David Lockwin -- The Peoples Idol

David Lockwin -- The People's
Idol

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Title: David Lockwin--The People's Idol
Author: John McGovern
Release Date: February 21, 2005 [EBook #15123]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DAVID
LOCKWIN--THE PEOPLE'S IDOL ***

Produced by Al Haines

[Frontispiece: He appears on the balcony. There is a cheer that may be
heard all over the South Side.]

DAVID LOCKWIN
The People's Idol

BY
JOHN McGOVERN,

AUTHOR OF
"Daniel Trentworthy," "Burritt Durand," "Geoffrey," "Jason Hortner,"
"King Darwin," etc.

CHICAGO:
DONOHUE, HENNEBERRY & CO.

COPYRIGHT, 1889, BY JOHN M'GOVERN.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

COPYRIGHT, 1891, BY JOHN M'GOVERN.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Book I - Davy

Chapter
I. Harpwood and Lockwin II. The People's Idol III. Of Sneezes IV. Bad
News All Around V. Dr. Floddin's Patient VI. A Reign of Terror VII.
The Primaries VIII. Fifty Kegs of Beer IX. The Night Before Election
X. Elected XI. Lynch-Law for Corkey XII. In Georgian Bay XIII. Off
Cape Croker XIV. In the Conventional Days
Book II - Esther Lockwin
I. Extra! Extra! II. Corkey's Fear of a Widow's Grief III. The Cenotaph
IV. A Knolling Bell
Book III - Robert Chalmers
I. A Difficult Problem II. A Complete Disguise III. Before the
Telegraph Office IV. "A Sound of Revelry by Night" V. Letters of
Consolation VI. The Yawl VII. A Rash Act VIII. A Good Scheme IX.
A Heroic Act X. Esther as a Liberal Patron

Book IV - George Harpwood
I. Corkey's Good Scheme II. Happiness and Peace III. At 3 in the
Morning IV. The Bridegroom V. At Six O'clock

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
Frontispiece: He appears on the balcony. There is a cheer that may be
heard all over the South Side.
Three of the most bashful arise and come to be kissed.
The boat drags him. He catches the boy's hand.
Her eye returns in satisfaction to the glittering black granite letters over
the portal.
"It's a good scheme, Corkey."
But the bride still stands under the lamp on the portico, statuesque as
Zenobia or Medea.

DAVID LOCKWIN
THE PEOPLE'S IDOL
BOOK I
DAVY

CHAPTER I
HARPWOOD AND LOCKWIN
Esther Wandrell, of Chicago, will be worth millions of dollars.
It is a thought that inspires the young men of all the city with
momentous ambitions. Why does she wait so long? Whom does she
favor?
To-night the carriages are trolling and rumbling to the great mansion of
the Wandrells on Prairie Avenue. The women are positive in their
exclamations of reunion, and this undoubted feminine joy exhilarates,
and entertains the men. The lights are brilliant, the music is far away
and clever, the flowers and decorations are novel.

If you look in the faces of the guests you shall see that the affair cannot
fail. Everybody has personally assured the success of the evening.
Many times has this hospitable home opened to its companies of
selected men, and women. Often has the beautiful Esther Wandrell
smiled upon the young men--upon rich and poor alike. Why is she, at
twenty-seven years of age, rich, magnificent and unmarried?
Ask her mother, who married at fifteen. Ask the father, who for ten
years worried to think his only child might go away from him at any
day.
"I tell you," says Dr. Tarpion, "Harpwood will get her, and get her
to-night. That is what this party is for. I've seen them together, and I
know what's in the air."
"Is that so?" says David Lockwin.
"Yes, it is so, and you know you don't like Harpwood any too well
since he got your primary in the Eleventh."
"I should say I didn't!" says Lockwin, half to himself.
At a distance, Esther Wandrell passes on Harpwood's arm.
"Who is Harpwood?" asks Lockwin.
"I'm blessed if I know," answers Dr. Tarpion.
"How long has he been in town?"
"Not over two years."
"Do you know anybody who knows him?"
"He owes me a bill."
"What was he sick of?"

"Worry."
The man and woman repass. The woman looks toward Lockwin and his
dear friend the renowned Dr. Irenaeus Tarpion. Guests speak of
Harpwood. His suit is bold. The lady is apparently interested.
"I should not think you would like that?" says the doctor.
"Why should I care, after all?" asks Lockwin.
"Well, if ever I have seen two men whose destinies are hostile, it seems
to me that you and Harpwood fill the condition. If he