The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1922-09-30
Caliph of East
Wamport
By H. IRVING KING


- II
We by Mcclure Newspaper syndicate)
there are caliphs In Bagdad
ohere are also caliphs In the rural
uistricts-no relation to O. Henry or
Haroun-al-Raschid, either, In the
rural districts they are called political
BOSSES. Such one was John J.
fhettyplace, caliph of East Wamport
! VIII take back, partially, that about
there being no connection between ],
Jas they called him-and Haroun-
the-Just; there were one or two points
vi resemblance. In the first place,
=. j., ike the other callph, was the
commander Of the faithfuI-that is.
the workers" and strict party men.
secondly. like Haroun and all cal
lphs who are on their jobs, he kept
ms ear to the ground and knew what
was going on among his people.
But enough Of the calph for a
Iew minutes. Allow me to intro
duce you to the caliph's daughter,
me Princess Annie. Bagdads roofs
'N fretted gold never sheltered a
more delightful vision. Henry For
sythe was In love with Annie, and
had II from her own dear lips that
ms affections were reciprocated. Henry
was most eligible young man. held
an important position in East VAN
ports principal mandatory, was
slated for promotion and bound to go
70 The top. lie was a sturdy. athletic
youth and good looking He was lust
the man for Annie. though there was
one subject In which they had moth
ing in common. Henry hated politics
while Annie took n dccn interest in
them. She had inherited a good share
or her fathers native shrewdness and
loved TO sit and hear him discourse
on political matters, making now and
then 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 ms a congress
mans lady, the governors lady. or
even a senator's lady.
He never thought of her as mar
ried to great author q great scien-
fist, or even millionaire. You see
J. Us world was world Of politics.
and its heights of fancy were peopled
only by successful politicians. 1t
therefore came to him with shock
when 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 J. J. had recovered
from his surprise he turned the young
suitor down-turned him down hard
and brutally, SO that Henry came out
Of the house In state Of rage and
despair. Annie was waiting for him
on the piazza-the moon-hooded piaz-
IN. the draped piazza. where the
air was heavy with the scent Of the
honeysuckle. lie begged her to fly
with him; he poured out protesta-
tons Of undying love. mingled with
abuse Of the caliph.
At first Annie turned a little pale
and. just for an instant threatened to
become fearful. Then she got 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. J.
heard that project for 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, skiIlfully you
may stack your cards, some little
cog in the machinery is liable To slip,
some trihing tumble" in the han
ding of the "pasteboards" may be
made and the whirling ball falls into
a numbered slot where 1t was never
intended to go; hand Is dealt to q
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 potentially Of
the political machinery
and disordering he political deal.
When. later, he heard that Henry For |
sythe was to run for assembly on the |
ticket he said "Humph!' and |
quietly continued his business Of oil |
Iuy hic machine and marking his |