The Topeka state journal., 1908-04-09
THE EVENING STORY
Tho standard Syndicate.
(By Annie Hinrichsen.)


Mr.. Harringford wears broad
and dresses almost as we'll as II he had
a good tailor. He wears his hair Ia |
Samson before he met Delilah. Win
out it he couldn't make speech. IN
solemn pauses he sweeps 1t on his mo-
BILE brow. In frenxied moments ne
clutches it wildly. and nery eloquence
results. The distinguished young south
ern congressman has struck happy
medium between q sophomore ana
Fourth OF July orator. He has the pro-
fundity, the all-wise, know-it-all or the
college student and the cheap W.T.,
state stories. I-work-to-please-the-
public manner of the Independence day
speaker
Mr.. Harringford read the article sew
eral times. He was accustomed 70
reading about himself, but In TINS
sketch was a personal ridicule wnlcn
been cut from a provincial paper py
clipping bureau. 1t was not. signed,
but under the heading, 'News from
Washington" were the words, copy
right by the Standard Syndicate"
That night Mr.. Harringford v1siteo
a barber and was properly shorn. A
facetious young man intimated that
Samson had met Delilah, and oaltie
followed. The facetious young man
was badly beaten and the hot-tempereu
congressman somewhat disfigured.
The bureau sent another clipping
from the Standard Syndicate's News
Washington.
"Mr. Harringford refuses to discuss
| his black eye, but a story is being told
concerning the cause OF it. There are
several aspirants for Mr. Harringfords $
seat in congress and he is making
strenuous efforts to strengthen hlmseu
| with the leaders Of his party in his dis
trict, many OF whom are old conIed-
crate soldiers At the Army and Navy
club few days ago, Mr.. HarrlngIoru
confided to an ex-confederate coionei
| his intention of introducing piA pen
sioning the soldiers who fought unoer
Jefferson Davis. The ex-confederate
colonel resented Mr.. Harringford's pro-
posed legislation as an insult to the
south and proceeded to avenge the
| honor of his lost cause. Mr. Harrlng-
fort's friends regret that IN MS eager
ness to make a grandstand play he has
shown SO little political shrewdness
| The congressman swore picturesque
| ly and called his secretary
"Smith." he tfundered, wire the edi-
tor Of that paper for the address OF the
Standard Syndicate and the name OF
the person who writes the No"s AioAiA
| Washington"
| The EDITORS reply came. STANDARD
Syndicate. Washington, D. c., HI. w.
Carleton. president. Don't know who
writes News from Washington
| The city directory did not contain
the name Of the Standard Synolcate
nor of H. w. Carleton, and at the post
OFFICE the clerks did not know the ad-
dress The mail for the syndicate was
nIaced in a lock box. The clerks did
not know who called for it,
! One morning the congressman reaa
| in the "News from Washington MI.
Harringford is a most chivalrous gem
tIeman. 1t is said that he has promised
his fair constituents to introduce ana
secure the passage of a bill providing
| for the free distribution Of hairpins
land violet perfume. Will such meas
ure tend to curtai1 our supply OF Tree
| Igovernnient seeds? If so, we should
Five the matter serious consideration.
A new issue may confront us and re-
suit in the formation OF two new par
ties: the hairpin perfume party and the
/ seed party. We call the attention OF
statesmen and thinkers to this pro-
posed bill Of Mr.. Harringford's."
AZ the wrathful congressman finished
| the article his secretary entered the
sT've found the Standard Syndicate"
he announced triumphantly. TRACK
/ ed them down at last"
Mr.. Harringford picked up riding
whip.
.swhere are they?"
i 'Tn the Cairo"
'.Who are they?"
"I don't know A girl-a sumner
came out of the postoffice as l was
nassirg and walked up the street ahead
~ me she had a handful Of letters
and one of them dropped, address up.
on the sidewalk. I picked it UP and
the address was, The Standard Syndi-
cate
II followed her and she went to the
Cairo. The elevator boy told me her
name was Carleton and gave me the
number of her suite. She's probably
the daughter or sister of H. w. CarIe-
ton. The elevator boy didn't know
anything about him..
Mr. Harringford went to the Cairo.
| From the elevator he walked rapidly
| down the corridor to the door of the
i Carleton suite He pressed the electric
/ button and took a tighter grip on his
% Tne door opened and girl in street
dress stood before him.
'sMiss Carleton?
"Yes."
/ "Is Mr.. Carleton in?"
/ She looked puzzled.
/ .Mr. Carleton ?. she asked; lss;a.n+ .,
the Standard Syndicate.
mo, he's not In M
"Where Is he?'
"I don't know.
s'Is he out of the city,
| "Who manages the Standard syndi-
cate in his absence?"
She shook her head.
.Can YOU tell me anything about
the company"
sThere is nothing to tell"
/ ssWho is their washington cor
respondent" ?" -
hand and laughed.
ssTf YOU will come when Mr.. Carle-
ton Is In" she said, "he will tell you
all you wish to know"
The friendliness in her voice dis
/ PEELED his irritation
ssWhen will he be here? he asked.
she hesitated moment. "His hab-
its are irregular. He may be here