The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-04-15
WA|F IS MAYOR :
OF KANSAS CITY
Phenomenal Rise Of Young
Boy Sent From Found
ling Home.

Kansas City. Mo-. April 16.-Thirty-
one years ago Henry L. Jost, with
twenty other foundlings from the
Mission House >of Industry. on the
Bowery. in New York, passed through
Kansas City on his way to home
Today this same waif was inaugurated
mayor Of Kansas City.
The story OF the life Of Jost is as ro-
mantle as that Of Dick Wilmington.
He does not know even today who
were his parents or where he was
born. There will be no mother to be
thrilled by his success when he raises
his right arm to take the oath Of Of
flee as mayor Of the second largest
man who will rejoice. She Is the
bride he married last August.
II am proud Of my husband. who
began with no prospects at all in life
and has achieved so great an honor IS
she said today. But am sorry, too,
because ODE mayor Of this big city
means that he will be very. very busy.
and I will see little Of him.
For his sake am glad. but for
myself am sorry. Since the day
he was elected. a week ago. the tele-
constantly day and night. You may
not believe 1t. but even at midnight
the bell often rings and someone
wishes to talk with my husband.
1T has already spoiled our happy
home life. and would be glad II. aft
er his term as mayor is over. he
would retire permanently from poll
tics and be a home man once more.
But know full well that for the next
two years I am to lose him" .
Politics SpOils Ideal Homo Life.
NNHd N VNnva0 "a Nns1 mro ~, i.
late me because my, husband was
eleetsA mayor. and that plsases me.
but am Spine to try and persuade
him to stick to his law practice when
he gets out Of this.
when went down to sec Henry
inaugurated as mayor and I was
thinking Of the mother whom he has
never known and ! was wondering
about the mystery Of his birth and
women. because he could not have
inherited the noble qualities Of his
nature from any other. and q great
pity for her filled heart. a pity that
she cannot know Of the success that
has come to her son. Perhaps she
died when he was born with prayer
on her lips for her baby. Perhaps
she was forced by poverty to place
her baby in that founding home. in
tending to take him out again when
times grew better. and when I saw
him showered with honors I was
thinking Of the prayer that was In
her heart when she kissed him for
the last time. That prayer has been
abundantly answered"
Tries Vainly to Trace Ancestry.
All that Jost knows Of his ancestry
is that thirty-two years ago. when he
was 6. years old. he was left at the
mission house Of industry at Five
the name Of Simeon Jost. He has
been back to New York trying to find
some trace of Simeon Jost. but has
been unable to do so. He stayed in
the house two years and then was
sent to Missouri with carload Of
waits. He went to Mr.. Dale in Nod
away county. but Dale met with re-
verses and gave him to a Mr.. Moss,
who in turn hired him out to other
farmers. When he was Is years old
he went to work on his own hook
for farmers and studied at night until
he was %, when he began the study
Of law.
After he was admitted to practice
law he wished to enter the state UNI
versity. but was refused admittance
because he was deficient in Latin.
Then he came to Kansas City.
He has been q grand master Of the
Missouri A. o. q. W.. Is q thirty-tltird
degree Mason and a knight Of Py-
thias. Four years ago he was ap-
pointed assistant city counselor and
then assistant prosecuting attorney.
His wife was Miss Alice Hanks Of Oak
Grove, Mo.