The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1911-05-25
HALF A ROGUE
By HAROLD MAC GRATH
Author of The Man OF the Box, The Puppet Crown, Hearts I'M Masks. Etc
Copyright Bobbsaerrin Co. Indianapolis.
BY HAROLD MAC "A

Good morning. How goes the fight
Fine; my boy; I'll LAND you there
next week; o see if | don't. The
main obstacle is the curious attitude
of the press. You and / know the rea-
son well enough. McQuade is back Of
this influence. But the voter doesn't
know this, and will accept the surface
indications only. Now you know the
newspaper fellows. Why not drop
around to the offices and find out
something definite q
ITS a good idea, senator. I'll do 1t
this very morning"
Has McQuade amy personal grudge
against you?"
Not to my knowledge"
Hes a bad enemy, and often a
downright INSCRIPTIONS one. III it's
only politics, I'll have a chat with him
lnyseit. You pump the newspapers.
You leave 1t to me to swing the boys
into line at the convention"
Inc republican machine was in sore
STRAITS. LII Donnelly won his time. it
would mean years of democratic rule in
an essentially republican town. Nc
Quade must be broken, his strong bar
ricades toppled; and now that there
would be no surprise for the public.
the majority of the delegates began to
look doubtfully upon what they called
tne senator's coup. They wanted the
city nan, n they did not care how
trey got there. Warrington was a fine
chap and all that, but his acquaint-
anceship was limited. He could not go
ABOUT shaking hands like Donnelly,
wllo knew everybody, high and low.
me laporlng man Knew nothing about
warrington save that he was famous
Tor writing plays they had not seen.
nor would have understood IL they had.
warrington was a swell" he had
nothlng IN common with the man who
carried the dinner pail.
And there the matter stands, my
poy, concluded the senator, shifting
ms cigar from one corner of his mouth
10 the other. IF [ can swing the con
Ventlon the rest will be plain sailing
once you start speech-making. oh,
McQuade is clever. He knew that by
exposing my hand he would lessen
But you tackle the
newspapers and see what can be done.
AND good luck to you
McQuade came down early that
morning. The first thing he did was to
can on the editor of the Times.
Here's something" he said. tossing
a Few typewriter pages on the edi-
tors desk. "This1l settle Warning
tors hash, Walford."
What Is it?" asked Walford.
'Read 1T and see for yourself" Nc
Quade sat down n picked up the
Sdiiy new YORK papers,,
Waiford read slowly. When he
eached the last paragraph he returned
10 the hrst and read the article through
again. He laid it down and faced his
employer.
Mr.. McQuade, the Call and the
M are the only papers In town
That a dividends. The Times as IT
stands today is a good, legitimate
business Investment. Do YOU want the
circulation to drop 10000 and the big
adNertlsefs to cancel their
What's the matter with the story
Isn't it all right"
Frankly, it Isn't"
It's true said McQuade. his fist
on the desk; its true, / tell
YOU, every damned word of it.p
Tire truth of it isn't the Question.
It's the ACCESSIBILITY of publishing it.
!. sag 10 you tina II you insist on this
stofys publication, you'll kill the Times
aeader than a doer-nail. I'll call the
BUSINESS manager in Walford whis-
.isa tiroush u tube, and shortly after
business manager ..Pead
said Walford briefly. s.and give
Mr. McQuade your honest opinion re-
garding its publication. Mr.. McOuade
lhlnks II ought to run as local news"
Inc business manager read it.
Y makes good reading, Mr.. Nc
Quade. but II you want to XIII the
Zines run It. There are some stories
can only be rumored. not print
ed. and this is one of them. Ii this
appears. you have my word that every
decent advertiser will Cancel his con-
tract forthwith
Walford looked at his EMPLOYER in
rank triumph. McQuade had great
sonrdence IN these two men. He
ripped n manuscript INTO squares and
uttered them through his fingers into
waste basket.
You boys are probably right" he
reluctantly. II have no desire to
see the paper lose it's sound footing
l'ut this would have killed the man
socially and politically, so far as this
town is concerned
Admitted. replied walfora
strengthening out some proofs .-RIf
we'll topple him ove in a legitimate
Go ahead, then. I'm not particular
it's done SO long as YOU do ii.
Perhaps, after, all, It's just as we'll. I've
made a mistake"
70 the street and met Warning
on coming up. The two men
for a moment. then went
on. Once on the sidewalk Me-
Quadc turned and hesitated. No.
ae q nolhlng 70 say to Mr.. War
-''s ~ U0eA3 SJrSetf
his own offices.
1t WILDE seen hat W. ,.ni. 9. g W !,
gene directly into the eIlenayss camp.
kneM Nalford OF old; they were
.olerably good friends. He gave his
to the boy. Walford, on reading
T, stuffed several newspapers into the
waste basket and pressed his foot on
hem. He was a hit shaken.
send him in. Hello, Dick, he said.
How are you2 You're tha last man
expected to see this morning. What
an | do for youg
You can tell your political reporter
md your editorial man TO let an on me
or a week" said Warrington directly.
h. sia.ts! #sil..sss@@ SAII dome Joyou
maps that YOU should light into ME
after this fashion p
Npu have becoss,e rich and famous,
plck,I 2 ~medioclity can stand any
but that But there was a
Wrinkle IN Walford's eyes.
Come, Naiiy, you know that. isn't
he TRUTH
Well. IL You wan. the truth I'll give
70 YOU. Answer me frankly and
DO you consider that you have
ny moral right to accept a nomina-
.lon for the mayoraIty OF Herculan-
Moral right. III pick up that
ohrase 2 carry it to Your camp. /
nave as much moral right as Dom
asIys n II he hasn't been caught, is
one the less cilpable for breaking his
oath Of loyalty. You knew this as well
As [ do