The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1922-09-29
Calipl1 Of East
Wair1port
By H. IRVING KING


dlStrlctS-n0 relation TO y. Henry or
Har0un-al-Raschfd, either! In the
rural districts they are called political
bosses. Such one was John J..
Phettyplace, caliph Of East Wamport.
| will take back, partially, that about
there being no connection between j.
Jas they called him-and Haroun-
the-Just; there were one or two points
of resemblance. In the first place,
]. j., like Che other calfph. was the
commander of the faithful-that Is,
the workers" and strict party men.
secondly, like HarOun and all cal
iphs who are on their jobs. he kept
his ear to the ground and knew what
was going on among his people,
But enough Of the caliph for a
few minutes. Allow me to intro
,dHce you to the caliph's daughter.
1.-THE Princess Annie. Bagdad's roofs
,Sf. nretted gold never sheltered a
more delightful vision. Henry For
sythe was In love with Annie, and
had it from her own dear lips that
his affections were reciprocated. Henry
was a most eligible young man. held
an. Important position in East Wam-
ports principal mandatory, was
slated for promotion and bound TO go
to- the top. He was a sturdy, athletic
youth and good looking. He was just
the man for Annie. though there was
one subject in which they had moth
ing in common. Henry hated politics
while Annie took deep interest in
them. She had inherited a good share
of her fathers native shrewdness and
loved to sit and hear him discourse
on political matters. making now and
then a pertinent suggestion out of
her own wise little head. But what
has politics to do with love or love to
do with politics? We shall see.
One evening Henry took his
courage in both fists. as the saying is,
and went In to ask j. j. for his daugh-
ter's hand Now the fact is that J. J.
had dreamed dreams about Annie and
built air castles for her. He saw that
she had brains; why should not her
married life be on the heights? He
loved to picture her as a congress-
mans lady, the governors lady, or
even senator's lady.
He never thought Of her as mar
ried to great author. great scien-
fist, or even a millionaire. You see
]. Us world was a world of politics,
and its heights of fancy were peopled
only by successful politicians. It
therefore came to him. with shock
when a rising young business man
stood before him and boldly proposed
to make Annie his wife. He had seen
the youth about. of course but other
youths had been about Annie also,
and for the; only time in his life
the Caliph of East Wamport had al
lowed his fancies to blind him to
realities. When ]. ]. had recovered
from his surprise he turned the young
sutton down-turned him down hard
and brutality so that Henry came out
of the house in a state Of rage and
despair. Annie was waiting for him
on the. piazza-the moon-flooded piaz-
"a, the vine-draped piazza, where the
iair was heavy with the scent of the
honeysuckle. He begged her to fly
with him; he poured out protesta-
lions of undying love, mingled with
abuse of the caliph.
At first Annie turned little pale
and, just for an instant. threatened to
become fearful Then she got a firm
grip upon herself, calmly assured
Henry of the constancy of her affec-
lions. advised him to wait hopefully
for better times, and dismissed him in
manner which he thought, under the
circumstances. cold and unfeeling.
Some little time after this ]. j.
heard that project for a. citizens
movement" was showing signs of life
In his domains. Now the caliph had no
fear of the recognized opposition
party-he had that hog-tied. But these
citizens movements" annoyed him.
Because you never can tell-accidents
are liable to happen. However ably
you may conduct your brace game,
however perfect may be the hidden
machinery which controls the rou-
lette wheel, however, skillfully you
may stack your cards, some little
cog in the machinery is liable to slip,
some trifling tumble In the han
ding Of the "pasteboards" may be
made and the whirling ball falls into
numbered slot where it was never
Intended to go; hand is dealt to a
player which was never intended for
him.
So these citizens movements"
though they seldom amounted to any
thing and their life was ephemeral,
had always the latent potentiality of
disarranging the political machinery
and disordering the political deal
When, later. he heard that Henry For
sythe was to run for assembly on the
citizens ticket he said "Humph r and
quietly continued his business of oil
Ing his machine and marking his
cards. 1t had come about this way
Henry had left the caliph's palace
heartbroken at the calmness of Annie
and furious against her father. Some