Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1910-02-18

family. and nothing comes ahead or
them. Mother and | may have a jan
gle nov and then; but. after all. we
have peer side partners for a good
many years. And my girl. There amt
a finer educated or Il p~rettier girl in
New York. and she ought to be able to
go anywhere. but she can't in this
town-this cold mans town. Then. of
course. there's Sylvester. l know he
amt as bright as he might be. and I've
spent-well. more than twice your sal
airy trying TO get him through fresh
man year at Harvard. and l couldn't,
but still he's my son. and II he wants
to run around with these other sports.
why not? | can afford it. and | guess.
the kids got to SOW his wild oats any
way. My wife and children ought to
be happy with the money I've got. and.
as | figure it. If | join this Oak Door
club | can help them TO get what they
want. Do you follow me. BRANDY"
"Yes: / understand" sighed Brand.
AT first you took up the side of the
people. and you are continuing ut II.
But you and your family have become
ambitious, or. M least. so far as o
are concerned. you are ambitious for
them. When you begin to associate
Familiarity with rich men as their friend
you'll 500 find yourself playing golf
or billiards with one. drinking whisky
with another, and your son will marry
the daughter Of n third. You viii for
get all about the people. Your paper
will become decadent and feeble. The
circulation will dry up" He paused
for breath and added warningly in
strong tones. THE Advance is now at
its zenith. but its decline begins the
very day that you are elected to the
Oak Door club"
Nolan reached over and seized Brand
by the shoulder.
wheeler. you're a decent sort of a
fellow ! like you and The things
you've made The paper stand for. but
YOU don't know what 1t means to put
people that yuu love on the altar and
cause them suffering for the sake of
these-fhese general principles"
Don't l." exclaimed the young ed
itor. We'll that's exactly what I've
done. | gave up the girl | loved. who
had promised to be my wife. so that |
nssoh4 a1.its 4b~ s"-tht. rtA~
the emotion which his words had
aroused in him Brands voice
faltered as he spoke.
"You did," exclaimed Nolan amazed
". "Well my boy, | don't understand
you. l couldn't do that" he confessed.
Don't think that it was easy for
me to do. I've thought of her every
hour of every day since, but she"-now
his voice wavered-"well, she's forgot
ten. so it doesn't matter. Mr.. Nolan.
do you remember what 1t was that
first brought us together?'
Yes; that story about Judge Bartel-
my. and it was a good one, II you've
followed it up with a lot of good ones
since. Why, Wheeler, there amt a
man In the country that can work up
a series like you can. But, do yeu
know. I'm beginning to think that b
Judge is not all bad. Mind you. I'm
not forgetting old scores, Dut"-he
seated himself-''did you ever think OF
it, perhaps we haven't all the facts OF
that affair? Some things have hap
pened. Are you sure that he's so all
fred wrongY
"Mr. Nolan, the half hasn't been told
about Judge Bartelmy." cried Brand.
well this is getting to be a pretty
serious affair. We cam be TOO sure
about our facts"
"Mr. Nolan. Judge Bartelmy is not
only a dishonest judge. but he seems
to have a destructive influence on
every one near him. He's corrupt and
%corrupting. not only i'll his public but
in his private life"
"Wasn't-wasn't it his daughter that
you we're engaged TOT"
Yes. it was. aud he's using her just
as he did her mother before her."
"You amaze me. What do you
mean?"
Brand took a deep breath.
"Why, he surrounded her mother
with machine politicians and shady
fnanciers and crooked lawyers. He
sent her to the state capital when he
wanted to be senator, but it was i'm
possible; to Washington when he want
ed to be minister to France. and she
rallied. ana again WneD ne wanted 10
be judge. and she succeeded. and when
she found out that he was using his
judicial office to steal and that she had
only been a lobbyist for his rotten
schemes
..Well?'
well. 1t killed her, Mr.. Nolan. and
now he's using his daughter in the
same way. He's filing his house with
corporation jackals like Dupuy. He
sends her here to muzzle you by work
ing on your wife aud daughter. He
hates me. but he would let her marry
me to nave his enemy in the family
and make him silent"
why don't you go to the girl and
tell her?" suggested the newspaper
owner.