Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1909-04-17

be snuffed out, for he was a genuine
believer that the natural tendency Of
humankind was to do right. Wrong
\ he believed to be the outcome of I'M
natural causes. This quality, com
bined with his practical knowledge Of
the world and his courage. made him a
/ formidable man, one who would one
day accomplish big things-if he got
! the chance.
you know you can't shut me up,
Dick" was his response to Cullen's
/ oratorical flight I'm going to have
my say. | don't see why a senator
! shouldn't be honest. All want them
! to do is to play new game. Let 'em
! at least seem to be honest, attend to
/ their business, forget politics. The
country sends them here to work, and
! il they do the work the people really
don't care hang what party they be-
! long to-"
Come out of 1t, Bud. Your brain is
wabbly," yawned Cullen YEARLY. I'm
buy drink if you'll quiet down. Let's
! be comfortable till this fellow Lang
! don appears" He caught his friend
! by the arm and In spite of protest
dragged him off to the cafe just as
young Langdon and Congressman Nor
ton came down through the lobby.
Though but few years older than
Randolph Langdon, Charles Norton
had long exercised strong influence
over him because of his wider expert
ence in the worlds affairs. Like his
| father. young Langdon had stayed
close to the plantation most of his
| life, particularly after leaving school,
| devoting his attention to studying the
| business of conducting the family's
! big estate. Norton brought him the
| atmosphere Of the big outside world
| he yearned to see even as did his sis
| ter Carolina, and he initiated Nortons
manners, his dress and mode of
| speech. The congressman's habit of
| confiding in Randolph, a subtle COM
pliment was deeply appreciated by
| the lad, who unconsciously became a
continual advertiser of Norton's many
virtues to Carolina and to his father.
all of which the congressman knew.
That Norton's political career was
the outcome of Carolina Langdon's
| ambition to shine in gay society was
known to his friends as well as his
family and his desire to win her and
place her where she could satisfy ev-
| cry within had developed almost to a
I frenzy. Seeing evidences of Senator
Stevens vast influence he did not hes
itate to seek a close relationship with
him, and the senator was clever
enough to lead Norton to consider BIN
his friend.
At the start Of his political career
Norton had higher ideas of honor than
guided his actions now that he had
become a part of the political ma
chine that controlled his native state
of Mississippi and Of the bipartisan
combination that dominated both
houses of congress in the interest of
the great railway and Industrial cor
porations. Senator Stevens and other
powers had so distorted Norton's view
OF the difference between public and
private interests and their respective
rights that he had come to believe cap
ital to be the sacred heritage of the
nation which must be protected at any
cost The acceptance of a retainer
from the c. st. and z. Railroad com
pany for wholly unnecessary services
in Washington-only another way of
buying a mana transaction arranged
by Senator Stevens. was but another
stage in the disintegration of the
young congressman's character, but it
brought him just that much closer to
the point where he could claim Caro-
lima Langdon as his own. And oppor
tunity does not knock twice at a mans
door-unless he is at the head of the
machine.
Norton. the persevering young law
student who loved the girl who had
| been his boyhood playmate, was now
Norton who coveted her fathers lands,
who boosted that he was on the Gin
side" in Washington, who was on the
way to fortune-if the new senator
from Mississippi would or could be
forced to stand in favor of the Alta
coola naval base.
His conversation with Randolph
Langdon as Haines and Cullen saw
them pass through the hotel lobby IL
Illustrated the nature Of the Norton of
the present and his interest in the AL
tacoola scheme.
There's no reason why you shouldn' I
come in on the ground floor in this
proposition. Randolph" he Was urging
in continuance of the conversation be-
gun over table in the cafe. mo rea-
son why you shouldn't do it, my boy.
Why, are you still child, or are you
really a man? You have now drafts
| for $4,000. haven't your"
YEAH" agreed Langdon, chagrined
| at Norton's insinuation Of youthfulness
| and anxious to prove that he was real
| " a man of affairs, 1--WE got the fifty
| thousand, Charlie, but-but, you see,
/ that's the money for improvements on
the plantation. AS father has put me
in as manager | want to make a show
ing"
| avon cant make IL until spring -