The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1908-06-17
1.-The Least
OF These
By LULU JOHNSON.
Copyrighted, 1905, by Associated
Literary Press.

gates changed behind her ard she real
lied that she was actually within the
prison yard. 1t was her first visit to a
penitentiary. and. though she found it
not half so forbidding as she had an
hcipated. the atmosphere sent chill
through her whole girlish figure.
Instead Of rock piles, with convicts
monotonously breaking the stone, here
were flower bordered walks and
swards Of softest green. But for the
high walls and the barred windows she
might we'll have imagined herself in a
municipal park or on million dollar
estate
When she reached the Office her has
ket of delicacies was consigned with
others brought by loyal friends for the
delectation of other convicts, but the
Keeper looked curiously from the tag
on her basket to Betty's face.
"No 1896 hasn't had a visitor since
he came here FIVE weeks ago." COM
nlented the man significantly. Are
you relative?'
NO. said the gir. 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 it. He's
in the hospital"
The warden made sign to 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-boss of the -th district.
was propped up in bed, and at sight OF
Bessie Vynne he smiled radiantly.
Five weeks he had lain there fighting
grimly for the life that he had begun
to think was hardly worth the saving,
for Moreton had indeed been through
the valley of political humiliation
Less than two years before it had re-
CURED two husky men to 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 te
fawn upon the powerful politica
leader.
Moreton had been the boss of hi:
district. ruling with rod Of iron. HI
had controlled the machine through
sheer force of will power.
His enemies both without and with
in the party had fought doggedly t,
break his sway. but the boss ha,
gritted his teeth the harder at eacl
fresh attack and beaten the malcon
tents into submission.
But there had come an end to hi
rule. as to almost all one man control
The opposing party had secured tn
services OF political revivalist. III
the interest of good government" the
had explained. but the whole cit
knew that it. was ruse to rid the dis
trict of its dominating boss. 1t mean
turning the district over to anothe
clique as bad. but less experienced
municipal villainy.
And the political world had sat bac
and watched the warfare with gri,
smiles. Perhaps. after all. the hos
would win again. But in this the
We're wrong. BY mere quip of fat
the wheel spun the other way.
The boss lost, and after loss of powe
: came scandals and lawsuits. The la
ter took most of the fortune he ha
filched from the city, much of whic
/ he had spent on the care of those VIII
needed it more desperately than til
taxpayers from whom he had flched
SO remorselessly. In reality the hos
when the blow fell could have counte
his fortune only in thousands whe
his enemies ran it up to tens of tho,
sands.
When he left the civil court room a
most penniless he found himself fac
to face with criminal charges Stci,
ally he had accepted his sentence 9
Ave years in the penitentiary Stoit
ally he had accepted his desertion b
those who had fawned upon him
prosperity and power. a child Of til
\ streets who had started carrying til
water bucket for the marching clul
he had become a ward heeler, liet
t tenant and finally the boss without til
! aid of family ties or family infuenc,
Stoically he had accepted the decisio
. of the hospital staff. He had an incu
able disease. He probably would nc
live out his sentence.
Yet at sight of Betty Vynne's fac
hic cfoioicyn vopicJ,nJ o,1 ,f+or III