Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-01-30
tcHAPTER Xv.--Continued.)

ABOUT lead ore imam any IHdll III tHe
world, knew more about money than
he did about lead ore, and knew more
about making himself agreeable to
young girls than he did about making
money. A couple of native million
aires tried to attach themselves TO
the party, but the outsider drove them
jealously away and dashed straight
along with the line of entertainment
which had made him a welcome Visi-
tor wherever rice powder was known.
Molly was truly sorry to see him
go. but the governor, finely groom.
ed. elderly chap. whose fundamental
brogue was Irish, whose manners
were southern and whose mustache
and goatee were French, led her away
for the next dance, and breathed
harmless, old-fashioned batteries into
her ear until it tickled. 1t was all
very interesting, and triumph for
her. too: but nevertheless, she was
pleased when her sudden friend, the
mayor, took her away from the COVER
nor and for her hewteendance diver
sion made her present OF an intent
featured young man who ran an IN
herited railroad to make money, and
ran 1t quite we'll enough, but who rae
ed yachts for living,
Thus sped the evening, with Molly
climbing the dizzy heights Of popular
ity in hourly increasing excitement
she not only had notable partner for
every dance but a brilliant partner
for every tete-a-tete between numbers,
and the almost equally happy, though
not so highly favored, Fern warned
her IN a Cycling, whispered moment TO
keep her back to the wall lest she be
stabbed. Her cup of happiness was
full when the famous musician.
near-sighted man who wore his hair
short and inspected her rapturons!y
through half-inch-thick glasses com
posed a sparkling little rondo for her
at a piano in a quiet little Above,
and named it Molly, and wrote it on
her dance card, all In the spara OF
seven minutes True. he had danneo
with her two numbers before, and hae
had time to think of her: possibly TO
think Of her in rondo terms,
Occasionally shs caught sight OF
Sledee in the thrssg. although she
lad not seen him on the floor and she
realized that her number with him
would he "sit out Perhans that
was WHY it had been pu- down so far
In the program, when she would well
come a rest, 1t was like his doing,
for she had TO acknowledge that ne
was at least far-sighted'
One thing perplexed her. He was
much less awkward and much more
at ease here than he had been at ner
party. Whenever she saw him he was
talking gravely with men OF large az
fairs and to her surprise, she observ-
ed that In every case he was accord
cd notable respect. Even the must
clan seemed absorbedly interested IN
him and her lead-ore millionaire came
back to him again and again. she
wondered why men sought him, ana
she was still wondering when the
eminent sociologist fairly snatched
her out of the arms of the mayor, al
Ter the eighth dance.
"Come and watch me smoke a cigar
cite" he begged her. eve been try
ing to get a chance to talk with you
again the entire evening, but there's
always such an increasingly mad
scramble around you that the at
tempts made me feel updignihed:"
you'd worry a lot about that she
"Wouldn't II" he laughed. "Will
you chill if we. step out on the ter
racer"
II don't know how she happily
told him, and they hurried outside,
where he led her to a seat IN the
moonlight and deftly made her com
Portable with three cushions, from as
many chairs.
sledge and Senator Allerton pass
ed them as he lighted his cigarette,
and he looked after Sledge until the
match burned his fingers.
SHThere is the biggest man nave
seen in long while he remarked,
as he sat beside her on the settee.
"They say he is not only the boss
of the city, but of the state, replied
Molly, very much interested. You
knew that, didn't you?"
"Of. course he acknowledged, but
I scarcely think that would influence
nv Judgment l have studied a great
many men of more power and influ-
ence than he has at present, but none
Of thepn. 50 far as l can recollect,
seemed to have his elemental force.
Wherever he was born, he would have
been a leader. He Is a wonderful
tlldA. AlOW AAAl AAA - S~'~oS "
and he would be king"
81 don't understand II" puzzled Mol
ly. .'He is undoubtedly leader here,
but they say that he Is a bad leader"
"a grafter?" queried Professor
Watt. with a smile. "That is the acct
dent of his environment, and of your
unsettled social conditions. Pardon
me, but. in cities such as yours there
Is but little else for leader to do.
The men who occupy the political Of
fees of high honor are, for the most
part. puppets. Your society is neither
large enough nor small enough, and is
composed Of Intensely complex ele.
ments. People of the most sordid
birth and attachments rub elbows with
people of breeding and culture, and
luare seems to be no dividing line. IN
such conglomerate condition, the
man of elemental force, being bound
to rise to the top, must use his ma
terials as he finds them, and to his
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