Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-11-13
soned horses through the cheering
mob and down the road.


Howard Clayton and Louise Alder
were in the visitors gallery fof the
house of representatives.
"The papers declare" Louise said
that there Ia much graft and dis
honesty here" t
There are instances" Clayton an
swered, Gin which good man ie
made corrupt through circumstances
and not through his own inclinations
With the man compelled by circum
stances to be dishonest have a
world of sympathy. There was a
time when I experienced the cruelest
poverty. have known what 1t means
to be forced to accept any work, how
ever mental. In order to secure the
bare necessities OF life"
Louise turned quickly toward him
There was new interest In her eyes
as she looked at the young legislator
beside her. "You have been com.
PEELED to earn money by honest but
unpleasant means?" she asked eager
ly; really compelled to-"
Clayton looked at her In amaze
ment. In the few weeks he had
known her she had treated him with
cool courtesy which contained nc
trace Of personal interest. Now
there was q look of genuine friend
ship In her eyes.
s"Yes." he answered, IT have beer
compelled to earn my living In many
hard ways"
One day there was introduced into
the house Of representatives q meas
ure known a. the quack bill. 1t de
creed that all vendors of patent medi
cines who sold their wares on ths
streets or In any place by means o.
oratory should be charged an enor
nous license fee.
The day before the bill was to b.
voted on a metropolitan paper pub
lished furious denunciation OF the
bill and It's advocates.
"a sandbagging measure. Paten
medicine bill introduced In house bJ
gang Of grafters who expected to be
paid to defeat It," Then followed
the statement that group OF legis
lators had framed the bill, believing
that the patent medicine companies
wclld pay large sums Of money t,
defeat 1t. But the companies hat
failed to pay the enormous tolls de
nlanded by the legislative robbers
and for this reason the bill would b.
passed.
Louise Alden read the TRADE many
times. Then she sent for Howard
Clayton.
us this true?"
The mans face whitened.
II do not Judge you entirely by
what this paper says" Louise Wen
on. ~ judge you because of q
something else. You declare that the
patent medicine doctors are quacki
who ought to pay high license. Yo,
denounce them. and yet you were
once a patent medicine doctor selling
bottles from q wagon. ! saw you. Il
was near Jonesville, nearly a veal
ago. When I met you here recog
niged you as the medicine man. Blu
one day you told me that you hat
been compelled by circumstances tt
make your living In many hare
ways. You had sold medicine on .
wagon, I thought, because you had to
not because you were q quack doc
tor This paper has shown me thu
reason for your inconsistency II
rfSnllnS b UuelAoSc IL WAiSA JOu oAS'
engaged"
80 you think ! am sandbagger.
he asked. because | once sold paten
medicine from a wagon, and now II
the assembly denounce the practice
and because the most sensational
paper in the state publishes q lurit
accusation against met"
"Your inconsistency condemns you
You can clear yourself In my eyes to
morrow when the vote on the bill Ii
taken. Make q speech against 1t
Vote against It. Prove to me tina
you are not supporting this bill be
cause the patent medicine companies
would not pay you to fight 1t. Prove
to me that you are not Inconsistent
and shall believe In your honesty.
A cold, hard look came into Clay
tons face. IT have supported thii
bill because I believe 1t to be gOot
one. I shall continue to support 1t
l. shall not act In opposition to M
principles in order to convince yot
that am honest"
The next day Howard Clayton''
brilliant speech In favor Of the quacl
bill secured it's passage
AS he left the state house Louise
Alden joined him. Howard sh,
said, will you forgive me for m.
cruel, unfair judgment? I was wrong
You are thoroughly honest man."
II have not given you the proc
you demanded. How do you know
am hon'est?"
81 do not need proof. I know 70,
are sincere and true. have known
It all the time. But-but-I coult
not understand your inconsistency II
denouncing a business which you hat
once practiced That yellow journa
gave me for a moment a hideOu!
doubt. But when you would not Civ
me the proof asked knew that 70,
are, in spite of your inconsistency, al
absolutely honest man."
"Do you care for me?" he asket
bluntly. do you love me?"
She did not speak, but her eye
gave him his answer.
Il want proof. Do you love M
well enough to marry a patent medi
cine vender?"
II love you well enough to MARI,