The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-07-31
Euening Story
A Wide-Open Policy.

Harley wentworth tilted back in
his swivel chair and stretched luxur-
tiously while he smiled with quiet sort
of triumph.
The battle-and a hard tussle it had
been-was over. and he was the Win
ner At the age of twenty-eight he
was mayor of Kentol. Presidents had
! been overthrow, Othe standpatters
had been overwhelmed, young blood
I had come out on top For the first
time in it's history this city of $4,000
inha bitants was to, have youth at its
municipal helm. Only today at the
polls the venerable Mr. Black had
gone down to a crushing defeat
Mayor elect Wentworth heard the
Sdoorbeil. and presently the house
keeper tapped at the study door and
announced that Mr. Hennison' was
caller. Harley directed that Mr. Hen
nison be admitted. and soon the per
son in question. a rotund, florid-faced,
squint-eyed individual, whose cloth
ing shouted to the world, but made
no pretense of fitting, waddIed into
the study and Topped into an easy
chair near Harley's desk.
We'll. we Won" grunted Mr.. Hen
nison, helping himself to a cigar from
the box on the desk and wrenching
off the end with some tusk-like yell
! low teeth and ejecting the amputated
/
waste-basixet, which it failed to arrive
at by several inches.
Il thought We might as well have a
i thoro understanding. he said chew
+ ing on his cigar You We're elected,
1 of course, by. the wide-open Slement-
You ran with their support : of course,
you know that. The understanding
was that if you was elected things was
to be thrown opeD>[and was to ooer-
ate with protection.
Harley exhaled a heavy cloud of
smoke.
There was no understanding-ex-
actly,2 he sadd. Il made no promises,
things Were to be wide open. However
of course I have the welfare of
Kenton at heart
I understand" he grunted Il
think that's sufficient. All / wanted
was your--your silent assurance, you
might say
Scarcely had Mr. Hennison left when
the telephone bell rang.
This is JEAN said girls voice
Il want to congratulate you. How
ever, l much prefer to do it in person"
TN be right down. Harley assured
! her, and presently his car stopped be-
>xor neat, modest dwelling.
Jean came out on the porch and
greeted him. not effus;veIy, but in a
/ cerity.
I'm proud of you, Harley" she told
him as she ushered him into the nv-
ing room It's great triumph to
beat Mr.. Black, who was in office so
long. You Certainly have great re-
sponsibiiities on those young shoulders
( now"
They're rather broad shoulders"
| he smiled They ought to to able to
sustain some, petty heavy burdens
She seemed to hesitate before speak
! ing again, and her eyes studied the
figure in the rug, while the fingers of
| her right hand fumbled with a dia-
mond-set ring on the third finger of
her left hand.
Harley, you lSnOw-Tm very proud
I or you, she said presently, looking
| him in the eyes; '.but I'm afraid
somehow. I've heard it was the wide
open element that selected you, and
I'm afgaid-well you know it may
! bring a certain kind of prosperity but
think of the suffering in many homes.
1t is pretty well understood that liquor
! has been sold lately in spite of the
( prohibition law, and that there has
been some gambling, in spite of Mr..
| Blacks efforts. 1t seems he hasn't
been fully supported by part of his ad-
ministration in his efforts to enforce
the new law. That was bad enough,
a free hand a great many people viii
suffer for it."
The mayor-elect smiled indnlgently.
There, there, GIRL he said, with
tinge of patronizing in his tones
Don't Don't you worry your little head
/ things all right. You don't understand
politics thoroly
There's party loyalty to be consid-
cred, and number of things. Kenton
should grow more rapidly, and it will
! if given a proper chance. 1 have an
! opportunity to make a good record
for myself, and to do. so I must shut
| one of my eyes to certain things. But
! don't worry Everything il going to
run along smoothly"
! of course you know best, Harley"
she told him. while disappointment
| showed in here eyes. I'm with you,
anyhow, you know that"
1t was rather late when they parted.
Harley was tired, and he decided to
take a short cut to his home: so two
blocks from Jeans residence he turned
to the left. instead of heading for the
main thorofare.
Three blocks along this side street
ne came to a corner on which stood
tall, magnificent looking house. the
only light in evidence being that
which crept from behind tightly drawn
blinds.
Harley smiled.
iHennison hasn't lost any time in
opening up wide" he unused He
seems to have forgotten old Black is
sim at the helm until my Inaugural
ton
! He had not time to pass the house
/ before the figure OF a man lurched
from the building and crossed the
sidewalk into the street, swaying I'M
tsteadily and holding up a hand
Harley stopped He had to in or
der to avoid running over the man.
4 The latter staggered around to the
ds1or of the car and held out his hand
II thought twas you. Harley" he
said thickly. 4 want to offer con-
gratuIations."
Harley recognized the. interioper
with a start. He was Jack Boison.
Jeans brother. He had not seen Jack
/ for some time and had forgotten about
him.
Things going to be fine now, eh.
Harley ?" the other went on. raising