The diamond drill., 1919-04-05

+, learned senator and as a resident OF
the county which Is the proud pos
SCISSOR of his home. your enthusiasm
! has welcome sound 70 me but hap
| pen TO know that Senator Wright will
not allow his name 10 60 before the
convention"
He read the letter OF which / knew.
Mr.. Benjamin +. Butler then said:
"When that letter was written Sena-
\ tor Wright was not aware that Mr..
Van Buren's nomination could not be
accomplished. nor was he aware that
bis own nomination would be the al
most unanimous wish OF this conven-
tion. have talked with the leading
delegates from Missouri and Virginia
today. They say that he can be nomi-
I mated by acclamation. Is II possible
that he-a strong party man-can re-
sist this unanimous call OF the party
with whose help he has won immortal
fame? No, IL is not so. Ii cannot be
so. We must dispatch messenger TO
him by horse at once who shall take
to him from his friend Judge Fine a
frank statement of the imperious de-
mand of this convention and a request
that he telegraph withdrawal of his
letter in the morning"
The suggestion was unanimously ap-
proved and within an hour, mounted
or one of the best horses in Maryland
SO his groom Informed mel was on
my way TO Washington wtth9the mes
sage of Judge Fine in my pocket. Yes.
had two days TO spare on my sched-
ule OF travel and reckoned that. by re-
turning 10 Baltimore next day l should
reach Canton In good time.
II was the kind OF thing that only a
fithe, supple, strong-hearted lad such
as i was In the days OF my youth,
could relish-speeding over dark
road by the light Of the stars and a
half-moon, with horse that loved TO
kick up wind. My brain was In a
fever, for the notion had come 10 me
that / was making history.
The lure OF fame and high place hur-
ried me on. With the senator In the
presidential chair / should be well
started in the highway of great sue
cess. Then Mr.. III. Dunkelberg might
think me better than the legacy OF
Benjamin Grimshaw. A relay awaited
me twenty-three miles down the road.
Well, reached WASHINGTON very
sore, but otherwise In good form, soon
after daybreak. / was trembling with
excitement when put my horse In the
stable and rang the bell at our door 1t
seemed to me that / was crossing the
divide between big and little things. A
few steps more and / should be look
ing down into the great valley OF the
future. Yet, now that l was there,
began TO lose confidence.
The butler opened the door
Yes, the senator was up and had
just returned from a walk and was In
his study. / found him there.
"Well, Bart, how does this happen"
he asked.
'It's important business" said, as
I presented the letter.
Something In his look and manner
as he calmly adjusted his glasses and
read the letter of Judge Fine brought
the blood TO my face. IL seemed to
puncture my balloon. so to speak. and
! i was falling toward the earth and so
swiftly my head swan. He laid the
letter on his desk and. without looking
up and as coolly as If he were asking
, for the change of dollar, queried:
"Well. Bart, what do you think we
had better do about it7"
, Ell was hoping-you--you would
, take IT," stammered.
That's because the excitement of
the convention Is on YOU" he an.
; swered. LET us look at the compass.
, They have refused to nominate Mr..
. Van Buren because he Is opposed to
} the annexation OF Texas. On that sub
ject the Will of the convention Is now
2 clear. IL is possible that they would
nominate me. We don't know about
that, we never shall know. II they
> did. and I accepted, what would he ex-
= pected OF me Is also clear. They
< would expect me TO abandon my prin-
: clples and that course OF conduct
2 which l conceive TO be best for the
r country. Therefore I should have to
a accept II under false pretenses and
: take their yoke upon me. Would you
:, think the needle pointed that wayT
Z NO" answered.
; Immediately he turned 10 his desk
I and wrote the telegram which liked
) his place In history. II said no.
Into the lives OF few men has such
moment fallen. i looked at him with
feeling OF awe. What sublime calm
. ness and serenity was In his facei AS
6 If II were mere detail In the work OF
u the day, and without moments fal
u tering. he had declined a crown, for he
. would surely have been nominated and
= = elected. He rose and stood looking
: out OF the open window. Always
= think OF him standing there with the
:, morning sunlight falling upon his face
= and shoulders. He had observed my
!, emotion and ! think II had touched
|" him n little. There was moment o.
~ m fflt