“There will be no public works in future that does not bear my signature.  In a word, I will assert myself, lock, stock and barrel.”

So he hit out upon a new highway with the determination to be popular.  He neglected his own stamp-mill that the work might be carried out to a successful issue.  He engaged others to take charge of the tail race and dump, with which he would not trust his brother on previous occasions.  In fact, he left the steam of the mill at high pressure to look after itself that he might have an unhampered course in the asserting of himself.  He invaded immediately all the dances, carnivals, dinners and parties.  He was both Liberal and Conservative in politics.  He was the “guy” with the “big mitt” and the vociferous vocabulary at all the local functions.  He even joined the church.  He tumbled into popularity as quickly as the Kaiser tumbled into the European war; and he elbowed his way into the run-way for all offices.  Previously bright stars were dimmed by the brilliancy of his superior luminosity.  He became a parasite at the local stores and clubs, and was a wart on the grocer’s counter.  He became a whirlwind of popularity.  He was as much in the advance as he had before been in the rear, and, if there was any German trench to take, he was always first to jump into it.  He had the big voice in every local eruption.  Every time he batted he made a home run.  He even made initiative suggestions for schemes which were more or less amalgamated with reason and insanity.  It is said that he was first at the dances, and first in the hearts of the ladies.  It is certain he was the first to invent the sewerage system idea; and the patents were applied for before the final endorsements had been secured.

“I will make the man swallow his words who awarded me that booby prize,” he thundered; and he was going the right way about it.  He imposed his individuality with emphasis.  He was taken by the hand and dragged along cheerfully.  He found himself coveted and envied now, where, before, he had almost been denied citizenship.  He was now a qualified voter, where, before, he had been disfranchised.  He found himself in the front ranks of all social movements, for he had asserted himself with an accent.  It was a case of applied personality with him, and it was developing just as he had anticipated.  Of course it was a superficial personality; it had no intrinsic value, but it answered the purpose.  He received many important appointments.  He was created secretary to the School Board, secretary to the Ashcroft Rinks, secretary to the Hospital, secretary to the Ashcroft Hockey boys, secretary to the Ladies’ Knitting Guild, secretary to the Ladies’ Auxiliary.  In fact, he was unanimously chosen an official in all the local public works which had no salary attached to them.  But then, he was gaining in popularity, and what did it matter if his office was filled to overflowing with exotic paraphernalia, he was reaching that apex to which he had aspired, and the emolument was a mere bagatelle.  The booby prize, after all, had been the foundation of his success.