The Irish standard., 1910-05-21

It Was the Young Girl Grown Into
Superb Womanhood.
had always loved her. He had gone
through the various phases: the boy,
the difadent youth, the man. USUALLY
it takes three women to bring about
these changesD There was nothing
wild or incoherent in his love, nothing
violent or passionate; rather the Sc
rene light, the steady burning light,
that guides the ships at sea; constant,
enduring, sure beacon. $50, -. s.
AS he studied the face from all
angles his jaws hardened. He, lifted
his chin defiantly. He had the right
to love her; he had lived clearly, he
had dealt Justly to both his friends
and his enemies, he owed no man, he
was bound only to his mother, who
had taught him the principles of man.
ly living. He had the right to love
any woman in the world. go. And
there was Williard-handsome, easy
going old Dick! Why was it written
that their paths must cross in every
thing? Yes, Dick loved her, too, but
with an affection that had come only
with majority Willard had every
thing to offer besides: Should he step
down and aside for his friend? Did
friendship demand such sacrifice?
No! Let Willard fight for her as he
(Newcomb) intended to fight for her;
and If Willard won, there would be
time then to surrender.
It was almost twelve when the
scrub-woman aroused him from his
reveries. He closed his desk and
went home, his heart full of battle.
He would put up the best fight that
was in him, for love and for fame;
and If he lost he would still have his
manhood and self-respect, which any
woman might be proud to find at her
feet, to accept or Decline. He would
go into Murphy's own country and
fight him openly and without secret
weapons. s,.i-
So the time went forward. The
second Tuesday in November was but
a fortnight off, Newcomb fought
every inch of ground. He depended
but little, If any, upon McDermott's as.
sistance, though that gentleman came
CALAMITY to his rescue, as it was noe
essary to save his own scalp 1t crept
into the papers that there was a rup-
ture between Murphy and the Demo.
cratic candidate. The opposition pa
pers cried in glee; the others re.
NAMED silent. Murphy said nothing
when questioned; he simply smiled.
Newcomb won the respect of his op-
ponents. The laboring classes saw in
him Moses, and they hailed him
with cheers whenever they saw him.
There were many laughable cpl
sodes during the heat Of the cam.
paign;; but Newcomb knew how and
when to laugh. He answered ques-
tons from the platform, and the ILL
hammered were invariably put to rout
hoisted him on top of bar in an OBJ
scure saloon, His shoulders touched
the gloomy. ceiling, and he was forced
to address the habitues, with his head
bent like turtles, his nose and eyes
offended by the heat and reek of kero-
sene and cheap tobacco. They had
brought him there to. bait him; they
carried him out on their shoulders. To
those who wanted facts he gave facts;
to some. he told humorous stories,
more or less applicable; and to others
he spoke his sincere convictions.
Meantime Willard took hold OF af-
fairs, but In q bored fashion. He did
the: best he knew how, but it wasn't
the best that wins. high place In the
affections of the people.
The betting was even. -:
Election day came round finally
one of those rare days when the pallid
ghost Of summer returns to view her
past victories, when the broad wings
of the west 60 a-winnowing the skies,
and the sun shines warm and grateful.
On that morning a change took place
in Newcomb's heart He became filled
with dread. After leaving the voting
polls early in the morning, he returned
to his home and refused to see any
one. He even had the telephone wires
cut. Only his mother saw him, and
lowered about him with q thousand
kindly attentions. At the door she
became q veritable dragon: not even