Evening star., 1909-06-13


tor reason beyond his knowing, he went back
now at the end of things to the day IN tha, little
SchoolhouSe which stood out at the beginning
1t was while dreaming back to those days OF
boyhood that his eye fell On three men coming
up the hill He smiled a little III the anticipa-
ton OF the things Francis and the rest would
say about the new Governor arriving foot
Leyman had requested that the inaugural pa
rade be done away with. but they had assumed
that he would at least observe the formality ~
a carriage. Francis would no doubt to It
that the newspapers handled it in il sarcastic
vein grandstani play - the country con-
Stltuents
A Nd then. torgetfu OF Francis unheedrul ~
the approaching ceremony. the old mar,
stood there by the window watching the young
man coming up To take his place How firmly
the new Governor walked With what CONF
denCe he looked ahead at the Old State House
Somehow, inconsistent. almost absurd though
he knew it was. thrill Of genuine pride took
hold of him at the very thought Of the STATE
possessing man like that
Standing though he did ior the things that
pitted against him, down in his innermost
heart John Morrison had cherished i strong
admiration TOR that young man who. as Dis
trlct Attorney Of the State metropolis. han
made for himself u record that the whole coun-
try accepted almost unique in its fearless
ness and absolute sincerity. Many day he sat
there in that selfsame office reading what the
young District Attorney was doing IN the grea-
city close at hand.-of the supreme fight he
making almost single handed against corrup-
ton of how he was striking IN the high places
as hard and as fast in the low. OF the oppos,-
ton, the threats,-and time after time tha-
same thrill had laid hold of the old Governor a.
the thought of It all
And when the people. Dt the State. convinced
at last that here a who betrlendei
them. had begun urging the District Attorney
for chief executive. Governor Morrison, pittei
against the opposing interests dong all Ne
could to bring about Leyman defeat. had nel
erthelesS been conscious time and time again -
those thrills of admiration the Young mar.
unbacked by any organization struck blow
after blow at the machine that long DOM
mated the State winning IN the end that almo~-
incomprehensible victory.
The new Governor had passed from sight
now. and only minute later his voice was car
ried to the ear OF the lonely man in the exec,.-
tive office. Some friend had stopped HIM IN the
corridor lust OUTSIDE the Governor office witt.
half laughing Here's hoping you may IL
half a. much for us in the office a. YOU ye
done in the old'' And the Governor ha
replied not arrogantlv. but with quiet force
charac teristic of him. " Thank you II Is ny
intention to do a great deal more.
THE Governor smiled little anu then with
a heavy sigh sat down before the desk. The
clock now pointed to thirteen minutes ~
twelve. And he knew they would be asking to-
him up stairs. There were some scraps of pa
per his desk. and he threw them into the
basket. " | can at least give him i clean desk
he found himself saying
He pushed his chair sharply back, two rel
spots burning slowly into his face \ clea,l
desk The words had struck al him with deepe-
meaning In a way he could not understand
with force that all but staggered him had
come slowly the question Why not clean II ".
IN earnest Why not give him square deal,
Why not-slgn the contracts.
He looked again at the clock.-Tot Vet ten
minutes Of twelve For ten minutes more tlr
was Governor ot the State Ten minutes d
real governorship' Might II not make up !.
little both to his soul ami 10 the world Tor
the wears he had weakly served a. anothe-
mans puppet The consciousness that ne
could do it. that It was not within the power y
anv man to stop him. fairly Intoxicating
Why not break the chains at the last ami
lust before the end know something Of the 10Y ..
freedom The red spots III his cheeks
deepening his breath was coming fast
He took up his pen and reached for the
inkwell With trembling excited fingers he
folded the contracts He dipped his pen int
the ink he even brought II down on the paper;
and then-then the tension broke his face be-
frightened broken old man. " No" he NUT
tered oh. no II would only De the weakest
thing OF all No. I'm done I'm through
It's his head sank lower and lower till i
rested on the desk, and through the room there
sounded the whispered. too late
When he raised his head and grew more
steady, II was only to the logic Of his con-
illusions He had not the right in the tina.