Putnam patriot., 1913-11-21
back with a grunt of relief.

back with 8 grunt of relief.
 That all?" asked the father. '1 was afraid was going to get another call-down from my wise sen on my foliies and sins. Honestly. Tom, don't know how I ever got through the first quartereentury of my life without your holy guidance and cor. reetion"
 ''Is that quite necessary said Tom. I only wanted 10 ask you"
 "Of course you did. You wanted to ask me some question in politics. And instead of being glad that you are be. ginning to show an intelligent interest in my affairs at last. I made fun of you. I'm sorry. son. I'm an old crank Go ahead with your question. You were asking about this Standish story2s
 Yes. I suppose it will give us the fight"
 Looks that way from where I sit" replied Blake. such pretty romanees
 
 as Standish--and stronger"
 "oh!" exclaimed Tom. almost shud. dering. q wish you wouldn't use black. mail to win your fight"
 "Blaekmail?" eekoed Blake slowly.
 Then he paused. The rugged mask of face had not ehanges. But the pupils of the half-shut eyes had sud. denly contracted as though a blinding light had been flashed before them. Yet, second later, when Blake spoke again, there was no trace of pain or resentment in his dry drawling voice.
 "Blaekmail?" he said once more. "How about the way Standish dragged up that franchise affair of mine last year? What was that but blackmail2"
 Well" demanded Tom, in the stark mercilessness of youth, you were stealing the franchise, weren't you. dad?"
 "Yes,' asserted Blake with a de lightful absence of all false modesty, "I sure was. And was doing it neat ly, too. Not ripple, not kick. till Standish butted in with his measly reformers and oueered the whole job and cost us a half million dollars. Son, every time l think of that, want to chase some one with an ak I don't lie awake nights thinking how cum ming our friend Standish would look with seaweed in his hair and sand un- der his nails, But I keep that fran chise memory and few others fresh on the ice. And it sure doesn't break my heart to have a chance now of getting back at him"
 "But," persisted Tom, that was a public matter. It doesn't justify you in dragging his private life into tho lime-light."
 'The deuce it doesn't? Who told you that?"
 My self-respect."
 "oh! I thought maybe you might have got the tip from some reliable source. Go ahead. son. Doesn't justi- fy me, hey9s
 ''No. dad if you want. truth, it doesn't It isn't-cleani"
 Clean? Say, son. this ss politics. Not a prayer meeting. You've got in the wrong pew"
 'Tf the right pew justifies dirty work like that" flashed the boy. I'm glad have. And want te stay there. This business of making political cap ttal of a mans dead-and buried sins Is enough to turn the stomach of a camel. A thousand times more so when one considers the Woman
 Well" queried Blake, in high good lhumor, as he always was when he could stir up a quarrel between his adored only son and himself. What about herr"
 Everything She made fool of herself. Presumably when she was young. She has probably repented it bitterly, ten thousand times. She may have atoned for what she did. She may even be wife and mother, now. Respected. loved. All the world and Heaven, besides, to her husband and children. And, just to pass a rot ten railroad bill. you are going to drag her out into the glare of the newspa- per world and cruelty hers You are going to strip from her her husband s love: you are going to make her friends shun her as an outcast; you're throwing black shame on her innocent chlldren's name. You are-~
 Excuse me, son" interrupted Blake. "But I'm not doing single one of those terribly dramatic things. Standish is doing it-or, rather, he has done it. Not L Catch the idea ? If Standish committed a murder and I found the body, would you call me a murderer? Hey? We'll, that's what has happened this time. When Stand ish took the lady on that little left handed wedding trip, five years ago in March, he rendered her liable to all that and worse. A man doesn't think of such things at the time. Neither does a woman, l guess. This one sure didn't, or shed never have thrown over her one hope of safety