The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1908-04-21

By MADELINE LEWIS.
Copyrighted, 1908. by Jessie Morgan.
BY MADELINE LEWIS.

@@~~~-
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 a year, and as he was only TWEEN
ty-seven, good looking and bound to
succeed he had made a 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 of in this
worlds goods, and yet he had a repu-
| tation that plenty of men might envy.
His daughter Minnie, an only child,
was neither belle nor a 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 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 it had been a 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 communi-
ty. 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 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 politician,
and you are not 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 VIII go
there to represent others Of the same
Xix. 1t is a time when plain, honest
men are wanted at the front. Go there
and do your duty as best you can"
IT 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 toadstool on
stump BY the way, hain't he coming
here pretty often?"
"Yes; he calls occasionally"
81 thought it was little oftener
than occasionally"
"If it is, he is wasting his time.
Father, / don't like Mr.. Trask. He Is
too ambitious to get ahead. He Is so
ambitious that he loses sight Of the
scruples that should guide all honest
men, He wanted to go to the legisla-
| ture simply as a means to advance his
own interests"
"But / took him to be a young man
Of good principles"
''Politics has no principles, and he
seeks to be politician. There Is but
one watchword with them, and that is
to win You will be elected as an hon
est man and not as politician"
"Oh, l shan't do any stealing"
smiled the father, "but I'm thinking
| that I'll feel like a cat in a strange
garrett up there. I'd a heap rather
| they had sent some one else, but III
| try it for a term If you sag so. Per
haps there'n be three or four other old
dodgers like me to get In with"
There was no question about the
chagrin and disappointment OF the
young lawyer over his defeat, but he
dissembled fairly well before the girl
when he made his next call. he ac-
knowledged that 1t was something Of
a setback, but rejeiced that 1t was her
father who had secured the nomina-
| ton.
Before departing he grew sentimental
and might have made 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
him there was stated. He was lob
byist for a certain corporation which
wanted an old railroad charter re-
newed.
Honest John" had read and heard
something about that charter. He had
never fairly got to the right or wrong
of it, but when the lawyer came to
talk with him about it and endeavor
to enlist his aid John Thompson gave
no pledge. Trask was promised that
the question should be looked into. and
If 1t could be conscientiously done he
should receive the farmers aid.
1t looked easy for man who was
''up to stuff" to handle this old farm
or. He handled others, and then sent
them to Thompson to argue and dis
cuss and win him over. Money and
promises were freely used, and there
came a time when the lobbyist couIo
at least figure on an even vote In the
house.
"Honest John" still stuck out. he
hadn't the acumen to discover Wnere
the colored gentleman was hidden, but
he had a feeling that he was there IN
the wood pile somewhere, and he would
not commit himself
It was then that the lawyer dropped
argument for the more powerful weap-
on. He knew the financial condition
of the farmer. He doubted If the man
had ever had thousand dollars In his
hand. Though rated as honest" there
was a doubt as to whether he could
stand mptation-legislative tempta-
ton.
One night he paid Thompson a visit
in his room and went over the whole
matter with him, putting everything
in a most favorable light, and when he
went away he left thousand dollars
in crisp greenbacks on the bureau.
That was double the price he had paid
others, but he had reasons for increas-
ing the bride. The money was found
after he left, and next day the old
4 farmer came to him to restore it.
at must have been left by some
other caller was the reply, prob
ably by some one who was in there