Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-08-22
CHAPTER XVI

Il
him!"
CHAPTER XVI
The Jinnee of the Tailor Made.
Miss Vance met Harlan one after
noon of mid August. He stopped his
saunter across the courtyard lawn to
help her hitch her span Of fractions
colts. She pressed handkerchief to
her flushed face. .....
Thank you! You look so awfully
cool, Harlan. And clean! You've been
driving, too-and look at mel"
His leisurely smile followed her inter-
ested glance. 1t was their first meet
ing since he had announced his candi-
dacy for the district attorneyship-a
brief announcement, coming after an
equally brief conference with the par
ty leaders. The outside information
was that the Honorable Thaddeus
Tanner had selected young Mr. Van
Hart as the best and most representa-
tive young man of the county to give
strength to the old-line ticket against
the new progressive league. There was
some comment on his youth and lack
of experience, but it was regarded as a
shrewd move nevertheless, Of the old
court house ring. County politicians
said there would be none to contest
young Mr.. Van Hart's nomination or
election. ... -....
Now, Miss Vance looked him over
and sighed. Il feel a grudge against
you, Harlan! wish fortune would give
you a quarrel now and then. Every
thing comes so easily to you. But this
is mere envy, isn't it?" ..lt
He smiled and walked with her to
the News office The sense of his rug
ged fineness and clean truth gripped
her as 1t must all women. ..
Your battle will come after you're
elected, Harlan. They-they will ex-
pect to use you as they do" she hesi-
tated She had been about to say
your father" and then knew better
Harlan had the same charm of breed.
ing as his father; but the county ring
had kept the Judge in office for twenty
years; 1t found it's strength among
"the best people"
Nobody owns me, Janet" He found
amusement in her caution. And as
for politics, here is Arne, and those
other long-horn students, travelling
over the county trying to interest the
farmers in seed selection. The state
board pays their way, but now, really,
aren't they out to talk politics for the
governor and our eccentric friend, Wi
ley T. Curran?'
She smiled in turn. She was too
practical minded to be sensitive over
the methods by which any movement
of party interest was attained. When
they reached the News door Mr.. Curren
was standing there, galley of type in
his hand. He waved to the prospect
past the town, a squirt of yellow stub
BILE like a flame licking down from the
upland corn which was now high.
II can smell the tassel bloom" muir
INJURED Wiley, land the damp cloddy
earth, and hear the rustic of the blades
in the breeze off the river. Bless me,
1 was about to knock off and steal
away to the hills, but here you two
come, abominably suggesting work.
And ambition-and achievement"
Indeed we do" Janet smiled at his
whimsical grimace. And to remind
you what the papers said of your speech
at the Dallas county fair. Brilliant
aggressive eloquent"
His grimace deepened. Through the
weeks Janet had watched his progress.
He had astonished every one as cam
paigner; tricky" his opponents said,
but winning by his likableness. He had
been filled with a boys delight to dis
cover that he could really speak in
public-that his old nervous hesitance
had gone like a mist before his new
ardors, his mercurial enthusiasms. Out
in the other counties he had won dash
ingly; but among his home people, he
confided to Janet, he was a lame
duck"
He could not explain that. She knew
it was because here they had seen his
purpose. his hope, his imaginative life
come to nothing He was of that type
of which the towns and provincial ci-
ties have many-a person whose
chaste tastes, intellectual aspirations
and social qualities had starved under
the stress of making a livelihood.
Ideas, finer achievement, all bartered
with the standards fixed by vulgar
need. Janet herself had felt the i'm
pact; she knew his battle. And so long
he had given up! And so late had
arisenl He seemed to have forgot his
useless years, his defeats, he had gone
out among men, and they had honor
ed him.
Today he was i'm one Of his "slumps."
Janet went on with her ingenious en-
couragement. Il wish you knew what
a rare mystery you are to the country
people. And how splendidly they be-
lieve in you! You're a new sort of
politician. And I'm very proud, Wi
ley!"
He still looked ruefully at her. "The
fool editor" he mourned-"I wonder If
l spoke here-as l must sometime
who'd turn out to listen? You and
Aunt Abby, and my printer, and
doubtless the undertaken" He sighed,
and waved his hand out to the town.
Sometimes the old feeling comes back.
don't belong here. I'm the misft,
Janet. The dreamer"-he let his eyes