The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-01-21
The Euening Story
Jane,s Peep Into PoIitics.
(By Elsie See.)

(By Elsie See.)
Jane landed in the little capital city |
the Sunday night before the legislature
opened. 1t was the first time in her
life she had registered at hotel
and she felt sure the slick-lool1ing I
clerk knew it The next morning at \
breakfast she saw groups OF men and /
overheard enough of their converse
ton to learn that many of them were /
offlce-seekors, like herself. She began (
to wish she had not let Amy Mason /
persuade her to run for senate filing /
clerk in order to make some easy
money and at the same time be with |
Amy, who was coming as private sec /
rotary to her uncle, Senator Crosby.
Jane noticed that these men looked |
over the register and buttonholed all |
the legislators who entered the lobby. |
She, too. took a look at the register. 1
BY 10 o'clock the lobby of the hotel, /
lopg the headquarters for legislators,
| lobbyists and office seekers, was
crowded with many kinds of men
smoking almost as many kinds of CT
gars.
/ Across the lobby in the center of a
/ group of deferential men, Jane saw a
1 dainty, pirk-and-white girl chap
eroned by handsome lnatrou. Later,
she found that the girl was Miss
Mayo, her opponent, who was running
for reelection. When Jane saw how
well the senators seemed to know her
! fair opponent and how we'll the oppo-
nent seemed to know the ropes" she
felt that her chances were like those
of poor. unknown gray dove against
a brilliant bird of paradise.
She regretted having allowed Amy
to persuade her to get Judge Mortons
support for the position. She now felt
more frightened than when she had
walked tirnidly into his office. But
his cordial assurance of support had
put her at ease there. He had told
her that in order to be elected filing
clerk she would have to secure the
vote of a majority of the Republican
senators, of whom there were twenty
two. AS she was acquainted with
only one senator. Amy's uncle, the
/ prospect did not look bright, but
! Judge Morton spoke encoura gingly
and told her many preliminary steps
to take by securing endorsements
from prominent men who had been
her fathers friends.
| Through it all Jane kept thinking
that Judge Morton seemed so much
younger than she had thought him,
for when he had administered on her
fathers estate she was fifteen, and as
a man of thirty he had seemed an old
bachelor to her. But twenty-five and
forty did not seem so far apart.
All the experience of that visit to
Judge Morton's office passed through
James troubled mind as she looked at
the swarming group of men in that
smoky lobby and realized that she
must appeal to twenty-five of them
to vote for her. Judge Morton could
not arrive to help her until Tuesday
noon. She couldn't think of match
ing her opponents easy familiarity
with those men Just as she was be-
ginning to plan some way to escape
she had met early that morning ap-
preached her.
Miss Gray" he began, I'm not vet
in position to pledge my support
either to you or to your opponent, but
L do want to tell you that you re using
the right methods. Don't nag the sem
ators-thats what your opponents
doing"
But they seem to like her way of
'nagging'," said Jane.
Take tip from me. Miss Gray
If mans in love with a pretty
woman, she can wrap him round her
; finger; but when willy politicians jolly
pretty girl along, it means absolutely
nothing
Jane had not realized that she pos
SeSsed any methods, but it encouraged
her to hear that she did. When
Judge Morton arrived on Tuesday the
; light had Waxed warm ami every SEN
ator had string of candidates and
their supporters after him. Hardly
d senator would commit himself to a
promise for fear of losing a vote for
one of his own wards. When Wednes-
day afternoon came Jane had three
definite promises, three fayora BILE
certainty. She must have twelve votes
to win The thought of it sickened
her.
You'll be expected to go to the
statehouse to hear the result of the
vote" said Judge Morton. And don't
run away if you lose, for we'll take
care of you with something else
} The kind look that accompanied the
words made Jane feel that it would be
most desirable to be taken care of by
one so strong and capable, yet as they
walked together toward the statehouse
she found it awkward to talk to him, a
task made more difficult because he
seemed preoccupied. She feared he
was disguised with all this vote beg
ging; and she felt angry with her
self for getting him into such a mud
die. She was tired and discouraged
and poisoned by the smoky air of the
hotel lobby. The warm dampness out
side did not refresh her. She did not
dream that Judge Morton was noticing
her until he abruptly asked her what
was the matter.
Try as she would, she could not
speak a word in reply. Her throat
seemed closed tight. Then two big tears
rolled down her cheeks. But Provi-
dence came to the rescue, for big
, drops of rain began to fall. Thicker
and thicker they came, and while
Judge Morton said no more, the way
, he almost lifted Jane along the walk
and up the broad steps gave her such
q treasured telling that she didn't care
whether she won the old position or
not.
There was an hour to wait. Many
people were about. and her opponent
was smiling on everybody. But her
smiles did not keep her from stealing
, many an anxious glance toward the
door of the caucus chamber where the
vote was being taken. James over
. | wrought nerves were near collapse
: when the senator from her district
came out from the caucus chamber.
Fat, redfaced and tired, his appear
anee showed that the fight was over