Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1909-03-05
~ yg TgD FROM MISSISSIPPI
BY THOMAS A. WISE ~
Ncvelized from tho play by Frederick RToOmbs

III schemer hesitated, and the sem
ator broke in on him In rage.
Speak out. mani Tell the truth, IL
you car"
81 did," admitted the congressman
finally.
WAS there any particular reason for
your not telling the truth? 2" demanded
the Mississippian in threatening tone.
81 told the TRUTH replied Norton.
you are interested In them"
For an instant Icngdon seemed
about to step toward lin, then he con-
trolled himself.
81 didn't know It," he said
"You have several things to learn,
senator" declared the congressman.
ST have things to learn and things
to teach" he said. .'But go on. Why
am / Interested"
you are interested, senator" replied
the trickster, making his big play,
through your son Randolph. who In
vested $4,000 of your money In Alta
coola, and also through your daugh-
ter, Miss Carolina, who, acting on my
advice, has put her own money-$25,-
000-in Altacoola land Also"
For a moment Langdon was speech
less. 1t was too much at first for the
honest old southerner to comprehend.
"You mean," he gasped at last, that
you induced a boy to put $4,000 In
Altacoola land when you knew I had
to vote on the bill? And you ven
let my daughter put her money in the
same scheme?"
aanA A..,. 4 141 IL xvo. , c.1aaI46
chance. and l let your o In for
friendship and your daughter because
she has done me the honor to promise
to become my wife,"
"Whatl You have my daughters
promise to marry you, you
"She admits 1t herself"
"Then l reckon here's where l lose
a prospective son-in-law,' sneered
Langdon. "But that's unimportant.
Now, Norton, who's behind your
al must decline to answer that"
Langdon looked at him sternly.
Every WE'LL" he said. "You are too
small to count. I'll find out for myself.
Now you go to my study and wait
there until l send for you. l must be
alone with my children"
fFnGn MUTUAL anu 4ldAAASb huo ACAt
them, Langdon turned sadly to the two
children who had disgraced him.
"Can you understand? ?" be said. "Do
you know what you've done to meT
"What, father7 We've lone nothing
wrongT' protested Carolina.
"They told me it was perfectly legiti-
mate,' urged Randolph. sThey said
everybody-Peahody and Stevens and
the rest-were In 1t, and Peabody Is the
boss of the senate"
eyes, nay boy" assented the old
planter, ''he's the leader IN the senate,
and that's the shameful part of all this
that a man of his high standing
should set you so miserable an exam
pie"
Randolph Langdon was not a vicious
lad, not a youth who preferred or chose
wrongdoing for the increased rewards
IL offered. He was at heart a chival-
rous. straightforward, trustful SOUTH
ern boy who believed In the splendid
traditions of his family and loved his
father as a son should a parent having
the qualities of the old hero of Craw-
louisville. Jealous of his honor, he had
been a victim of Norton's wiles because
of the congressman's position and pur-
s~uasiveness, because this companion of
his young days had won his confidence
and had not hesitated to distort the
lads idea of what was right and what
was wrong.
Randolph began an indignant protest
against his fathers reproof when b
senator cut him short.
"Don't you seer" said the senator.
81 can understand there being rascals
In the outside world and that they
should believe your careless, foolish
old father lawful game, but that he
should be thought a tool for dishonest
thieving by members of his own fam
lily is incomprehensible.
Randolph, my son Carolina, my
daughter, through ~. their generations
the Langdons have been honorable.
Your mother was a Randolph, and this
from you! Oh, Cardinal And, you.
Randolph How could you? How
could you betray or seek to betray your
father, who sees in you the image of
your dear mother, who has gomez"
NIT DTLFD w