Indianapolis Times, Volume 35, Number 169, Indianapolis, Marion County, 24 November 1922 — Page 8

8

A Hoosier Chronicle By MEREDITH NICHOLSON First Novel in thè Times Series of Fiction Stories by Indiana Writers (Copyright, 1912. by Mcredath Nicholson.)

SYNOPSIS SYLVIA GARRISON. youngr rranddausfcter of PROFESSOR KELTON, ls mafetng her hoinc with MRS. JACKSON OWEN, In Indianapolis, pre liminary to g-oing to college. An e veti t of which Sylvia ia noi to know ls thè mysterlous visìt of a straneyoung man ho delivers an unslgned lettrr to her grandfather. etating an offer which he declines to aecept. Sylvia meste MARIAN BASSETT. Mrs. Owens cultured rrandnlece and her mother. MRS. MORTON BASSETT, prominent club woman of Fraserville. DAN HARWOOD. clerk in thè law offlcee of WRIGHT & FITCH. who does newspaper work for thè Courier is sent to see MR. PETTIT. their Fraserville eorreepondent. aleo editor of thè Fraser County Demoira t. to gather faets for a sketch of thè HON. MORTON BASSETT, politietan and father of Marian Bassett. “Owns everything,” said Harwood, wlth an attempt at facetiousness, “except thè brewery.” Mr. Pettit’s eyes opened wide, and then closed; agaln he was mìrthshaken; lt seemed that thè Idea of linking Morton Bassett’s name with thè manufacture of malt liquor was thè most stupendous joke posslble. The editor’s face did not change expreesion; thè internai disturbances were not more violent this time. but they continued longer: when thè strange spasm had passed he dug a fat fist into a tearful right eye and was cairn. “Oh, my God,” he blurted huskily. “Breweries? Let us say that he neither makes nor consumes malt, vlnous nor spirituous liquor, within thè meaninf of thè statutes In such cases made and provided. He and Ed Thatcher make a strong team. Ed started out as a brewer but there's nothlng wrong about that, 1 reckon. Over in England they make lords and dukes of brewers.” “A man of rectitude—enshrined in thè hearts of his fellow-citlzens — popular and all that?” suggested Harwood. “Yes. Mort rather retains bis heat, I guess. Some say he's cold as ice. His ice is thè kind that freezes to what he likes. Mort'e a gentleman tf we have one in Fraser County. If ycu think you're chasin’ one of these blue jeans politlcians you read about In comic papere you're hitting thè wrorig trail, son. Good Lord, boy, if you can say these other fellows in Indiana politics have brains, you got to say that Mort Bassett has intellect. Which is different, son; a lem slghc different." “I shall be glad to use thè word in my sketch of Mr. Bassett,” remarked Dan dryly- “It will lend variety to thè series.” Harwood thanked thè editor for his courtesy and walked to thè door. Strange creakings from thè editoria] chalr caused him to tura. The Honorable Isaac Pettit was in thè throes et another convulsion. The attack seemed more severe than its predecessore. Dan waited for him to invoke deity with thè asthmatic wheeziness to which mirth reduced his vocal apparatus. “It's nothin’, son; it's nothin’. It’s my temperament; I can’t help it. Dìd you say you were from thè Courier? Well, you better give Mort a good send-off. ' He appreciates a good Job; he's a sort o’ literary cuss himself.” Harwood's instructions were in every case to take thè subjects of his sketches at their own valuation and to set them forth sympathctically. The ambitions of most of thè gentlemen he had interviewed had been obvious—obvious and futile. Nearlv every man who reached thè Legislature feit a higher cali to Congress or thè Oovernor’s chair. Harwood had aiready described In thè Courier thè at tainments of several statesmen who were willing to sacrifico their private mterests for thè high seat at thè State oapitol. The pettiness and sordidness of most of thè politicians he met struck him humorously. but thè tone of his artieles was uniformlv lauda-

tory. When thè iron gate clicked behlnd him at thè Bassett residence, hls notebook was stili barren of such anecdotes of hls subject as he had usually gathered In like cases In an aftemoon spent at thè courthouse. Stories of generosity, of thè klndly care of wldows and orphans. glfts to indigent pastore, boys helped through college, and stmllar benefactions had proved altogether elusive. Either Harwood had sought In thè wrong places or Morton Bassett was of tougher fiber than thè other gentlemen on whom his nencil had conferred immortallty. Harwood stated his errand, and i Bassett merely nodded. offering none i of those ppotestàtlons of surprise and ; humlilty, those pleaa of unworthi- j ness that his predecessore on Dan’a Ust had usually insisted upon. Dan made mental note at once of thè flg j uro before him. Bassetti jaw was square and flrm—power was manlufest there, unmlstakablv, and his j brlstling mustache suggested combatlveness. His dark eyes met Harwood’s gaze steadily—hardness mlght be there. though their gaze was friendly enough. His voice was deep and lts tone was pleasant. He opened a drawer and produced a box of algare. •*Tt r on’t you smoke? I don’t smoke myself. but you mustn’t mind that.” And Harwood accepted a cigar, which he sound excellent. A moment later a mald placed on thè table beside thè checkerboard a tray, wlth a decanter and glasses. and a pltcher of water. “That's for us." remarked Bassett. nodding toward thè glasses. “Help ; youreelf.” “The cigar is all I need: thank you." The reporter was prepared to ask questiona, followlng a routine he had > employed with other subjects, but Bassett be an to talk on his own initiative —i_f thè town, thè county. thè distrlct. He expressed himself well. In terse words and phrases. Bassett was not thè vulgar. Intimate good-fellow who slapped every man on thè back —thè teller of good stories over a glass of whisky and a ; cigar. He was, as Pettit had sald, ; a new type. not of thè familiar cliché, j The decanter was a “property” placed in thè scene at thè dictates of hospltality: thè checkerboard canceled any suggestion of convlviallty that might have been conveyed by thè decanter of whisky. Bassett’s right hand lay on thè table and Dan sound himself watchlng it. It was broad, but not heavy; thè fingere that opened and shut quletly n a amali paperweight were supple.

It was a hand that would deal few blows, but hard ones. Harwood was aware, at a moment when he began to be bored by thè bald faets of locai history, that Bassett had abruptly switched thè subject. “Parties are necessary to democratic government. I don’t believe merely in my own party; I want thè oppositlon to be strong enough to make a flght. The people are better satisfied if there's a contest for thè offices. I’m not sorry when we lost occasionally; defeat disciplines and strengthen a party. I have made a polnt in our little locai affaire of not fighting independents when they break with us for any reason. Believing as I do that parties are esential, and that schismatic movements are futile, I make a point of not attacking them. Their failures strengthen thè party—and incidentally kill thè men ■who have kicked out of thè traces. You never have to bother with them a second time.” “But they help clear thè air—they serve a purpose?” suggested Harwood. He had acquired a taste for thè Nation and thè New York Evening Post at college, and Bassett's frank statement of his politicai oplnlons struck Dan as medine vai. “You are qulte right. Mr. Harwood. They serve an excellent purpose. They provide an outlet; they serve as a safety valve. Now and then they will win a fight, and that’s a good thing too. for they will prove, on experinient, that they are Just as human and weak in practical application of their ideas as thè rest of us. I’d even go as far as to say that In certaln circumstances I'd let them win. They help drive home my idea that thè old parties, like old. establlshed business houses, have gotto malntaln a standard or they will lose thè business to which they are rightfully entltled. When you see your customers passlng your front door to try a new shop fsrther up thè Street, you want to sit down and consider what’s thè matter, and devise means of regaining your lost ground. It doesn't pay merely to ridicule thè new man or cry that his goods are inferior. Youis have gotto be superior—or”—and thè gray eyes twinkled for thè flrst time — “they must be dressed up to look better in your show window.” Bassett rose and walked thè length of thè room, with his hand3 thrust into his trousere pockets. and he poured himself a glass of water from thè pitcher and drank it slowly, with an air of preoccupation. “I've been a collector of Americana,” Bassett remarked. throwing open several cases. “I’ve gon? In for colonial history, particularly, and some of these things are pretty rare.” The shelves rose to thè ceillng and Passett produeed a ladder that he jnight hand down a few of thè more interesting volumes for Dan's closer inspectlon. “Here's Wainwright’s ‘Brief Description of thè Ohio River, With Some Account of thè Savages Living Thereon’ —published In London in 1732, and there are only three copies in existence. This is Atterbury’s ‘Chronicle of thè Chesapeake Settlements’ —thè beet thing I have. The author was an English sailor who : joined tne colonista In thè Revolution j end published a little memolr of his adventures In America. The only other copy of that known to exlst ls In thè British Museum. I flshed mine out of a pile of Junk In Baltimore about ten veare ago. When I get old and have time on my hands I'm going to reprint some of these—-wide margina, and footnotea, and that sort of thing. But there’s fun enough now in just having them and knowing thè other fellow hasn't!”

He flung open a panel of thè wainscoting at a point stili frac of shelves and disclosed a door of a small Iron safe which he opened with a key. “This isn’t thè family silver, but à few little things that are more valvable. These are first edltions of American authors. Here’s Lowell’s ‘Fabie for Crìtica,’ firet edition; and this is Emerson’s ‘Nature.’ 1836—a first. These are bound by Orpcutt; had them done myself. They feel good to thè hand. don't they!" Harwood’s pleasure in thè beautiful specimens of thè binder’s art was unfeigned and to his questioning Bassett dilated upon thè craftsmanship. “The red morocco of thè Emerson takes thè gold tooling beautifully, and thè oak-leaf border design couldn’t be liner. I believe this olive-green shade is thè best of all. This Whittier—a first edition of ‘ln War Time’—is by Durand, a French artist, and one of thè best specimens of his work." “Are you a reader of poetry?” asked Dan, as Bassett carefully collected thè books and retumed them to thè safe. “No. That is something we leave behlnd us with our youth,” he said; and looking down at thè bent head and sturdy shoulders, and watching thè strong fingere turning thè key, Dan wondered what thè man’s youth had been and what elements were mixed in him that soft textures of leatlier and delicate tracings of gold on brown and scarlet and olive could so delight him. Bassett rested his hand on Dan’s shoulder for a moment as thè younger man bent over one of thè prized volumes, and Dan was not Insensible to thè friendliness of thè act. Bassett imposed no restrictions upon Harwood’s pencil, and this, too, was a novel experience. His predecessore on thè list of leaders in Hoosier politics had not been backward about making suggestions, but Basset did not referto Harwood's errand at all. When Dan asked for photographs of Mrs. Bassett and thè children with which to embellish his article, Bassett declined to give them with a finnness that ended thè matter; but he promised to provide photographs of thè house and grounds and of thè Waupegan cottage and send them to Harwood In z. day or two. Harwood gave to hls sketch of Morton Bassett a care which he had not bestowed upon any of his previous contributions to thè “Courier’s” series of Hoosier statesmen. The man aging editor complained of its sobriety and lack of anecdote. "ICs good, Harwood. but it’s too damned solemn. Can’t you shoot a little ginger int olt?*’ "I’ve tried to paint thè reai Bassett. He isn’t one of these raw hayseeds who hands you chestnuts out of pa-

DOINGS OF THE DUFFS—

XoH,DORis! NOT HOME YET.’ ERE\S HER APRON-JOST WHER£ SHE \ ( . lllQ 0 WU . T / CA|J 'iO'J MAT TMESE NO \ f THREw IT WHEN SHE BEAT IT OUT ! i LOOK.WILBUR WHAI 1 —^u,cdf Voi A l RE6ARD FOR OinnERTIME-HUH. AIMOST ' } BEHEVE ME I’LL SAY SOMETHING To HER 1 BROUGHT YOU A ) \ \NtKC- - v 3 SixTHIRTY- NOTHING IN THE ICE ' ( WHEN SHE 6ETS HOME - ÓAY.YouNG LADY I FinEROAST CHICKEN ) SOTHATS -a > TALKING TO \ I Tai K'lklT \ EVF.N AH ORANGE - 50 ME LARO ANDLETTUCE ( WHAT’S THE BIG IDEA IN COMING HOME AT ! y/S/ITH HOT DUMPLIMGS? ) WHER£ YOU \ , | CAME /N, >NILBOR?/ TT ' V (SUPPOSE I CAN THRIVE ON THAT / / SEVEN O'CLOCK? WHAT DO VOO TH/Nk THIS j | WA s Ov£P TO A VJERE V V > WAS L,ST - _ \ PLACE IS, ACAFE ? ,MEALS AT ALL HOURS? ! A nO SNF FIAED THIS f\ ' yrilH dIWGING A UTTLE jr \ NOW LET ME TELL YOU ONCE AND FOR ALL ,'j BASKET FOR L>S - / tf V w _ itS.L. HOT - " j 1 /

: Che old crossimg watchman is all ret up over people USiNGr RIS SHANTTV FOR A SEAT il WHILE WAITNG FORTaOSE LONGr freigrts To PASS BT. **

THEM DAYS IS GONE FOREVER—

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/SE - I / \ YOUÌRE. TEA.FHN J * UPSide Down yesterday, would HAve SI BEEN STRAI6HTENED OUT TODAY IF -THE LADDER HADNT SUPPED.

tent medicine almanacs. l’ve tried to make a document that would teil thè truth and at thè sanie time pleaso him.” “Why?” snapped thè editor, puliing thè green shade away from his eyes and glaring at thè reporter. "Because^Jie’s thè sort of man you feel you’d like to p’oase! H ’s thè

OUT OUR WAY—By WIELIAMS

THE OLD HOME TOWN —By STANLEY

only one of these fellows I’ve tackled who didn’t teli me a lot of highfaluUn rot they wanted put into thè article. Bassett didn’t seem to care about it one way or another. I rewroto most of that stufi half a dozen times to be suro to get thè punk out of it, because I knew he hated punk.”

THE INDIANAPOLIS TIMES

Take This Oh Your Tambouriiie

“You did, did you! Well, McNaughton of Tippecanoe County is thè next standard-bearer you’re to tackle, and you needn’t be afraid to pin ribbons on him. You college fellows are all alike. Tky to remember, Harwood, hat this paper aln’t thè ’North American Revlewf lt’s a newspaper for thè plain people.’ (To Be Contìnued)

A False Alarm

FRECKLES AXT) HIS FRIENDS—By BLOSSER

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0f OM, MR.MACK T>EM/Ll(. cupio^ 0 ARE COORTI vi G r Y, HAPPY for \ \ BR&NWOKiG \ Vouvig lady ! figurivìg 1 Vou dovesA wttbTU'GAMBi Wovl VJoWIDEUFUL ovi SRAklviG V O k]LY A SWEEY p U VJHEVi NUGS V To UAV/E ROMANCE AVIV STeEPUSM MEMORY 4 Jig IO9TEU?f Ahi' [ BLOOMING IM OUR -THATIS-Art- REMAIkIS OF t SUE GTiLL*HAS tf HERTLOG _ MIDST=TfeLL ME, 1 V'SEE-Uor VaJHEvI MV ' HOPES HE'IL U{ BliDS-YtAUSEE HAVE YoU SET" \ER-EXACTLYy frLOK j zo J C OME VVADIUGUTA AÈ |\ AviV DATE FOR / \ MARI*/ AVJAY /pk BACK <SOMe/;;.A VJ AS VJ LD aJ? WEDDIVJG j \JTo tAEgZOG.TviE ROMANCE PtOKJHERS

CARS STOLEN AND FOUND Two automobiles were stolen durìng thè night. Stuart Wilson, 4251 Park Ave., reported his car taken from Ohio and Maridian Sta. The automobile was sound by thè police at Virginia Ave., near Washington St., early today. Harry E. Whiteman, 3710 Fall Creek Boulevard, reported

OUR BOxUiDJLNG HOUSE—By ATTERN

his car stolen from Monument Circle. His automobile was sound at Vermont and Pennsylvania Sts., at 2 a. m. today. Auto Tire Is Taken Wilbur Bonlfleld, 6528 Ferguson St., parked hls automobile in front of Castle Hall last night. A thief stole a tire worth $35.

NOY. 24, 1922

—By ALLMAN

—By AL POSEN

SB,OOO LOSS AT SEELYVILLE Bit Time Special TERRE HAUTE. Ind.. Nov. 24. Fire threatened to wipe out thè town of Seelyville last night when two Stores and two residences were destroyed. The loss was estimated at SB,OOO. Prompt aid given by thè Terre Haute and Brazil Are dapartmenta prevanted a largar losa.