Indianapolis Times, Volume 35, Number 173, Indianapolis, Marion County, 29 November 1922 — Page 8

8

A Hoosier Chromcle By MEREDITH NICHOLSON First Xovel in tlie Times Series of Fietion Stories by Indiana AVriters Copyright. 1912, by Meredith Xicholson.)

SYXOPSIS DAN HARWOOD. ileik il. thè law uff; '>[ WRIGHT & PITCH of I.idianapoiÌß. and reporter for thè Couner. learus frolli \U.EN THATCHER. that bis father. IDWaRD G. THATCHER has gone lo Xcw Tork and that he has no doubt bonghi thè gìass factOTies abo.il wliich Harwood wished to know. aleo. that he hopes to go to Washington as a Senator. Harwood think* he has eome splendili material for a story, but on his return ìearns from thè city editor that they had a tip to let tl;e deal alone. Aster having spent severa! years abroad to gratify his tnother's wishea. young Thateher is anxious to know some of thè politicai lights in thè community and Dan Harwood invite* him to dine at thè Whit- - omb Hcuse nert evening. promising bini ah introduclion to matiy politica! nota! Ics nduolni thè HX. MORTOX BASSETT, wcallhy state--man. Meaawhile, 'VI.VIA GAKRISOX, w idlirig away ber time •ito her friend MARIAX. daughter of Mortoli Ilassctt. on Mrs. Sally Owen s fami at Waupegan, preliminare to taking a college eourse. Dan presented himself punctually at thè Whitcomb House, where Bassett, with his bag packed, sai rcading a ma gazine. He wore a becoming gray suit without a waisteoat, and a blue negligee shirt, with a turnover eollar and a blue tie. He pulled up bis creaseli trousers wlien he >at 'ni. and thè eocks thus discios.-.l :ve his tan uxfiirds proveù ><> 1. lue also. llìs nianner as coolial without ©ffusiveness; when they shook iiands his eyes met Dan s with a moment'a keen, searching gaze, as though he sought to affimi at once his earlier Judgment of thè young man before him. “l’m glad to see you again, Mr. Harwood. I was to be in town for thè day and named this hour knowing I should be free.” "I eupposed you were taking it easy at Lake Waupegan. I remember you told me you had a place there." Bassett’s eyes met Dan’s quickly; then he answered: — “Oh, I ought to be there, but I've •mly had a day of it all summer. I liad to spend a lot of time in Colotado •*n some business; and when I struck Waupegan I sound that matters had been aceumulating at hoine and 1 only spent one night at thè lake. But I feel lietter when l’m at work. l'm holding Waupegan in reserve for tny old ago." “You don : look as though you needed a vueation,” remarked Dan. 'ln faet, y..u look as though you’d had one." “The Colontdo sun did that. Hovv ; re things going with you?" “Well. I've kept busy since 1 saw ou in Fraserville. But I seem doonieu o be a newspaiier man in spile if myseif. 1 iike it well enough. but l fhink I told you I start ed out with ome hoi>e of landing in thè law.' -"Yes 1 rememlier. l'm afraid thè -ouble with you is that you're too ood a reporter. That sketch voti wrote •f me proved that. Mrs. Bassett j ’iked it: mavì*- liecause th* re was so ’ittle of her in il. We both appreciated your ilice feeling and eonsideration in ’he whole artici*. Well, just how are you Corning on in thè law?" “Some of niv work at collegi l was preliminare to a law coure*. and l bave dono all thè reading rossibb in Wright ami Fitch's office. But I bave to eat and thè Courier takes care of hat pretty well; I’ve had to givo li ss ime to study. I don't know enough ;o l>e able to command a position a* law clerk—there aren't matiy pa> jobs of that sort in a town like this.'' "It has occurred to ine. Mr. Hai - ! wood, that we rnight he of servita to 1 ach other. I ha ve a gootl tnany in- • erests. You inay bave gathered that I ani a very practical persoli. That i.~ wholly truc. In business I alni at suc•ess; I didti't start out in lise to be a *"ailure.'' Bassett paused a moment and Dan i lodded. It was at thè tip of his I tongtie to say that such should be > verv man's hope and aim. but Bas-1 sett continued. “l’m talking to you frankly. l'm aot often mistaken in my judgments j ■f men and I’ve taken a liking to you. j I want to open an office here chiefly , to have a quiet place from which to • keep track of things that interest I me. Fraserville is no longer qui te j ■ •entrai enough and l'm down here a | good lead. I need some body to keep ■ an office open for me. I’ve been look j mg about and there are some rooms ; in thè Boordman building that I think i vould be about right. You might cali 'he position l'm suggesting a private ! -ecretaryship, as I should want you I

o take charge of oorrespondence, .nake appointments. scan thè papers, and keep me advised of thè trend of thingg. I’m going to move tny law library down bere to give thè roorns i substantial look, and if you feel like joining me you'll have a good deai of leisure for study. Then when vou’re ready for practice I mav he in a po'ition to help you. You will have a alary of, sav, twelve hundred to begin with, but you can mako yourself worth more to me." Dan munnured a reply wliich Basett did not heed. "Your visit to my homo and thè aride in thè Courier fìrst suggested his to ine. How does thè propositiou trike you?” “It couldn’t be otherwise than gratifyiug. Mr. Bassett. It’s taken my breath away. It widens all my iiorizons. I have been questioning my destiny lately; thè law as a goal had been drawing further away. And his mark of eonfidence— ’’ “Oh, that polnt, thè eonfidence will have to be mutuai. I am a closemouthed person and have no conlidants, but of necessity you will learn my affairs pretty thoroughly if you iccept my offer. You have lieard a good deal of talk about me —niost of it unflatiering. You have heard that 1 drive hard bargains. At every session of thè Legislature I am charged with thè grossest orruption. There are men in my <>wn party who are !>ent on breaking nie down and getting rid of me. Ini going to give them thè best tight I can put up. I oan’t see through thè back of my head: I want you to do that for me.” “I don't know mudi aliout thè practical side of polities; it’s full of traps I've never seen sprung, but I know hey’re planted.” “To be perfectly frank. it's beeause you’re inexperienced that I want you. I wou' ln t trust anybody who had lKilitica.l ambitions of his own, or who had mixed up in any of these locai squabbles. And, besides, you’re a •gentleman and an educateti man. and that counts for something.'' ‘Ton are very klnd and generous T

appreciate this more than I can teli you. And I’d like —’’ “Don’t decide about it now. I’d rather you didn't. Take a week to it, then drop me a line to Fraserville, or come up if you want to talk further.” “Thank you; I shan’t want so much time. In any event I appreciate your kindness. It's thè most cheering thing that e ver happened to me.” Bassett glaneed at his watch. He had sai*! all he had to say in tne matter and closed thè subject characteristically. “Here's a little thing I pioked up today,—a copy of Darlington’s “Narrati ve,’ —he was with St. Clair, you know: and practically all thè copies of thè book were burned in a Philadelphia printing office before they were bound; you will notlce that some of thè pages are slightly singed. As you saw at my house, l’m interested in getting hold of books relatlng to thè aohievement of thè Western ploneers. Some of these bald, unvarnlshed lales give a capitai idea of thè men \\in> conquered thè wilderness. They ha i 'Re reai stuflf in theni. those ftllows!' He snappe*! his l*ag shut on thè new-found treasure and bade Dan good-by without referring again to thè proposed employment. Dan knew, as he left thè hotel, that if an answer had been imperatively demanded on thè spct, he should have accepted Bassett’s rroposition; but as he walked slowly away questions rose In his mlnd. Bassett undoubtedly expected to reap some benefit from his Services, and such Services would not, of eourse, be in thè line of thè law. They were much more likely to partake of thè function of jeumalism, in obtalnlng publicity for such matters as Bassett wished to promulgate. The proposed new office at thè capitai marked an atlvance of Bassett’s piekets. He was abandoning old fortiiications for newer and stronger ones. and Dan s imagination kindled at thè thought of [ serving this masti rful generai as aid ; <le-camp.

However. as thè days passed Dan was glad that he had taken time f* lire si ection. v\ bile he was considerine thè poi ’tician’s offer, a letter from bonihrought a fresb plea for help, antl . trengthened a growing feeling that his wiser eourse was to throw in his .'ortuney with Bassett. In varimi* 1 stilali tvays Mr. Fitch had shown an intiiest in Harwood. and Dan re s**lve*l to take <*ounsel of th* ’awyei >efore giving his answer. The little man sat in his privale moni in his shirt sleeves. with hi** chair tipped back and his feel on iiis desk. He was. in his own phrase. ■'hiiiking **ut a brief." II*; fanne*! himself in a desultori- fashion with s paim leaf. Dan had carri ed in an arm load of look* which Fitch in dicate*! should b* arranged. b;i*k-uj>, <-fi tilt- floor besid* him. I>an lingeretl a iimment and Fitch's "Well” gare him leuve to proceed. Ho state*! Bassett’s offer succlnctly. telling *>f his visit to Fraserville and of thè interviewat tlie Whitcomb. When h* had concluded Iritch asked:— "Why baven t you gone ahead a.n*l cìnse,j tlie matter? On thè face of it it's a good offer. It gives you a chunce to read law and to be as- • i.ited with a man ho is in a i>o*iti**n to he of greut servi*-*- to you.'’ ■Well. to teli thè truth, sir, I have had doubts. Bassett stanila for some things I don't approvo of —his kind of p**i it ics, I rnean.” “Oh! He doesn’t quite square with your ideals. is that it?” “I suppose that is it, Mr. itch.” The humor kindled In thè Ilttlo man's brown eyes. and his tingerà played with his whitening red beard. i “.rust how strong are those ideals of yours, Mr. Harwood?” “Tliey’re pretty strong, I hor*?. sir.” Fitch dropped his feet from thè *lesk opened a drawer, and drew out a long envelope. “It rnay amuse you to know that this is thè sketch of Bassett you printed in thè Courier last fall. I didn t know before that you wrote it. No wonder it tickled him. And—eresoine of lt is trae. I wouldn’t talk to any other man in Indiana about Bassett. H>-'y a friend and a client ol mine. He doesn't trust niany peoplc. he doesn’t'—thè little in.-tn's eyes twinkled —“he doesn’t trust Wright!— and he trusts me beeause we are alike in that we keep our mouths shut. lou must have Impresse*! him verv ; favorably. He seems willing to take you at face vaiue. it would have been quite naturai for him to have asked me about you. but he didn’t. Do you know Thateher—Edward G.? He lias business interests with Bassett. and Thateher dabbles in politica jusr enough to give him power when he wants it. Thateher is a wealthy man. "ho isn't fooling with small politica If some day he sees a red appiè at ili*- top of thè tree he may go for lt. There Vi be some fun of Bassett tried i to shake down thè suine appiè.” "I know Thatcher’s son.” Alien? 1 met him thè other day Odd boy: I guess that’s one place v/bere Ed Thather's lieart is all right." Aster a rnoment’s reflection with bis face turned to thè open window Fitch added: “Mr. Harwood. if you should go to Bassett and in eourse o£ time, everything running smoothly, lie asked you to do something that jarred with tfiosc ideals of yours. what should you do?" I should r* fuse. sir.” answered i Dar., r nestlv. Fitcii ii'<l(-*| gravely. “Verv we! ; then T’d say go uhead. j Tou undt-i ' * ’ * 1 that l'm not predi et ing that sud a moment is inevitable, but it’s quite possibie. Ili say to you what I’ve never said before to any man: I don't understand Morton Has sett. I’ve known him for ten years. j and I know him just as well now as I did thè day I first met him. That I may be my own dullness; but ignor- ! ing al! that his enemies say of him—and he has some very Industrlous ! ones, as you le now—he’s stili, at his I-.-st, a very luiusuai and a somewhat 1 pcculiar rtisi ilifficult person.” “He'.' different. at least; but I can’t think him half as bad as tbey say be is." “He isn't probably." replied Fitch. whos*- eves were '-ontemplatlng thè e* * 0 7 r>*-ro-5 th“

DOINGS OF TIIF DUFFS —

1 -V’SìSr? € i \&!9ssU I >S2^V — t 4

rjTp • / i “Told ja NorfA / Buv NO mf.aT fer ) ifi 'TH\ANK6CrIVIN ! VOU J ( KNOWED 1 WAS ) v BlGr GAME. j

TIIFAI OAV'S i'S (ÌOXK FOKFVEK—

I KFAR YOU LOST VOURL V£S, VIL T6LL OF COURSC H€ MAO THEM P ] KYS HUSOAAJO - - MUST MA \JG OCeM I MISS HIM —IT WAS TQU&H FAUCTS - BUT GOSH MB COUeU f AIO AUFIA BIOM TO SEE MiM GO — - *lls PAMT.V SO -

H” . ■ E'—ì-.-ViVt i' s ; AaIR ss? I WIAKEE TOAAT W,,, % \CRPAM CAN THAT MYTTEfcIOUSLY DISAPPEARED p, FRCM THE LODfSE THE OTHER NIGHT.

streoi. Then. as though just reealling L'an’s presence: "May I ask you wliether, aside troni that Courier article, you ever consdously served Bassett in any way—ever did anytìiing that might have caused hlm to feel that he was under obligations’.'” “Why, no. sir; nothing whutever.’* “Or —’’ a considerable interval in whicb Pitch ’s gazo reverted ••• thè

OUT OUTR WAY—By WILLIAMS

THE OLD HOME TOWN—By STANLEY

cornice— "that you might have some Information that mudo it wise for him to keep his hand on you?” “Absolutely nothing,” answered Dan, thè least bit uncomfortable under this questioning. “You’re not aware,” thè lawyer pers'sted deliberately. “that you ever had .'.ny dealings of any kind even re•iiotely with ÌP?r. Bassett '

THE INDIANAPOLIS TIMES

*‘l Dot Those Bamyard Blues.”

"No: necer, beyond what. I’ve told j you.” “Then, if I were in your place, and tho man I think you are, l’d accept thè offer, but don’t bind yourself for a long period; keep your mouth shut and hang on to your ideals.—it’s rather odd that you and 1 should be using that word; it doesn’t get into i law office often. If you feel teinpte-l

Making a Pet of tlie Turkey

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to do things that you know are crooked, think of Bìlly Sumner, and act accordingly. It’s getting to be truer all thè tinte that few of us are free men. What’s Shakespeare’s phrase?—‘bound upon a wheel of fire’; that, Mr. Harwood, is all of us. We have valuable clients in this office that we'd lose if I got out and shouted :nv . io-,1 convictlona. We’re a

i : ; rK;,*A and ins fiììlnììs-- r-v bi

OUR BOARDLNU HOUSE—By AHERN

all cowards; but don't you be one. As soon as l’m aure I've prò videi! for my family against thè day of >v rath l’m going to quii thè law and blow thè dust off of some off my own ideals; it’s thick, l can teli you!" This was seeing Fitch in a new aspect. Dan was imtnensely pleased by thè lawyer's friendliness, and he felt that his eoonse! wa* sound.

NOY. 20, 1922

—By ALLMAN

—Bv AL POSEN

Pitch broke in on thè young man 1 ? thoughts to say:— “By thè way, you know where I live? Come up and dine with me tomorrovv at 7 if you’re free. My folks are away and I’d like to swap vlews with you on polities. religion, baseball, and great subjects like that,” Dan wrote his aeoeptancc of Bar sett’s offer that night. ilo be Contimi ed)