The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-09-01

ton. our broad prairies, our great for
ests. our vast mines. would cease to
give forth their wealth.
There was more Of the same sort OF
talk before we broke up. Afterward.
as the thcaters and the opera closed.
men dropped in to hear the news. and
many Of them came up to congratulate
me. Among others old Dround wan
dered into the club in the course of
the evening. and. some one having told
him that l had been elected senator.
he came Up to the corner where I was
standing with group OF men and
lowered around for a time. trying to
get word with me. After awhile I
stepped out and shook hands with
him.
81 am very glad to hear this. Mr.
Harrington" he said slowly. pressing
my hand IN bis trembling fst ~ have
always believed that ou. best men
should take On interest in the govern
ment Of their country"
His eyes had q wandering express
sion. as II he were trying in vain to re-
member something out OF the past. end
he continued to deliver his little
speech. drawing me to one side out OF
hearing Of the men who were standing
there. II thought once to enter public
life myself" he said. but heavy bust
ness responsibilities demanded all my
attention | wonder" he lowered his
voice contidentiaIly. III you will not
find it possible to further the claims Of
my old friend Paxton's son. He desires
to secure a diplomatic post. I have
urged his merits ON the president and
secured assurance of his good will. but
nothing has yet been done. I cannot
understand it."
Err Paxton was dissipated. no &C.
count sort Of fellow. but I assured
Henry l. Dround that I would do my
best for him. That was the least that
the past demanded Of me!
So it went on until past midnight
and the club began to empty. and I
was left with a few friends about me.
When they went I took Slocum up to
my room for a last cigar before bed
We had some private matters to settle
in connection with the election.
you pulled out all right. van." he
said when we were alone. But there
wasn't much margin"
Il trusted Carmichael. knew John
wouldn't 60 back on me-"
We sat and smoked awhile In silence
Now that had picked the plum the
feeling came over me that Slocum
ought to have had 1t. With that idea I
burst out at last:
1--WE been thinking Of one thing all
oil M HhAA Sn hot a
for you when I am senator1 Name
what you want. man. and If it's in my
power to get It it shall be yours. With
out you I'd never have been here, and
that's sure"
II never cared much for politics." he
replied theughtfully. Il guess there
isn't anything l want. which Is more
than most Of your friends can sayr'
''Something In the diplomatic serv.
ice?' l suggested. He shook his head.
How about q federal judgeship:
You can afford to 60 out Of practice?'
Eyes. can afford to go on the
bench" he replied dryly. But it's no
use to talk Of it,
"What do you mean?"
"You ought to know. Van, that that
is one thing that can't be bought in
this cOuntry-not yet. could no more
get an appointment on the federal
bench than you could"
You mean on account Of that old
story? That's outlawed years agor'
You link SO? The public forgets.
but lawyers remember, and so do poll
ticians. The president may make rot
ten appointments anywhere else. but If
he should nominate me for the circuit
bench there would be such q howl go
up all over that he would have to with
draw me. And he knows too much to
try any such proposition"
1t was no use to argue the question.
for the lawyer had evidently been
over the whole matter and knew the
facts.
1T isn't that bribery matter, Van,
alone. I have been hand and glove with
you fellows too long to be above sus-
picion. My record is against me all
through. 1t isn't worth talking about
have had my pay. am a rich man.
richer than I ever expected to be when
put foot in Chicago. have no right
to complain"
But l felt that in spite of all he
said that wasn't enough. Somehow the
money did not make it square for him.
AS the night passed he warmed up
more than I had ever known him to in
all the years we had worked together
and he let me see some way inside
him. remember he said something
like this:
There were three things I promised
myself l would do with my life. That
was back in my senior year at Bow
dom college. 1 was a poor boy, had
borrowed from q relative a few hun
dred dollars to go through college with
and felt the burden Of that debt pretty
hard. Well. Of those three purposes
one was for myself. First promised
myself l would pay back my uncle's
loan. That was a simple matter Of
decency. He was not q rich man, and
his children felt rather sore Mt his let.
ting me have those 5000 to spend on q
college education. managed to do
| that out of what / earned as a law
clerk the first years we were together
| at Ma Persons. The next thing I had
promised myself was to buy back our
| old brick house In the aristocratic part
Of Portland. the house my father had
been Obliged to part with after the