The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-07-20

hearted. for the multitude Of candi.
dates bewildered the voters.
Finally, Lee was called from his
bed one night to find his of8cs =
mass of flames. The fire, which vas
undoubtedly of incendiary origin, COM
pletely Quilted the place. The news
paper was thing of the past, and
there was no capital with which to
start it again.
There was still greater shock, how
ever. The fire occurred ten days be.
fore election. Three days later Spiers,
In a pompous manifesto, withdrew
from the race. and it was all over the
city by the afternoon that he, too,
had been a creature of Saunders. He
had been spending the boss money,
while Lee doomed him, and had from
the first intended to withdraw.
Lee went to Elsie In despair and
told her. THE games up" he said
Il can't fight this universal treach.
cry. and l have no weapon left to
fight with"
Eyes. you have. DEAR" she an.
swered. "You haven't used your
strongest weapon at ALL"
What Is that?" he asked.
Your personality, dear You haven't
realized that people follow q man
more gladly than a principle You
have appealed with printers ink, not
with words. You must be the peoples
candidate for mayor"
"I?' he cried, aghast.
Elsie outlined her plan. He was to
visit every one Of the thirty thousand
houses in Pathways before election
day. He was to be nominated for
mayor. Her father would back him
with the little money he had remain.
ing. And she herself, and all the faith
full members Of the organization
would canvass for him.
1t was wild scheme, but It hit
Lees desperate mood. On the fol-
lowing day he was already nominated
the peoples candidate. What had
been done by the printed word was
now done by word of mouth Soap.
box orators began to appear at all the
street corners. And everywhere the
news of the new campaign began to
stir peoples hearts.
The plucky fight that Lee had put
up began to tell Those who had
hung back, or derided him, or doubt
ed. were converted at the burning
words that flowed from his lips.
Every hour Of the day. and far into
the night, Lee worked. He went into
the factories, he spoke in front Of
the clubs. he made personal appeals
to all the leading citizens.
A feature Of the campaign was tho
appearance Of old Thomas Sinclair.
in his wheeled chair. The old man
reminded the people Of the days when
he was power in the city. Rumors
of the old treachery of the boss began
to spread. Saunders found his power
shaken.
1t seemed winning cause at last,
but the time was so short that only .
miracle could effect the political revo.
luton that was hoped for. And the
evening of election day arrived, and
the announcement. expected momen.
tarily, gave little cause for hope.
Elsie, at Lees side. pressed his
hand.
Philip, DEAR" she whispered, II
want to give you my answer now,
before the declaration. It is"
But her intention was frustrated.
For the town clerk appeared to read
the figures. In the intense hush he
announced that Philip had beaten
Johnson by fifteen votes. and Simp-
son, the figurehead, by five hundred
and five. Lee was the new mayor Of
Pathways.
A bowling, roaring mob found Philip
and, hoisting him upon their shout.
ders. snatched him from Elsie's SIDE
And, after all, he read her answer In
lip language, because the noise was
too great for any sounds to be heard
Antiquity Of the Hog.