THE SUNNY SLOPES OF LINWOOD 197 



We landed at New York some weeks later, and 

 a talegram that awaited him at the old Fifth Avenue 

 Hotel robbed him then and there of a peace of 

 mind which I am absolutely certain he never after- 

 wards quite regained, even up to the final hour. 

 This message notified him that at a political con- 

 vention that had been held at Wichita, while we 

 were upon the Atlantic, he had been unanimously 

 nominated amidst great enthusiasm for congress- 

 man-at-large, under an apportionment at that time 

 effective, for the state of Kansas. 



"Why," said he, "did this have to come to me 

 just as I was returning home from this splendid 

 trip, my mind fairly filled with new ideas, hopes 

 and plans for the future of my home, my farm, my 

 herd?" This was the natural protest of a man 

 who had never sought public office and wished only 

 to live out his simple life among "green fields and 

 running brooks." I verily believe he had at that 

 hour a premonition that this really meant farewell 

 to all he valued most on earth. All the way to 

 Chicago he could not shake off the pall that seemed 

 to fall upon his spirits. A good soldier always, 

 ever ready to respond to what he felt might be the 

 call of duty, he buckled on his armor and made 

 the fight. People may have differed with him in 

 his views upon various questions vitally affecting 



