The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1908-03-18
ASir11p|eMan
BY MADELINE LEWIS.
Copyrighted. 1905. by Jessie Morgan.

copyrighted 1906 by Jessie Morgan.
Young Mr.. Trask the lawyer, in.
tended to be a candidate for the legis-
lature in the Fourth district He had
the reputation OF being sharp, keen
and shrewd Many said he was up
to snuff" Others said that he would
see that the interests of the district
were not overlooked Some thought
he ought to have the nomination be-
cause he was just beginning his career,
and this would give him boost The
young man had been in Watervale
only year and as he was only twen-
ty-seven, good looking and bound to
succeed he had made place for him
self In society. He could fatter him.
self that he had made progress in ev-
cry family but one, the Thompson
family.
They called John Thompson Honest
John" That had been his appellation
for years. He was part farmer and
part citizen and not well Off in this
worlds goods, and yet he had repu.
tation that plenty Of men might envy.
His daughter Minnie, an only child,
was neither belle nor q leader Of SO
ciety, but she was fair looking and
possessed of strong character and not
at all the young lady to be captivated
by the personal advantages of the
young Mr.. Trask.
They bad met socially, and she had
not at all been taken with him. On
the other hand, he had been greatly
Impressed. Intuition told him that
he was not in favor. but the opposi-
ton only stimulated him. He had cas-
Ny made friends with the father, but
he found that to win the girls interest
would he far different thing.
For weeks 1t had been foregone
conclusion that Mr. Trask would be
nominated and elected, but when the
convention was finally called it de.
veloped that the ring politicians had
not counted on the farming commune
ty. The men of the pillow had become
tired of the politicians and their tricks
of the promises so freely made and
SO often broken-and when the mo-
ment came they broke away and made
surprising nomination
Honest John" was the nominee He
had never held q political Office in his
life. He was home and at work In
stead of being at the convention. but
his friends pledged him to stand. and
he accepted it. Only one influence de-
cided him in this matter. and that was
the advice of his daughter.
Father she said to him when the
news came, you are not a politician,
and You are not a schemer You can't
make speech, and you won't be heard
of In that body. You are simply a
plain. honest man, and you will go
there to represent others of the same
ilk. 1t is a time when plain, honest
men are wanted at the front. Go there
and do your duty as bost you cam
II wish Lawyer Trask had got it,"
he sighed. HE can make speeches
and mix in with the best of 'em and
come home to be talked of in the pa
pers. shall be only toadstoo on
stump. BY the way, haint he coming
here pretty often?'
Eyes: he calls OCCASIONALLY
IL thought it was little oftener
than occasionally"
If 1t is, he is wasting his time.
Father l don't like Mr.. Trask. He is
100 ambitious TO get ahead. He is so
ambitious that he loses sight of the
scruples that should guide all honest
men. He wanted to 60 to the legisla-
ture simply as means to advance his
own interests
But took him to be young man
of good principles
Politics has no principles, and be
seeks to be politician. There is but
one W tchword with them. and that is
to viii. You will be elected as an hon
est man anQ not as politician
"Oh, shan't do any stealing"
Smiled the father, but I'm think ing
that III feel like cat in strange
garrett up there. I'd a heap rather
they had sent some one else, but III
try 1T for term if you say so Per-
haps there'n be three or four other old
codgers like me to get in with"
There was no question about the
chagrin and disappointment of the
young lawyer over his defeat, but he
dissemblcd fairly well before the girl
when he made his next call. He &C.
knowledged that 1t was something of
setback. but rejoiced that 1t was her
father who had secured the nomina-
ton
Before departing he grew sentimental
and might have made a declaration of
his love if he had not been checked
He must have plainly understood that
he had as yet created no interest but
In his perversity he determined to con
tinue.
The farmer had hardly been settled
In his seat at the state capitol when
Trask appeared He was more than
usually deferential and friendly. He
could and he did give the honest man
many helpful pointers, and it was a
fortnight before the errand that brought