Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-10-05
EVENING STORY.
AN ABLE ASSISTANT.

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AN ABLE ASSISTANT.
BY Donald Allen.
Copyright, 1912, by the Mcclure
Newspaper syndicate.)
Major Kingston retired. WAS being
spoken Of as candidate for mayor
Of the suburban village Of Rosedale.
Az became soldier who had led the
grand charge at Stone river. the
major affected to make light Of civic
honor II the nomination was forced
upon him-mind you, absolutely
forced-he would accept and do his
duty BY his country, as he always
had; but II they could possibly do
without him. he hoped they would.
Major Kingston had his share Of
vanity He wanted the once, and
he wanted 60 be forced. In pursuing
his L lding-off policy, he dwe1t on It
too long. His party offered the
nomination to another good man.
When the man Of the sword heard Of
1t, he was indignant. He couldn't
say q word In public, but at home he
could say to his daughter Madge:
Among the fellows that hang
around here, isn't there one by the
name OF Clarence Gordonf
"Why, father, what question:" e1-
claimed the girl.
"son Of old Gordon, the cooper,
isn't hep
what can you mean? You know
that Clarence Gordon is one Of my
callers. Only three evenings ago you
talked with him for an hour about
the battle Of Stone river. never
heard Of his father being called old
Gordon, and he isn't q cooper. He
simply owns big shop employing 200
men,"
Hes a sly old hyprocrite!" NUT
tered the major.
"Rut what's he done?"
Hes taken the nomination for
mayor from me. though pretending
right along that he didn't want It,"
But haven't you also pretended?
"Daughter!"
well. you kept the committee
waiting"
(which was the dignified course.
A major Of infantry. retired, has a
reputation to maintain Old Gordon
fairly jumped at 1t when 1t was Of
fered."
"Well, you don't care for political
honors. You made military record
to be proud Of"
''But had made up my mind to
accept the nomination II offered to
me again." said the major in tones
Of bitterness. "Old Gordon had to
have finger in the pie. and now he
must pay for his interference"
"Father. you are inconsistent"
II am not. No major Of infantry,
retired. ever Is or can afford to he.
I don't know that old Gordon had
brfstles on his back. However, what
I started to say was that don't
want younge Gordon hanging around
here any more"
Miss Madge flushed and then lost
color.
"Of course, he's nothing to you?"
Miss Madge bit her lip and her hand
trembled.
Gust send him to Coventry and
have done with II"
IT don't see " "'' can have
against the ycur- y said the girl
after a bit.
"1snt he old Gordon's SOM"
t'Well?"
"And hasn't his father beaten me
out Of the nomination for mayor"
ono You beat yourself! And how
would the young man be to blame IN
any case?"
Here was something like mutiny
In the ranks. Miss Madge Kingston
had never talked back to her father
before. He had even felicitated him
self that when the time came she
would hate or fall in love with the
man he selected, and here she was
with opinions Of her own. The mutiny
must be put down at once
Daughter, have told you that
young Gordon must CO." he an
nounced in tones that had made more
than one soldier shiver.
(Silence on her part.)
81 will not be dehed."
more silence.)
''You must tell him that object
to his calls"
(Continued silence, but defiant
toss Of the head.)
"And that what object to Is sus-
tanned by you. Let this end the
matter"
And the foolish papa Of twenty
year-old girl rose up and left the
room under the impression that he
had settled the matter by a word or
two.
Mr. Clarence Gordon and Miss
MadEe Kingston had been in love for
months, but had not trumpeted the
fact from the housetops. They were
more than In love-they were en-
gagged. That very evening the lover
was to ask the major for his daugh.
ter's hand, and neither of the couple
had any doubt as to the answer. In
the short space Of five minutes the
whole world changed abouts. There
would be no interview with the major.
There was letter to write to the
lover; there was an appointment to
be made and kept; there was q min.
L II