filie Member and tie inx.l
Wi0By EMER1C HULME BEAMAN. J
A severe attack of election fever
bad left the Minx a little limp. It had
originated In a different opinion be
, tween herself and the Member before
the election not In the first Instance
a difference of political opinion, for
the Minx could not strictly speaking
'have laid claim to the possession of
any political opinion; but It degener
ated into that, as the result of a slight
disagreement on the subject of a hat.
The Hon. Algernon Farlngford, the
Conservative candidate, had asserted,
that Che hat did not suit her; that he
disliked the, size and shape of it; and
that, in short, ho would not accom
pany her to the matinee unless she
changed it for another. The Hon.
Algernon was not only particular In
these matters, but he was also a roan
of a dogmatic and obstinate turn of
mind; nnd, as he pointed out to the
Minx, It was her duty, ns his future
wife, to consider In some small de
gree his feelings nnd wishes well,
his prejudices, If she chose to put it
that way on these and nil other sub
jects relating to t'helr mutual happi
ness and welfare. Upon which, with
an Impudent tilt of the nose, the Minx
had reminded him of the terms of
their compact to wit, that she would
only consent to become his future
wlfo on condition that he won the
forthcoming election.
"That," said the Hon. Algernon,
waving aside the objection contempt
uously, "is practically a foregone con
clusion; otherwise I should not, of
course, have been such an idiot as to
consent to the bargain at nil."
"Well, I don't care twopence wheth
er you get in or not," the Minx had
calmly assured him. "Tho hat Is
ripping, and I'm going to wear It; so
there!"
"Not, my dear little angel," re
joined the Hon. Algernon firmly
"not In my company."
"Then you needn't expect me to
. man-? you," she-retorted.
"You'll have to," he pointed out
Judically. "You've promised."
"Only If you get in," she again re
minded him. "You're not in set, and
It's simply absurd to pretend that the
hat doesn't suit me."
"That hat Is outrageous, and I
hall win the election without the
least doubt. We expect a four figure
majority."
"Outrageous!" exclaimed the Minx
Indignantly; and then a sudtlen in
spiration sized her. "I Just hope you
won't get in now!" she said with Icy
composure. "In fact, I shall do my
best to keep you out."
"To keep mo out?" The Hon. Al
gernon stared at her. "Why, what
on, earth do you mean? To keep
me out?"
The Minx nodded mysteriously.
You'll see," was her cryptic rejoin
der. "Its people liko you who drive
helpless women to be suffragettes.
Anyhow, we can ennvass,"
he added with apparent Inconse
quence. "Of course," allowed Mr. Farlng
ford, a trifle puzzled, "you can can
vass. I see no harm in that there
are, in fact, some good creatures in
the Primrose League who are can
vassing the district for me now in a
most praiseworthy and industrious
manner. If you are keen on that
sort of thins, there's no reason why
you shouldn't Join them occasionally
I dare say you'd find It good fun."
"Good fun. Indeed!" retorted the
Minx, repudiating the implication
with a glance of unmitigated sccrn.
"Do you imagine that women take all
- this trouble to get a lot of wretched
men into Parliament just for fun,
pray?"
"They have," the candidate has
tened to assure her soothingly, "their
political creeds, of courso nobody
denies that. They work for the
cause. Many of them are most seri
ous minded and intelligent ladles
But it was not of these
that I was thinking at the moment
I was thinking of you."
"By which you dare to insinuate
that I am not a serious minded and
Intelligent woman!" the Minx accused
him.
"On the coptrary, when It's a Ques
tion of hats,", he corrected, "most
eerlous minded. I was not, however,
aware that you had hitherto put your
aelf to much Inconvenience in the
matter of returning wretetied men to
Parliament. I am sorry that these
superhuman exertions of yours should
have happened to escape my no
tlca "
"Don't Jeer," interrupted the Minx.
"It doesn t suit you. Besides, I was
referring to the women who work
for the cause," she added vaguely. "I
haven't begun yet hut I'm going to."
. "Good!" said the Hon. Algernon,
rubbing his hands. "When do you
proposo to start?"
"To-morrow," announced the Minx,
.With decision.
"Then I will inform Mrs. Greene,
who is In charge of our Ladles' Can:
. vasslng Committee she will be de
lighted fo welcome such a charming
recruit! "
"Don't trouble," said the Minx
loftily. "I shall not requlra to avail
myself of Mrs. Greene's good offices.
Toil see, I'm going to canvass for the
Liberal candidate."
Mr. Farlngford gave a soft whistle,
while the Minx continued to meet his
Incredulous gase with a look of war
like defiance. -
"I see." he said sfewly. "Yon
wish my friend the enemy to win, so
that onr bargain may be dfncetled "
"You had no business to call my
hat outrageouB," was the Jpmewhat
"It was a rash statement, I admit,"
conceded the Hon. Algernon, sighing.
'But how could I possibly see the far-
reaching results of Biich an innocent
expression of opinion? Men are but
shortsighted creatures at best.
Are you quite determined on this
fateful course?"
"Oh, quite," said the Minx care
lessly.
"Then," observed the candidate,
with a tragic gesture of despair, "our
aause is lost utterly lost!" ne
shook his head reproachfully at the
Minx and sighed again. "It's really
too bad of you," he added, "Just as
we are beginning to feel so confident
of victory." ,
"It's entirely your own fault," she
explained; "nnd I hope it may prove a
lesson to you not to make rude re
marks about me in future."
"I am sure," replied the Hon.
Algernon penitently, "that it will."
The Minx, true to her word, com
menced her campaign In the Interests
of the Liberal cause the following
morning, by calling upon the wife of
a prominent local politician belong
ing to that party, whom she knew.
"I've come to help you canvass,"
she announced to tho astonished lady,
pressing her hand with a sweet smile.
"Help me canvass? repeated the
other, taken aback. "But I thought
we all imagined we quite under
stood that that, in fact, you were
eng I mean, that you were a stanch
supporter of Mr. Farlngford?"
"Oh, that's all right," replied the
Minx airily. "I've changed my opin
ions, and I want the Liberals to get
in."
"0 oh!" The slightly drawn out
Inflection was discreetly significant,
suggesting at the same time a subtle
comprehension of motives and a
prudent resolve not to probe too far.
'In that case, of course, we shall be
delighted to have your assistance. I
am visiting one of the outlying dis
tricts in my motor car presently.
Wbuld you care to come, too?"
The invitation happening to coin
cide with the 'Minx's other arrange
ments, she accepted it, and found the
experience agreeably stimulating.
"Some of these country people are
very stupid," she remarked on the
homewnrd drive. "They don't seem
to grasp facts, do they?"
"They grasp facts well enough,"
her companion dissented, "but they
usually grasp the wrong ones."
ThU statement made the Minx
thoughtful for several minutes, after
which she said a t-'fie irrelevantly.
"You mean that ou think he'll get
in?"
"I hope to, dear," replied the
matron, alluding to tho Liberal candi
date; "but we shall have a very hard
fight for it; the Conservatives are
fearfully strong down here, you
know."
The answer seemed to sntlsty the
Minx, tor aha leaned back with a little
sml'.o. During the next few days the
electioneering fever took hold of hor,
and sho found canvassing a much
more exhilarating pastime than rink
ing or bridge. She conscientiously
read tho political literature provided
for her by tho Liberal ladles, nnd in
order to preserve an unbiassed out
look perused the columns of a Con
servative paper dally. Thus fortified,
she felt herself equal to discussing
the most complicated political issues
with tho most recalcitrant voters, and
at the end of each day registered the
results of her efforts in a little Russia
leather notebook, which she triumph
antly exhibited to the Hou. Algernon
when ho next called.
"I got six dear old laborers to
promise to vote for Mr. Clump to
day," she announced Joyously Mr.
Clump being tho Liberal candidate for
the division.
"Hum!" commented Mr. Farlng
ford, stroking his mustache. "I was
afraid we should have no chance once
you began to go on the warpath.
What arguments did you em
ploy, by the way? Did you point out
to these intelligent sons of toil the un
speakable disadvantages of fiscal re
adjustment, or did you dwell merely
on the blessings of an unlimited sup
ply of beer?"
"Both, of course," replied the Minx
promptly, "though they were much
r
A Prayer For
. E plead with Thee, O
pressed by the cares
business life. We
common guilt for the hardness and deceltfulness of our J
commercial life, which leads so many into temptation and
causes even the righteous to slip and fall. So long as It must
be that man is set against man in a struggle for wealth, m
help them to make their contest in some measure a test of
excellence, by which even the defeated may be spurred to
better work. If any man is pitted against those who have
forgotten fairness and honesty, help him to put his trust
resolutely in the profltablnesB of sincerity and uprightness
and, if need be, to accept loss rather than follow the others '
on crooked paths. Establish in unshaken fidelity all who
hold in trust the wealth of others. The property and wel-
fare of our nation are controlled by our business men. Help
them to realize that they have high public functions and let
them not betray the Interest of all for their own enrichment.
Grant them far-sighted patriotism to subordinate their work
to the public weal and a steadfast determination to trans-
form the disorder of the present into the nobler and freer
harmony of the future. Let the Spirit of Christ, which goes
out from Thee and which is ceaselessly pleading within us,
prevail to bring our business life under Christ's law of J
service, that all who guide) the processes of factory and
trade may feel that high consciousness of a divine calling
which blesses only Vr&r are the free servants of God J
and the people, an' X re consciously devoting their
strength to the comb l I American Magazine. .
too stupid to understand what I
meant till I gave them a pound of to
bacco each. They seemed to brighten
up wonderfuly after that, and grasped
the facts at once."
"They would," agreed the Hon. Al
gernon. "But don't explain your
method of argument to any one else,
there's a dear, or you might be in
dicted for bribery and corruption."
"Nonsense!" exclaimed the Minx,
somewhat alarmed. "What's the
harm, pray, in tlvlng a poor old man
a few pipes of tobacco? I ell it char
ity, not bribery."
"The terms," snld Mr. Farlngford
patiently, "are interchangeable in
politics. I'm not sure that your smile
alone without the tobacco might
not be construed into an indictable
offense under the act. I merely warn
you, of course it's no
business of mine since
you are acting oirihe other slit? "
"Well, whoso fault -te -that?" de
manded the Mnx botty. "Bverj)Coly
else admired the hat s M
was simply plgheadednessL believe.
Anyhow, Mr. Clump will geKin, you'll
see!"
The Hon. Algernon shrugged his
shoulders. "I shouldn't be at all sur
prised," he remarked philosophically.
"As for the hat "
"Oh, bother the hat!" she Inter
rupted. "We expect a simply enor
mous majority."
"I trust," said the candidate po
litely, "that you will not be dlsap
pointed." "I consider that an abominably
rude remark!" retorted the Minx. "It
menns that you do not want to marry
me."
"I was under the impression it was
the other way round," murmured Mr.
Farlngford, with an air of mild re
monstrance. "If I am mistaken I
apologize "
"You needn't trouble," the Minx
assured him sweetly. "You aren't
that is, I mean, it was."
"Thanks," observed the Hon. Al
gernon, brightening. "The explana
tion Is quite lucid. But a bargain's
a bargain of course."
"Of course," agreed the Minx
doubtfully.
The unremitting efforts, however,
of the gallant band of ladles who
were actively engaged in advancing
the cause of Mr. Faringford's op
ponent seemed powerless to stem the
tide of Conservative prejudice (so
they described it) which had
swamped the constituency. Never
theless, the Minx enjoyed herself
thoroughly, and, did noi appear in the
least disheartened by the apparently
uncompromising outlook. Indeed,
although she far more often allowed
herself to be persuaded by the argu
ments of a voter whom Bhe was can-
vasslng than she succeeded Jn per
suading the voter, this circumstance,
so far from discouraging the Minx,
only served to accentuate the excite
ment and novelty of electioneering.
"One never knows," as she ex
pressed it, "which Is going to get the
best of it you, or the creature
you're talking to "
"Yes," Interposed her companion
"but you should stick to your point,
dear, and not give in to them. It's no
use Baying every time, 'Oh, no doubt
you are right; and in that case per
haps you'd better vote, as you say,
for Mr. Farlngford.' That's not the
way to get votes, you know."
"No, I suppose not," admitted the
Minx; "but it's awful fun, all the
same. And besides," she added
thoughtfully, "the poor fellows ought
surely to be allowed to vote as they
like? One can only point out things
to them."
On the day of the poll the Minx
rode up and down the main streets
In a car profusely decorated with the
Liberal colors, and sneered at the
Hon. Algernon whenever they hap-
nened to pass each other. And when,
on the following morning, the result
was declared, and Mr. Farlngford pro.
claimed the winner by a round ma
jority, she beamed contentedly on her
fellow canvassers. "So -very aisap-
Dolntlns!" she cooed. "But we did
our best, didn't we?"
The Inevitable reaction after such
a stirring period of excitement set in
the same evening. Now that the fun
was over, the Minx began to wish that
she had not quarrelled with the Hon,
Algernon, for she was consumed with
a desire to see her photograph In the
illustrated papers as the future wife
of one of the new members. It was in
this state of limp protest against the
fate which seemed bent on denying
her so trifling a gratification that the
Business Men.
God. for our brothers who are
ana neset oy .me lempiauuns ui
acknowledge before Thee our
Hon. Algernon found her the next
morning.
"How do you do?' he said with
frigid politeness. "I looked round
early to say 'Goodby,' as I have to
catch a train to town at once."
Oh goodby," said the
Minx, half turning in her chair.
Don't trouble to stop you might
miss your train. I con
gratulate you, of course.
And, oh, by the way how about our
bargain?"
The Member gravely deposited his
hat on the floor and sat down.
That," he answered, "Is mainly my
reason for calling. It's very unfor
tunate. But, you see, you have lost."
Yes," sighed the Minx, "it can't
be helped. You've won
and and those six wretched
old laborers premised to vote for you
not for Mr. Clump at all. I must
have mixed the names up somehow, I
suppous "
THese accidents will happen,"
sympathized the Hon. Algernon, dole
fully shaking his. head. "One always
feels a bit sorry for the loBer, espe
cially after such a gallant flight; but
one's grief In the present instance
may at least be tempered by the re
flection that, the loss Is not irrepara
ble."
"I don't see how you make that
out," objected the Minx, with a little
frown. "The loser can't win after the
game Is over "
"Unless," suggested Mr. Farlng
ford thoughtfully, "the winner re
signs "
"But even then Mr. Clump couldn t
get in that is, without another elec
tion; and besides," added the Minx, a
horrid fear suddenly assailing her
with regard to the photograph in the
illustrated papers, "you don't surely
mean that you would be such a
donkey as to to "
The Member raised a deprecating
hand. ,
'I was not referring," he remarked
dispassionately, "to Mr. Clump, but to
you to our our bargain, in fact.
It seems such a shame that you
should have lost. I could hardly
sleep last night for thinking of your
distress and chagrin; and so at length
I was forced to arrive at the only
decision possible under the circum
stances. I decided to "
"Go on," urged the MJnx, regarding
him stonily. "To what?"
"To resign my claims," concluded
the Member, in a tone of sad though
determined renunciation, "in favor of
the loser."
"Am I to understand by that," re
torted the Minx, with Icy hauteur,
that you wish to imply that you in
tend to that is, to to"
'Cry quits on a division," put in
.the Member amiably. "You have
caught my meaning to a shade. It
aeems only fair, don't you think, con
sidering "
"I will consider nothing of the
sort," announced the Minx emphat
ically, "and I don't in the least under
stand what on earth you are trying to
drive at."
"I am driving at this," explained
the Member, with studious calm.
'By your energetic endeavors to re
turn Mr. Clump at the head of the
poll endeavors whlc would appear
to bear but one Interpretation you
have led me with some clearness to
infer that you desired our matri
monial engagement to terminate "
"That sounds like a prepared
speech," objected the Minx.
"It isn't. I am speaking extem
pore," Mr. l-aringiora miormea ner
with dignity. "And I was about to
add, when you interrupted me, that
under these circumstances my line
of action seems to be clearly indi
cated. As one is strong one should
be merciful. I therefore do hereby
give you back your freedom."
"Then I won t take it! aeclarea
the Minx, looking very red and de
termined.
"You must!" said the Member in
flexibly.
"Rubbish! I tell you I won't so
there! I'll I'll have you up for
breach of promise!"
"Bless me!" ejaculated the Mem
ber, gazing at her in surprise. "Do
you mean to say that you really want
to marry me after all?"
"Do you think I Bhould have got
those stupid laborers to vote for you
if if I didn't?" she demanded wrath
fully. "You are really too idiotic for
words!"
The Member rose, and taking the
Minx firmly by one arm, assisted' her
to a vertical position, and so, by grad
ual stages, to a close proximity to his
waistcoat.
"Then you actually wanted me to
get In all the time, you little Minx?"
he inquired sternly.
"Oh, Algy, you old dear," sighed
the Minx, lifting a pink face to his-,
"I Ehould have been simply mad it
you hadn't."
"Ah! And as for the
hat" -
"Oh, never mind the hat!" inter
jected the Minx hurriedly. "I know
exactly what you think about the hat.
that it's Just"
"Adorable!" murmured the Mem
ber In her ear. The Sketch.
The Turkish Government has pro
hibited the importation of wines and
beers containing more than a certain
proportion of alcohol; and the impor
tation, manufacture and consumption
of beverages containing alcohol not
made from grapes or grape products.
A lock of Napoleon's hair, cut by
his servant on May 31, 1811, at tho
Hotel de Lorz, Brussels, was sold re
cently foa $4 at Stevens' auction
rooms, Covent Garden, London.
The climate of Holland is damp and
WORTH TRYING.
A ticker for the hen-houas
The farmer would supply.
The liens agape
(Jbuld watch the tape
And see when egga are high.
A ticker for the hen-houae
Large dividends should pay.
The liens could note
The rate we quote
And know juat when to lor.
AS USUAL.
"Mrs. Parker Is back la town.''
"ls shea? servants yet?"
"No! Slfe's screaming for help."
-Harper's Bazar.
COLLEGE GOSSIP.
"Where Is Bill these days?"
"Fired."
"Oh, yes. I believe I did hear the
report." Lampoon.
THE ODD CORNERS.
Dentist "Good morning, Mr. Giles,
and how do you like the false teeth?"
Giles "Well, zur, they fit a bit
tight under the ears." Tatier,
PROBLEM.
Knlcker "No holidays now until
Decoration Day."
Bocker "Goodness, who will the
President find to hang a speech on?"
New York Times.
RATHER HARSH.
"A female Judas, I call her."
"How now, girl?"
"Pretends to like me. yet always
tries to kiss my powder off. "Louis
ville Courier-Journal.
MISPLACED.
Miss Threescore "Gracious!
Haven't you found that ribbon for my
hair yet?"
Her Maid "Yes'm."
Miss Threescore "Then what
keeps you so long?"
Her Maid "I can't find your hair."
From Plck-Me-Up.
HEREDITARY.
Hoax "Poor old Henpeckke has
to mind the baby."
Joax "Yes, it's wonderful how
that baby takes after Its mother."
Philadelphia Record.
EXCUSED.
"Shame on you! You came home
last night actually tipsy."
"So I did, my dear. I Just couldn't
resist the pleasure of seeing two of
you at once." Philadelphia Ledger.
A COMBAT.
"Terrible affair at the club lawst
evening."
"What happened?"
"Cholly struck Ferdy with a table
spoon." Louisville Courier-Journal.
VALUED RESULTS.
"Was your garden a success last
year?"
"In some respects," replied Mr.
Crosfilots. "I got some of the best
fishing worms out of it that I ever
saw." Washington Star.
WE SEE THE POINT.
Pupil "Teacher, may I be absent
this afternoon? My aunt's cousin is
dead."
Teacher "Well yes, I suppose
so; but really 1 wish it was some
nearer relation." Boston Transcript.
WHAT IT MAY COME TO.
"I've Just thought of a brand-new
philanthropy," said Mr. Dustin Stax.
"What is it?"
"I'm going to found a home for ex
Mlllonalres who impoverish them
selves by donations." Washington
Star.
THE MODERN WAY.
"I wonder what old Biffins will pay
the count when the latter marries his
daughter?"
"I understand the count wants
$100,000 and fifty per cent, of the
moving picture rights." Cleveland
Plain Dealer.
THE STREAMER TICKET.
"Them railways haven't much con
sideration tor the boys that sell news
papers an' magazines," said Farmer
Corntossel.
"What makes you think so?"
I bought a ticket last week to visit
my son-in-law out West. It had
enough reaUn' matter on it to keep
me interested all the time I wasn't
eatln' lunch." Washington Star.
n n
Sarsaparilla
Leads all other medicines in
the cure of all spring ailments,
humors, loss of appetite, that
tired feeling, paleness and
nervousness. Take it.
(Jet It today in liquid form or In tab
lets known aa Sarsatabs. 100 doses $1.
fA METALLIC
.V I snWl mm Run
COUNTERS ,
Made of Steel T1111"1'
For Miners, Quarrymen, Farmeri and AO '
Men Who Do Rough Work
Every man should wear them. They'
save shoe money. Lighter than lea
ther. Easily attached by any cobbler.
Outwear the shoes. Your shoe dealer
has shoes already fitted with them.
Send for booklet that tells all about
them.
UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CO.
BOSTON, MASS.
The Way to Read.
It was Oliver Wendell Holmes, was
It not, who owned up to his perfer
ence for reading In books to reading
through them? "When I set out to
read through a book," that autocrat
wrote, "I always felt that I had a task
before me but when I read in a book
it was the page of the paragraph that
I wanted, and which left its impres
sion and became a part of my Intel- ,
lectual furniture." If we were only
franker, most of us would confess to
being like Holmes In this matter of
1 1 rt- v - a hfA an
OUT rcHUlUK X U ut? BUIC, no uoia nu
old-fashioned disinclination to set
down a book in the middle of it; we
feel it our duty to finish whatever we
have once begun at the beginning;
yet if we yield to our New England
conscience herein, we are only de
terred from "beginning" -books I mean
neither reading straight through their
tedious opening pages, nor hastening,
like a woman, to learn by the conclud
ing chapter how it all "turns out."
Open your book in the very thick of
it; that Is the true way of getaaPg at
Its soul. Atlantic.
; 13
More Civilized as to Feet.
It has been stated frequently dur
ing the last year or two that the
nractlce of artificially deformlne wom
en a reet is dying out in unina. inr
ferine only in degree from the prac
tice, not unknown among white wom
en, of wearing leather shoes several
sizes too small for the feet, has been
for many years practically universal
CMUUUg IUU leal VjUIHCBU WUUlU. . AJ
ruling race of the country has, it is
said, never practiced it. Despite the
work of the anti-foot binding society,
says a European traveler now la
China, fully 95 per cent of the Chinese
women still present mutilated feet.
Imperial edicts have been launched
against the practice and may eventu
ally drive It out of use, but as yet
little improvement is apparent. -New
York Press.
Great Lakes Traffic.
"The growth and the cheapness of
traffic on the Great Lakes are due in
no email degree to the effectiveness
of terminal machinery at their head.
Duluth and Superior handled more
tons In 1907 than any other seaport,
and it was a'.l carried Into or taken
out of the port by a few railways.
luvov Clues uavc was lunu uiiios
of terminal track, as against 2,000
miles at Buffalo. But at Duluth-Su-perior
a cargo of 12,000 tons of ore can
be loaded in an hour and a half. So
much better are terminal facilities at
tha hanH rt tha lolraa than a'DavtiAK
Tnar rnov nani A in iDan nnn a n.
v : .i v... l
nees than any other port in toe wona
handles in 12, and do it more satis
factorily." J. J. Hill, In World's
Work.
Comfort and
New Strength
K -
Await- the" person who. discovers
that a long train of coffee. aih.cari
be thrown off by.using
POSTUM
la' place of Coffee
v -w a &nMAiv nnri Grrnnui ii riiiii
,i
A UV VW"vt -----0
... . a
sens Dy ine ioou ceiueuu .u
roasted: wheat, .teedunj.-maly
Postum.
come from thence of ,' l
the naturalJ
Ten" days' 1
one
ft
fJZ m J
IVT. ,JtHMMHHIIMMIIIs
Uiptlc retort. ,
rainy the year round.
t-
sold. I