The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-05-09
The Irregular
Member
BY Annie Hinrichsen
Copyright. 1919. By Associated Literary Press

pC otHi WISH " Htdi "ha' AVA
Ra,ston is saying" Mary Collins
shook her head impatiently at the
men with her
Nobody listens to Ralstcn." scoffed
the representative of metropolitan
paper
Il do" she retorted. He talks
we'll"
He is an Irregular" commented a
member OF the assembly. "a man who
votes according to his own cOnvic-
lions. Instead OF obeying his party's
mandates. He refuses to obey the
dictates Of the party leaders lie will
not make alliances with the other
party. No party or faction can claim
him. He votes as he chooses, re-
CARELESS of party lines. and intro
duces all sorts of impossible but
highly meritorious bills. Because he
will not stand by either party. Meth.
er party will stand by him. He 10
making a speech now In favor of one
OF his bills, but nobody is listening
to him."
Mary Collins walked afaw from the
group OF legislators and newspaper
men to place near the irregular
member.
Accustomed from childhood to tho
unwrftten laws Of legislative proceed.
ure. trained to detect and understand
every condition and change In the
mental atmosphere OF the assembly,
she knew that Ralst0n was speaking
to men whose ears were deaf to the
words Of an irregular party man.
The members were reading. writing
or walking about The presiding OF.
ficer sat In his chair yawning osten.
tatiously. The pages clattered moist
ly around the speaking member.
Several times Ralston's eyes met
Mary's. When he sat down. reward.
ed by the Indifferent silence of his
fellow members. he turned toward
her. She smiled and nodded with
emphatic approval in the shake Of
her pretty head There was fash
OF surprised pleasure and gratitude In
his eyes.
When the house adjourned she was
standing near the entrance OF repre-
sentatives' hall. Your speech this
morning was a good one." she said.
When he smiled the frm.lipped, /
austere legislator became a boyish
young man. "You are the only per.
son who thought So" he said, within.
sically. THE members won't listen
to me and since never accomplish
anything you newspaper people pay
no attention to me-"
is It impossible for you to act In
harmony with your party?"
Il despise the sort Of legislation
my party Is advocating. and | won't
work with them. don't enjoy being
a Pariah-an irregular is a Pariah-
and I'm awfully lonesome But I'll
stick to my ideals"
Ideals are sometimes cold com.
panions." said the girl bitterly. They
had left the state house and were
walking toward the hotel.
They are" the man agreed. but
when We give them up we sacrifice
the best Of ourselves: We give up all
that raises us above the common
sordidness Of life"
He pushed open the hotel door for
her. In the lobby stood Grant War
rem. leader of the house and a men,
Der of the party to which Ralston be.
lOnged He came toward them, nod.
ded to Ralston and spoke impatiently
to Mary.
"I've been waiting ages for you.
Let's go In to lunch"
What do you see In that man to
like" Warren asked when they were
In the dining room.
His ideals. | think" she answered
absently.
The irregular was at a table not far
from them.
THE man has q lot Of crazy no
lions. The political whirl is no place
for him. He will soon have chance
to redeem himself with his party.
The franchise bill which was intro
duced few weeks ago will soon BE-
voted on. It 10 party measure and
We can pass It by q majority OF one
II all the members Of our party vote
for II. But Ralston will probably re-
fuse to support It. The loss OF bic
vote will defeat the measure. II he
stands By his party We shall forgive
him his past misdemeanors. II he
forsakes u We shall throw him out Of
the party and out Of the house"
shall you vote against the fran.
chise bill?" Mary asked Ralston sev.
eral days later.
II have announced my intention
Of doing 20. l can zee nothing but
harm In II"
you understand. do you not, that
your refusal to vote with your party
On this measure will cost your . great
price," l.
1T will probably cost me my seat
In the house. I was elected BY 40
small . majority that my opponent
70 contesting my seat Election con.
tests are decided BY = committee Of
the house. The committee Il ruled
by men who favor the franchise bill
have been told that INV onnon.,.