The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1915-09-11

put 1t over on his adversaries. They
~chuckled, they gloated. and left theii
political leader to stagger into the
house with the braggadocio of some
triumphant war hero.
He was too muddled to give a CO
herent explanation to his wife of the
doings of the night. Early the mex
morning, however, a neighbor came
over with the morning paper.
There it was all in type-the mad
frolic of her helpmeet. 1t appeared
that he had braced himself up with
drinks innumerable. Then he and his
cohorts had started out on a wild cam
paign of retribution against their po-
litical foes.
What Dennis had done was to fully
assume the authority of the city water
department. He had supplied himself
with the official water shut-off rod.
One after the other, whether delin.
quent in the payment of their water
tax or not, he had proceeded to turn
of the hydrant supply from the
street.
So drastic had been his action that
one entire end of the ward had no
water for twelve hours. The parched,
indignant victims of this official frolic
had at once sent a committee of pro-
test to the mayor. 1t was after mid
night when they reached that func-
t%ionary. His action was summary.
The newspaper announced the dis
missal of the new water department
superintendent from his official duties
and Dennis was out of a Job.
Then Dennis Foley went to pieces.
He became an idler, spending his time
Fostering his former political spon-
sors, haranguing crowds in his favor
lite saloon on the ingratitude of an
unappreciative municipality. He neg
lected his family. A shrewd, tricky
crowd involved him in a fragrant po-
litical conspiracy and all hands were
sent to the house of correction for a
year.
Mary visited him there weekly, but
she had little to tell him that was
comforting. Their little property had
DNNA ACANNlOotu Ol. Olultg udu IldT-
ried Nora and they had removed to a
bustling little interior town where
Sidney had secured a position. Too
proud to live on them, Mrs. Foley
was sustaining herself by working as
janitress in an office building.
The day that Dennis was released
from prison, he was amazed and en-
barrassed to have his son-in-law ap-
pear as the first one to greet him at
the steps of the reformatory.
We'll, father" he said in a friendly
way, 81 hope you've seen the folly of
politics"
When you see me back at pickax
and shovel" observed Dennis, be
lieve mt that l have!"
"Oh, I fancy you won't have to go
way back to those rudimentals,"
smiled Sidney, slapping his contrite
relative briskly on the shoulder. "If
there's to be no more drinking"
Try me and see!" muttered Dennis
between his set teeth.
Then Nora and | have blocked out
a fine future for you. They have ap-
pointed me business agent of the
town where we live. They are going
to put in water and gas and pave the
streets. See here, you're an expert in
those lines. How would you like to
be my superintendent"
There were tears in the eyes of
Dennis Foley. All his wretched mis-
takes seemed fading away like a bad
dream as he and Mary reached the
train with Sidney. The old woman
broke down utterly when their daugh-
ter welcomed them to her neat hos
pitable home and Sidney pointed from
the window to a lonely little cottage.
See that house, father?" he in
quired, We'll, it's furnished, a COW
in the shed and a coop full of chick
ems, two years improvements ordered
for the town and all you've got to do
is to work"
And forget" murmured the CRATE
full Mary softly.
Copyright, 1915, by w. G. Chapman)