Charlevoix county herald., 1913-11-15

"This is too rich to miss. must
remember it all to"
$50 you see" Caleb was con-
tinuing, 81 fought my way up.
Every move was fight
and every fight was a win. That's
my motto. Fight to win. An if
you don't win, let il be your exc
cutor, not yon, that knows you
lost. But the biggest fight of all
was to come. | controlled the city
/ helped control the State.
had all the money any man need
ed, and | was spending it right
here in the town where it was
earned. | was successful man.
But the man who's satisfied with
success would be satisfied with
failure. And / wasn't satisfied.
"There was still one thing !
couldn't get. | couldn't get one
set of people to recognize me
when they met me in the street
to ask me to their houses, to come
to my house. Why? | don't know.
Maybe they don't know. Maybe
they didn't want to know. There's
lot Of things society folks don't
seem to want to know. And one
of those things was me. ] couldn't
win 'em over. l built this house.
Cost 100000 more'n any other
house in town. If you doubt it,
step down to the Building Com
missioner's and look over the
| specifications. Built it on the
most fash'nable avenue, too. But
still know youI Maybe it's my
lack of blue blood tanks 1.
Though my piles been made a
good deal cleaner tlan many an
aristocrat's.' | married lady of
the first families here'-a ripple
of unintelligible surprise broke in
on his ears, but quickly died.
asked out and | wasn't. But
kept on fighting. And at last I'm
,, in the winning stride.
I'm not a college man myself.
All my education's handmade and
since | was thirty. But was
/ bound my son should be one. And
ne is. He's in society, too. The
best New York affords I'm told.
My girls had advantages too, and
you see the result. Do unto
ct iers, what you cant do for your
| self. That S worth remem boring
! sometimes. And now at last / get
my come back for all my outlay.
Tonight guess / cover the final
! lad of the race, or the bluest blood
of Granite is-are-is among my
gue,ts mere, and I'm meeting EN-
on equal terms. All this talk, may
be, isn't what the etiquette Books
call good form But ii you knew
how many years I've worked for
wnat I've won tonight, you'd SYM
patnize with me tor wanting to
crow Just a little
$50" resumed Caleb, 5eaming a
bout him, II Wanled the chance
to let you all know me as really
am. Not what my enemies say a
bout me. Is there any reason why
1 shouldn't be your friend and en-
terrain you often? None in the
least, you'll all say. 1t seems a
lit lie thing, perhaps, to you who'Ne
been in the game always. But it's
ment a lot to me-
He paused. There seemed moth
ing more II say, yet he lOnged to
end vita a climax. \ glorious,
| dazzling inspiration came, and he
hurried on:
tie meeting between friends, let me
tell you all secret. 1t won't be
secret tomorrow, but you can
always be able to say you were
the first who was told. / have at
last yielded to the earnest entreat-
les of my constituents and friends
and party in general, and have
consented TO accept the nomination
for Governor at the coming con-
Vention."
From the proletariat fringing the
walls and blocking the doorway
arose an excited, exultant hum.
Only the wild efforts of certain
efficient, if unofficial, sergeants-at-
arms prevented a mighty yell of
| applause. At the tables, however,
the women looked bored or puz-
zled; while the men glanced at
each other with the blank look of
people who, out for a days jolly
| hunting, find themselves caught
unexpectedly in bear trap.
81 have heretofore went on
Caleb after allowing the impress
sion of his words to sink in, "re-,
fused all State offices. But now
| feel it a social as well as polit-
| lCdl uulN lndt L owe. ana i Snall
be grateful to you for your hon
est support"
Caleb bowed, reseated himself
and swallowed another glass of
champagne at a gulp. He was not
! i'll pleased with himself. He had
risen merely to thank
/ his guests for their presence. Lit
tie by little he had drifted fur
! ther than he had at first intend
ed. Yet he was glad he had yield
ed to this unprecedented, unac-
customed yearning to expand; to
/ show himself at his best before
these people with whom he now
! firmly believed himself on a foot
ing of friendly equality. Yes, on
! the whole, he was convinced of
/ his success.
He glanced about him. The buzz
of talk had recommended. Dozens
of eyes were upon him, not with
\ the bored GOODNESS of the earlier
evening, but with curiosity and
open interest. Caleb was glad.