Jasper County Democrat, Volume 14, Number 53, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 October 1911 — THE MAN HIGHER UP [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

THE MAN HIGHER UP

BY HENRY RUSSELL MILLER

COPYRIGHT,

CHAPTER IV. THE POLITICIAN. When his lines were ready Bob went to MaePberson. Robbins was there, as usuaL “Good!” exclaimed the latter. “1 knew you would be with us.” Bob met his enthusiasm indifferently. “Oh, I’m not with you until you meet my terms, you know." “What’s the matter with the terms I offered? Aren’t they liberal enough?' demanded MaePberson. “No. k I’ll turn over the Fourth, Sev enth. Thirteenth and Fourteenth by 3,000, you to me SIO,OOO. and SlO,000 for expenses, the Sixth legislative's share of the payroll to come to me % appointment and all orders. Of course this means the Sixth’s regular share.” It had been customary Under Steele and Harmon to give the Sixth legislative district the lion’s share of the plums. “Say,” MaePberson sneered, “you take over the leadership of the party and buy my support. It would be cheaper for me." “Take it or leave it." Bob said coolly. “I can do better with Harmon.” “But I don’t propose to buy you at this price every trip.” “Of course. This deal only covers this fight. We mayn’t be together next time.” "Why not?” the boss demanded sharply. “1 don’t like you," Bob replied, “and you don’t like me. We mightn’t get along, you know. Then I’ll go somewhere else. I’ou can make out a check for the twenty thousand right now.” “Before you deliver the goods? Not much!” 1 “Oh, yes, you will,” Bob said easily. *TII do what I promise, and you know it I don’t know that you will, and after the election I couldn’t make you do it Make it to my order.” “That is, I’m to trust you, and you won’t trust me?” “You can; 1 can’t” “Well, for concentrated gall you take the blue ribbon!” MacPherson ejaculated. But he made out the check as Bob had suggested. It was a lucky bargain for MacPherson. Bob kept his promise. His four wards returned a majority of nearly 4,000 for the Citizens’ party ticket That party also carried the city by 3,000. So came the “reformation,” and Robert McAddb began his political career The night after the election Bob entered the Flinns’ sitting room. “Kathleen.” he said abruptly, “what does a good private teacher cost?” She looked at him in surprise. “To teach what?” “Oh. Latin. Greek. German, history—everything you learn in high school and college—grammar, for instance. I ain’t much”— He caught himself and laughed shortly. “For one thing— I want to get out of this pesky habit of sayin’ ‘ain’t’ What will it cost me?’

“Two or three dollars an hour, I think.” “Can you do it?” “I can at the beginning if you will let me.” “All right. We begin tomorrow night I’ll pay you $3 an hour.” The flush became a deep crimson. “No. not that way, Bob. I couldn’t take your money.” “Why not?” “For one reason.” she answered quietly, “you've already given too much money to this family.” He looked at her a moment intently. “All right. We do it your way then. You—you’re all right. Kathleen." he added gruffly and went up to his room. T-flter Kathleen left Patrick and Norah alone. Patrick, who had not been dozing, opened his eyes and winked significantly at Norah. “Norah, d'ye smell nawthin’?” “Pathrick. arre ye clane crazy over the gurrul? Besides. Bob’s no marry in’ man.” “Faith.” said Patrick proudly, “an’ could he do betther than marry her mother’s gurrul. I’m goin’ up to talk to th’ bye.” He_.knocked on Bob’s door, which was Significant, since in that simple household it was not the custom to herald your approach by a knock. “Come in. Oh, it’s you, Pat? Take a chair.” Bob answered. “Arre ye busy, Bob?" " “Oh. no. Glad to see you. Only thinkln’ a little.” For some moments the two sat silent before the fire. Patrick sbqffling about in embarrassment, for he knew not how to unburden himself of. his errand. At last he bolted out: “Bob. why don't ye git married?” “Humph.*” Bob ejaculated contemptu-,

ously. "Why should I get married?” “Ye’re a quare laad. Bob McAdoo. Ye have no bowiis av tinderniss at aIL I don’t belave there’B a person in th’> worruld. av he’d die. ye’d give th’ las the heartache to. Ye have no frinds. Ye’re th’ lonest frindlissist man 1 know—sarve ye right!” he concluded exasperatedly. | “Friends'” Bob sneered. “I don’t need ’em. They do what I want That’s enough for me. What do I want with friendship?” Patrick threw out his hands helplessly. “Av ye epuid ask that quistion ye could nivir undheratand th’ answer. But.” be returned doggedly to his text “ye ought to git married just th’ same. Ye nade s*me wan to care f’r ye an’ like ye.” Bob laughed. “You just said no one likes me. Anyhow, who’d I marry?” “Well.” Patrick said defiantly, “there’s Kathleen." "Oh. Kathleen ain’t the woman for me,” Bob said carelessly. ~v Then Bob did a strange thing. With a quick movement he tore his shirt and updershirt from his body and stood before Patrick stripped to the waist. “See!” He drew his arms up. and the huge biceps swelled until you would have expected the skip to burst. Then be drew himself tensely together. The big pectorals stood out in thick layers, and his waist muscles were a series of bulging, sharply defined ridges. He turned around. Patrick saw a back covered with knots and lines of magnificent muscles. Bob seized him by the wrists. “Break loose,” he commanded. Patrick writhed and pulled to break the lrop grasp ip vaip. “Bah!” Bob threw him contemptnously into the chair. “That’s why,” he cried ia passionate pride “that’s why I don’t want friends. That’s why Kathleen ain’t for me. But muscle is nothing. I’m Just as strong here.” He struck his forehead with his palm. “I never felt what you call friendly to any one.” he went on. dropping into his usual quiet tone. “I never wanted a friend. And I’m glad of it. I can’t

have anybody through friendship gettin’ a hold on me. It’s the same reason that made me quit drinkin'. It don’t hurt me now. but it might get hold of me some day. It’s the strongest win out in this world, Pat, and I must be strongest" Patrick sat, awed and half frightened by this the longest speech he had ever heard from Bob’s lips and by the spirit that inspired the outburst. “Ye’re right” he said slowly. “Ye’re cruel stbrong. An’ mebby ye can do without friends. I don’t know. But some day, I’m thinkin’, ye’ll love some-body-hard. Thin God pity ye!” They did not know that in another room lay a girl who had chanced to hear words not meant for her ears. Minute after minute, hour after hour, dragged by and Kathleen never stirred. Poor Kathleen! Her love, battered and tom under the heedless wheels of a strong man’s ambition, was fighting the bitter battle of her life’s one romance. - But next evening began the lessons. Never was a more earnest tutor and never a more faithful pupil. And no one saw the change in Kathleen, her girlhood lost, her womanhood won In a night One day five years later Director of

Public Safety McAdoo arranged the documents he had been reading Into methodical piles and rose from his desk, stretching his muscles with a sigh of relief. He had become a faithful desk worker, but there were times when be longed for the fierce muscular effort of the old mill life.

Five years had wrought many changes in the life of Bob McAdoo. He was twenty pounds lighter than when he had worked in the mills, although his sinews were still kept in condition by systematic, vigorous exercise. His face was thinner and finer and marked by lines of thought and study. He had grown mentally in the new life and under Kathleen’s tutelage. His clothes were now made by the city’s highest priced tailor, but. worn carelessly, gave little hint of that subtle thing we call style. His bold negotiations with MacPherson had given him a dold on the Sixth legislative district, which careful organization and Judicious bestowal of the patronage made his by virtue of that deal had converted Into a veritable despotism. All candidates for councilmanic and legislative honors from that district had come to look to him for nomination and election. When the second mayor under the MacPherson regime was elected Bob was one of the four men who finally selected the fortunate candidate. Under this administration he accepted the office he now held. His signature at the bottom of a check was now familiar to the banks of the city and passed without question, since he was rapidly becoming a rich man. A street railway franchise was engineered through councils, largely by means of the votes of Bob’s group of councilmen. Bob’s snare of the spoils was a large block of stock, which he afterward sold for almost twice its par value, it was at the time of this franchise affair that he was first cartooned under the sobriauet “Knockout Bob.” as a hig. burly prizefighter, with the ugly, brutal features and particularly the heavy, undershot iowl supposed to be characteristic of men of that profession. Kathleen, with a troubled smile, showed it to Bob. , He gave vent, to one of his very rare laughs. “Why. this is fame, Kathleen. Get a scrap book and save all the cartoons of me, will you?”

All this success was not accomplished easily, but by dint of hard, unremitting work and unceasing watchfulness upon MacPherson. for. although they had so far stood together. Bob knew that it was only an armed truce, that the boss hated him. It was largely for this reason that he had made haste to accumulate a large bank account. But to what end. all this? Lately he had begun to ponder this question. Bob had cast all but-self”out of his scheme of life. This was violating a law of nature, and he was beginning to reap the punishment in a strong discontent. He-was not given to sentiment. but as he looked out on the passersby. all wearing the Christmas air, he realized that they had something he. with all he had won and all he would win. had not. “But. after all,” he mused half aloud, “for a man of my sort power is the only thing worth living for. The trouble with me is that God—if there is a God—made me too big to be contented with ordinary people and their ordinary emotions. Come in. Oh, hello, Tom!” ~ »-= “Fine Cbris’mus weather we’re havin’, Mr. McAdoo,” said Haggin, who was the intruder. Like the other 1 “boys,” he always called Bob “Mr.” nowadays. “Fine, enough, 1 guess. Can I do something for you?” “Oh. no,” Haggin answered, with ponderous bashfulness. “I only dropped in to say ‘Merry Chris’mus’ to ye.” “Very good of you, I’m sure, Tom.” Bob’s tone was anything but enthusiastic. Yet he was surprised by a faint glow of pleasure at the ex-pugilist’s greeting. There was an awkward silence, at length broken by Haggin: “Smith’s been raisin’ a big howl about not gettin’ back to the legislatin'’. Says he oughter git another term. Coin’ round among the boys an’ kickin’ like a mule.” "Can’t help that. I promised Stoughton, and he goes.” “Of course. You say so, and he goes. ’Tain’t him that’s raisin’ the trouble, but a young feller named Remington. An’ he ain’t no slouch, you hear me. He’s the feller I told you about came down to the Liberty hall meetin’ last campaign. The boys was waitin’ an’ growin’ impatient, until ’long about 9 o’clock in comes a tall young feller, regular kid. Good looker, with long curly hair an’ a dashin’ kind of way. An’ swell? He made me feel like a glass fact’ry, an’ I had on me hunderd dollar suit too. He steps up to me an’ says. ‘Mr. Chairman, my name’s Remington, an’ I’m here to make a speech? At that the boys sets up a yell, hootin’ an’ guyin’ him like four of a kind. Swell chap doesn’t say a word, but offs with his overcoat an’ sits on the table with his hands in his pockets, -laughin’ as if he had a good joke on somebody else. Fin’ly the boys lets up fer lack of wind. Then he starts in an’ tells a story fit to make you bust. The boys laughs hard until they begun to see the point was on them. Then he gives ’em the worst tongue lashin’ you ever heard. I thought there would be trouble an - was gittin’ ready to keep the peace when one of the boys sings out. ‘You’re all right, kid.' An’ dash me if they didn’t cheer him louder than they’d guyed him. Then he talked fer near an hour. An’ talk! Say, that kid had ’em all tied in a knot When he was through they all crowded up to him an’ waptpd to buy him drinks. Oh, he’s a corker an’ no mistake.” . “Well, what of hi iterrupt-

•a ’s flow somewhat impatient* ir. “He’s talcin' the Smith end of the row. Lives in the Seventh—Stoughton’s own ward, you know—gets himself elected ward chairman—bow, I don’t know. An’ now he’s goin’ round savin' ’tain’t fair to turn Smith down this trip. He’s gettin’ the boys stirred up some too.” “Why didn’t you send him to me?’ “I did try to. He said: ‘You tell Bob McAdoo to go plumb to thunder. If he wants to see me Jet him come to me.' ” “You call the district committee together Monday. I’ll fix him." Bob promised grimly. “Can’t you make it Tuesday? Monday’s Chris’mus.” “What of that?” "Well.” Haggin explained apologetically. “the boys like to be off Chris’mus. you know, with the kids.” “Can’t help it I’ve got to go out of town Tuesday. Make it Monday night” “All right” Haggin assented regretfully. “I suppose you’ll have to turn the kid down. I hate to do it. though, he’s such a corker. Well. 1 must be goin'.” “Wait a minute, Tom.” Bob sat down and filled out a check. “Here’s something for Christmas.” “What! You givin’ Chris’mus gifts?’ Haggin took the check in amazement Bob’s face burned red at something Implied in Haggin’s words. “Why not?’ he retorted gruffly. “You need another diamond. Tom. Here’s another for the boys in the Fourth, They haven’t found much pickings lately." “How d’you know I won't keep it too?” ' “Nonsense. Tom! I know you.” Haggin swallowed hard. “Mr. McAdoo.” he said awkwardly, “you’re a man. I’d ruther hear them words than git the check. I hain’t words to thank you. Merry Chris’mus!" “The old man givin’ Chris’mus gifts an’ tellin’ me he trusts me!” he murmured to himself in the corridor. “Hanged if he ain’t changin’! Hanged if I don’t believe he’s got bowils, after all!” . Bob stood staring at his check book. Finally he sat down and lighted a fresh cigar. V- \ \ - “All of which is nonsense!” he exclaimed in a tone of disgust, although apropos of what he did not indicate. “Nevertheless, since I have been foolish for once, I might as well carry it to the end by getting something for the Flinns. They’ve earned it. that’s sure.” He closed tns desk with a slam and, putting on his overcoat, went out into the Christmas atmosphere. (To be continued.)

“WHY, THIS IS FAME, KATHLEEN."