Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1918-12-03
CHRISTlNE'S RUSE
BY J. JOHNSON.

were in to show that his son-in-law,
John f. Blackenham, was elected to
| congress. II am little proud of his
great victory, although he is the man
that took from me my daughter and
| political life at one fell swoop."
The grand old Kentucky aristocrat
toyed with spoon a moment with the
mint in an empty glass, humorous
bit of political Renaissance showing in
his eyes.
when John F. Blackenham," con-
tinued the judge, ''first came in from
his cabin home on Salt Lake to study
law with me, he would have been
| good attraction in a dime museum
But l saw that the fellow was not all
blue jeans, and knee joints. Big as he
was, he was principally head.
when my daughter Christine came
home from Lexington, where she had
graduated, she one day called in at the
law office, and, with secret amusement,
l introduced the uncouth, plebeian
youth to the beautiful, high-born aris-
tocrat.
II should have known better, howev-
er, than to have exposed my aristo-
cratic daughter to this big, brilliant
plebeian. didn't stop to think that it
Is brains and not money or birth that
make certain kinds of men the mas
tiers of this Notwithstanding women.
Eat first, through sympathy with the
poor fellow, encouraged Christine to
treat him kindly, but it soon became
apparent that she needed no encour-
agement. One morning she came to
me as was about leaving for the of
flee, and, putting two soft arms about
my neck, told me Mr.. Blackenham had
proposed marriage to her. Thinking
she had regarded it as a deadly insult,
l said, as soon as / could get my
breath: Never mind. darling, I'll
look after the gentleman
"She snuggled closer to my bosom,
patted my cheeks with her rosy fin
gers and said: I'm so glad to hear
you say you will look after him! He's
so poor, and needs your assistance;
and as I'm the only child you have, I
know, being rich, you will not let us
starve until he gets started in the law
practice. You will look after himp
81 was moment speeches. with
fury; then I said: Can believe all
thisT She looked up and said, with af-
fected innocence: Papa, if you can't
believe me, I'll go to the office with
you and prove it by him.
"My mind worked under high pres
sure. What could 1 do? / couldn't
scold and chide this child-the exact
image of her dead mother, sub. So l
said: TIL agree to this Illogical union
the plebeian with the aristocrat-lf
you'll agree to wait until he himself Is
able, In this town, to support you In
the condition In which you were born
She agreed. Iknew 1t would take him
many years to gain foothold In this
old Kentucky town.
'"The time for making nominations
for county offices was rapidly ap-
preaching, and l soon noticed that my
would-be son-in-law was shaking hands
and kissing backwoods babies at live
ly rate. got the nomination for coun-
ty judge, by the asking, as usual, and
my party had at least 500 majority.
"My law student got the nomination
against me from his party, and he was
my opponent-what political impu-
dence!
81 thought he wanted the nomination
from his party as an advertisement for
young lawyer. Well, sub, / can still
feel hitch at my heart when I think
of the horrors of that moment when
the returns of the election came in
and found myself, Judge Blueblood,
sub, defeated by a majority of just 500.
Fraud-infamous fraud-had bee,
committed. I would contest the ele
ton, of course.
christine told me that If her lover
had really been guilty of countenanc-
ing ballot-box stuffing against her dear
old father, she would cancel the en-
gagement, so sent for the leading pol
iticians in each precinct to meet on
the coming day at my office, report the
enormous frauds known to each. and
help devise plan Of contest.
ION the day appointed my office was
crowded with old-time friends, but
their peculiar countenances were not
indicative of much good, as they sew
orally appeared. after all were in and
the door locked, turned to Ham JAR
ris, the leader In Concord precinct, and
hade him report the frauds in his pre-
cinct
WAL he drawled, with an ear-to-
ear grin, Il know of two think. Two
fellers voted for you that want Of
age
"A thunder Of laughter, at which /
frowned, went up from each throat.
"All. finally, acknowledged they had
voted against me!
And here is our authority for vio-
latin party principles said one, hand
Ing me circular that each man In the
back precincts had received the night
before election. 1t ran as follows:
Vanceburg, Ky, Nov.
Dear Sir-Will you have the kind
ness to vote against my father and for
his penniless, self-made opponent to
whom Tn engaged? All, dol NV IA
ener Is rich man, has received the
Higher hOnOrS, and doesn't need the
office. 1t would not only be great
service to me- but would encourage
thousands of poor but ambitious young
men. / appeal to Kentucky gaIlantry.'
So the young man could support
Christine without my aid. l vas out !
witted. Thus gave mir. his congress
sional boom and my daughter. sub"