The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1910-03-05
CHAPTER VIII,
The Labors of Mr.. Ardn,ore.

~
Dangerfield to appear Mr.. Thomas
Ardmore read for the first time the
constitution Of the United States. He
had reached the governors Office
early, and, seeking diversion. he had
picked up small volume that bore
some outward resemblance to noval.
This proved. however to be John
ston's American Politics." and he
was amazed to find that this diminu-
tive work contained the answers to a
great many questions which had often
perplexed him, but which he had
imagined could not he answered ex-
cept by statemen or by men like his
friend Griswold, who spent their lives
in study.
He made note Of several matters
he wished to ask Griswold about when
they met again: then turned back
into the body Of the text and had read
as far as Burr's conspiracy when .Jer-
ry came breezily in. He experienced
for the first time in his life that
obsesson of guilt which sinks in
shame the office boy who is caught
reading dime noval Jerry seemed
to tower above him like an avenging
angel, and though her sword was only
paraso, her words cut deep enough.
We'll, you are taking 1t pretty
COOL"
Taking WHAT" fal,ered Ardmore,
standing up, and seeking to hide the
book behind his back
Why, this outrageous article" and
she thrust newspaper under his
eyes. do you mean to say you
haven't seen the morning paper"
ITO tell you the truth. Miss Danger
f'cld. hardly ever read the papers,"
whats that you were reading
when I came in?" she demanded Sc
vercly. withholding the paper until
she should be answered.
ITS book about the government,
and the powers reserved to the states
and that sort Of thing. was Just
reading the constitution: 7 thought it
might help ns--I mean youth your
work"
THE constitution help me? Hasn't
II occurred TO you before this that
what I'm doing is all against the con-
stitution and the revised statutes and
all those books you see on the shelf
there?'
"l'ut the constitution sounds all
right. 1t seems remarkably reason
able. You couldn't ask anything fair
er than that"
80 are the ten commandments fair
enough: but you're on the wrong
track, Mr.. Ardmore, If you're trying
to support the present administration
with stupid things in books. don't
follow precedents. MIR. Ardmore;
create them"
She turned to the morning mail
while he read. and opened the
envelopes rapidly. Such of the letters
ms she thought interesting or impor.
tant she put aside, and when Ardmore
finished reading double-leaded tele.
gram from Columbia. in which the
governor Of South Carolina was quot.
ed as declaring his intention of taking
immediate steps for the apprehension
Of AppleWeight, she was still reading
and sorting letters, tapping her cheek
lightly meanwhile with the official
paper-knife.
Here, Mr.. Ardmore.' rhc -~''
drawing paper from her pocket, "is
the answer to tina. telegram we sent
yesterday evening. Suppose you read
that next and we can then decide
what to do"
She was making the letters into lit.
tie piles humming softly meanwhile:
but he felt that there was storm
brewing. He read the message from
Columbia a number of times and II
the acting governor had not been 40
ominonsly quiet he would have laugh
ed at the terse sentences.
There must be a mistake about
this He wouldn't have used divert.
ing that way; that's insulting"
so you appreciate it's significance,
do you. Mr.. Ardmore? The iron en-
tiers your soul, does It? You realize
that have been insulted. do you?"
~ shouldn't put it that way Miss
Dangerfeld. Gov Osborne would
never have sent message like that
to you-he thought he was sending it
to your father"
Hes insulted me and every other
S'l'LC'I III Liz oIu ANOIlu oldLC, LudC
who he's insulted. Mr.. Ardmore Let
me read it again." and she repeated
the telegram aloud:
Your extremely diverting tele-
gram in Appleweight case received
and fled I think it's the extremely
that's so perfectly mean. The divert
ing by itself would not hurt my feel
ings half SO much. He's a good deal
smarter man than thought he was
to think up telegram like that. But
what do you think of that piece in the
newspaper" &
"lIe says he's going to catch Apple
weight dead or alive. That sounds y
pretty serious"
II think it's hun, myself That
telegram we sent him yesterday must
have scared him to death. He was
driven into corner and had to do
something to avoid being disgraced.
and it's easy enough to talk big in the n
~ xrIo1