Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-02-24

Young Mr.. Trask, the lawyer, In
tended to be 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 TWEEN
| ty-seven, good looking and bound to
succeed he had made place for him
self in society. He could f1atter 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.
|
ciety, but she was fair looking and
possessed of strong character and not
at all the young lady to be captiyated
| by the personal advantages of the
young Mr.. Trask.
They had 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-
lily made friends with the father, but
he found that to win the girls interest
would be far different thing.
For weeks 1t had been foregone
conclusion that Mr.. Trask would he
nominated and elected, but when the
convention was finally called it de-
velOped that the ring politicians had
not counted on the farming communi-
~. The men of the plow 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
a surprising nomination.
Honest John" was the nominee. He
had never held a 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 1t. 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 q Schemer You can't
make a 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 best you can"
81 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. l shall be only a toadstool on q
stump. BY the way, hain't he coming
here pretty oftenF'
Eyes; he calls occasionally
81 thought it was a little ofteneI
than occasionally"
IF it is, he is wasting his time
Father, l don't like Mr.. Trask. lie is
too ambitious to get ahead. He is sc
ambitious that he loses sight of the
, scruples that should guide all honest
: men. He wanted TO go to the legiSla
ture simply as 4 means to advance his
own interests"
"But l took him to be young mar
! of good principles"
Politics has no principles, and ht
seeks to be Il politician. There is bu
one watchword with them. and that i:
to win. You will be elected as an hon
= est man and not as a politician"
: "Oh, l shan't do any stealing
smiled the father, but I'm thinking
that I'll feel like a cat in strang,
: garnet up there. I'd a heap rathe
2 they had sent some one else, but IL
x try it for a term if you say so. Per
8 haps there'll be three or four other OLE
3 dodgers like me to get in with"
8 There was no question about tn
3 chagrin and disappointment of tn
8 young lawyer over his defeat. but b
3 dissemblcd fairly well before the gil
8 when he made his next call. He &C
< knowledged that it was something o
8 setback, but rejoced that it was he
\ father who had secured the nomina
8 ton.
x Before departing he grew sentiments
G and might have made declaration o
x his love if he had not been checked
G He must have plainly understood tina
4 he had as yet created no interest. bu
G In his perversity he determined to cor
X tinue.
9 The farmer had hardly been settle
y In his seat at the state capitol whe
9 Trask appeared. He was more tina
y usually deferential and friendly. II
8 could and he did give the honest ma
x many helpful pointers, and it was
8 fortnight before the errand that brough
x him there was stated. He was lol
6 byist for certain corporation while
x wanted an old railroad charter II
g newed.,
z Honest John" had read and hear
q something about that charter. He ha