The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-08-03

madnesses of youth; and the girl 4
pretty. / was SO sorry for hcrl And
this ridiculous newspaper -prize-win
ming! 1t was mercifully fortunate at.
ter all. If anything could. cut Harlan
to the quick it would be cheapness and
vulgarity and notoriety. An infatua.
ton might blind him to her socia
ineptitude- this beauty-prize alb.
surdify-nothing could have been bet.
! ter to break the boys Arcadian 70.
nance. Indeed, we got out of it with
amusing ease"
The Judge had sighed. He had, j,
seemed, discovered in this son some Of
the inner steel that the mother pos.
sessed clothed in her gracious author
ity. He had been aware of Harlan:
questionings for year or SO in mat.
tiers that did not come clearly in thu
mothers view; of a mind graspinl
with logged slowness, but merciles!
tenacity at altered standards.
He stopped now to banter his sor
over the soup, trying to assume their
old fraternity of common views. What
did Harlan expect to live on next yeaI
when he hung his single out.
tunoPS II UNIV bhy ESes
ample" badgered Harlan Specialize
in irrigation law and go out to Arizona
and hustle"
The mother smiled at this gay dis.
sembling. A Van Hart having to "hus.
tie" was unthinksble. The judge went
on: "By sleeping on the Office couch
and taking your meals at the Gem
Chicago style-as it advertises-you
can probably pull through and pay for
your gas and janitor."
I'm going to give Harlan. his frsi
case" Mrs. Van Hart smiled. He
can 60 before the county board and
argue for the Sinsinawa Creek diver.
sion. Taylor says We could sell our
north eighty if the creek was damned
above the quarry"
Mother, that's a matter of politics
and not law"
The Judge looked curiously at the
son. The assurance of a man was in
him. Harlan went on: There's 10,
of grumbling over the road contracts
Tanner gets out of the board with Dan
Boydston chairman. And now the
farmers are saying that the county is
going to spend thousands of dollars 10
divert the creek just at the point where
it won't do anybody any good exeep,
Tanner and Cal Rice and Dickinson
and-welHus, you know" :.
"The farmers?" the judges gentle
interrogation came.
"Old Jake Vance was saying. And
Wiley"
His father frowned. The mothers
amused smile came. The News editor
was an impossible person" who was
to be seen carrying his exchanges from
the postoffice, in shirt sleeves and a
derby hat much too small for his head.
"Wiley says it's a great scheme OF
Thad's to get the county to protect his
property from the spring floods and
the county pays him for doing it
The judge was plainly annoyed.
"Your friend, Wiley Curran, seems
the self-appointed watchdog of county
affairs"
He and Mr.. Tanner are always af-
ter each other. But that's why l said
the creek diversion will be matter OF
politics. There's sure to be howl
raised about it, dad"
The judge selected a cigar. The
mother nodded covertly to him.
Harlan, dear, you admit the creek
ought to be diverted"
"Why, yes. And it'll be a good thing
for us, mother. It'll put all our north
tract on the market drained"
The judges frown came again. That
has nothing to do with it, my boy.
The natural bed of the .creek is down
the old Pocket where those squatters
shanties. are The quarry gang be-
yond Lindstrom's-" He paused. for
he had not intended 70 advert to the
name-Lindstrom, the discard. he had
sent to jail; Aurelie's foster-father.
There was a silence. Harlan looked
up to see his fathers eyes averted. He
had an idea the judge was suffering.
His mother shrugged. my dear, the
Pocket is no mans land-the river
made it years ago, and its the natural
bed of the creek. Those people haven't
a sign of title"
Il know the son retorted. wiley
told me-"
Il wish, my boy, you didn't get so
much of your knowledge of county af-
fairs through Mr.. Curranl" The Judge
watched him curiously. did you see
his seandalous editorial on the supreme