Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1909-02-12

newspaper men. he had the secret feel.
ing that he was cut out TO be a great
politician.
sure. it's great game, as n game"
agreed llaincs. $50 Is bridge. and stud
poker. rGd three card monte. and dim
fam generally. Take this new man
LanG,nr. for instance. Chosen by Ste
,eus he'll probably be perfectly obedi
ent. perfectly easy going. perfectly
blind and-perfectly useless What's
wanted now Is tn get the work done,
not play the game"
Thoroughly cynic through hi.
years OF experience ~ newspaper
man. which had shown tie inside
workings of many important phases
OF the seemingly conventional life Of
this complex world. Cullen pretended
unbounded enthusiasm
Hear! Hear" he shouted. IAN you
earnest citizens come vote for Re
former Haines. I'm for you. Bud
What do ! get In your cabinet? I've
Joined the reformers. too, and. like all
of them. me for PURITY as long
as she gives me q meal. ticket"
But not even Cullen could make
Haines consider his views on the
necessity of political regeneration to
be ridiculous. His optimism could not
be snulfed out. for he was a genuine
believer that the natural tendency Of
humankind was To do right. Wrong
be believed 10 be the outcome OF un.
natural causes This quality. com.
bined with his practical knowledge OF
the world and his courage, made him =
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 10 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 he honest. attend TO
their business. forget politics. The
country sends them here TO work, and
If they do the work the people really
don't care a hang what party they be-
long to"
Come out of II. Bud. Your brain Is
wabbly," ynwmed Cullen YEARLY. III
buy u drink if ynu'll quiet down. Let's
be comfortable till this fellow Lang.
don appears" He caught his friend
by the arm aud in spite of protest
dragged him of TO the cafe just as
young langdou and Congressman Nor.
ton cane down through the lobby.
Though but few years older than
Randolph .I.anGdon, Charles Norton
bad long exercised strong influence
over him because OF his wider expert.
ence IN the worlds affairs. Like his
father. young I.angdon had stayed
close to the plantation most OF his
life. particularly after leaving school,
devotin- his attention to studying the
business OF conducting the family's
big estate. Norton brought him the
he yearned to see even as did his sis.
ter Carolina. and he initiated Norton's
manners, his dress and mode OF
speech. The congressmans habit Of
confdirg In Randolph. subtle com.
pliment. was deeply appreciated by
the lad. who unconsc!ously 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
hn -
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 q
frenzy. Seeing evidences OF Senator
Stevens vast influence he did not hes
itate to seek n close relationship with
him, and the senator was clever
enough TO lead Norton to consider him
his friend.
At the start of his political career
Norton had higher ideas Of honor than
guided his actions now that he had
become 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.
itnl TO be the sacred heritage of the
nation which must be protected at any
cost. The acceptance Of retainer
from the c. St. and r. Railroad com.
pany for wholly unnecessary services
In Washington-only another way Of
buying mana transaction arranged
by Senator Stevens, was but another
stage In the disintegration of the
young congressman's character, but 1t
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