with the old intoxication of AM for love and the world well lost. The object of his passion, Lady Syhi' r,nzenby, is ready to yield to 't. for she thinks that she is born 70 inspire this "strnng man" to further grea'ness. strangcet thing of all, Maggie does not resist If Lady Sybl can renlly help the man, let hor have him, and she, Maggie, will quietly vanish from hi' llfc But first she must put Lady sybll to the test and so she secretly arranges that Shand and Lady Srhi' shall he thrown together for fort night, while Shand Is preparing 3 great speech which shall make or mar his parliamentary career What she er- pects, or et least hopes. happens Lady sybil finds sho has no power of ln- spiratiOn, and Ghaud's speech submit ted in draft to a cabinet minister, fails 10 give satisfaction. Shend is utterly diseusted and discouraged. Lady sybi loves him, and, somehow. his skill al speech making has deserted him
 Then Maggie comes 10 the rescue
 of course with a speech of her own composition. all brlliance md "Shand' isms." which, without shand's knowl. edge, Is submitted to the cabinet min. ister. It Ia al once hailed as the best thing Shsnd has ever done, and thus it ,s that the "strons man at last learns the truth-th he Is not strong at all in himself, but only strong witl the strength oS his resourceful. cout' ageous, indomiteblc little wife. H' reels under the blow. Even the ironi' l humor of the situation escapes him since, poor man, hc has no sense oi humor. But Maggie iS determined tt endow him even with that. "You sec