Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-06-15


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
ticipated, 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 well have imagined herself in a
municipal park or on million dollar
estate.
When she reached the Office her bas
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.
mo. II, S06 hasn't had visitor since
he came here five weeks ago." conf
mented the man significantly. "Are
you relatiye?'
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 it. He's
in the hospital"
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-
| quired 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 to
| fawn upon the powerful political
| leader.
Moreton had been the boss of his
district. ruling with 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 tC
break his sway. but the boss had
gritted his teeth the harder at eacf
fresh attack and beaten the malcon
tents into submission.
L Er,f fboro bod parpo pnd his
rule. as to almost all one man control
The opposing party had secured the
services OF political revivalist. ''II
the interest of good government" the!
had explained, but the whole city
knew that it was ruse to rid the dis
trict of it's dominating boss. 1t mean
turning the district over to another
clique as bad, but less experienced IL
municipal villainy.
And the political world had sat bael
and watched the warfare with grin
smiles. Perhaps. after all. the hos
would win again. But in this the.
were 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 lat
ter took most of the fortune he ha,
flched from the city, much of which
he had spent ON the care Of those VIII
needed 1t more desperately than tn
taxpayers from whom he had filched
SO remorseiessly. In reality the bos
when the blow fell could have, counte,
his fortune only In thousands whe
his enemies ran it up to tens Of thou
sands.
When he left the civil court room a
most penniless he found himself fac
to face with criminal charges. zStci,
ally he had accepted his sentence o
Eve years in the penitentiary. Stoit
ally he had accepted his desertion b
those who had fawned upon him
Drosnerity and power A child Of th
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